Really good Croquet Madame! Tip - only difference between a Croquet Madame and a Croquet Monsieur is the Madame has an egg on it! The Crab Maison is basically lump crab with some sauces/spices. If you don't like horseradish, don't get this. We also got the seafood tower. EVERYTHING was so fresh. Pricey but worth it. Goes really well with a nice bottle of champagne. Good wine list and a lot of the bottles are reasonably priced. Service was really friendly and helpful! I'll definitely come back for the Croquet Madame!
(4)
Kelly W.
Went here for dinner and had a pretty nice meal. Started with the Brussels sprouts and gumbo, both were pretty good, the sprouts had quite a kick to them. For dinner I had the risotto (which the chef added the night before) and it was amazing! Would definitely recommend it! Overall a good meal, but not a must do.
(4)
Jennifer M.
Came here on a Friday night with a bachelorette party. We originally had a reservation for 8pm, but called around 6 to request a later time, and they accommodated 7 of us at 9:15 easily. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the manager, and immediately served complimentary champagne. We sat towards the back of the restaurant, and it was very private. Our server, "Richie Rich" was amazing. He made friendly conversation, suggested entrees and drinks, and brought warm bread with the waters. I ordered the Poulet- Grande-mere, which was herb roasted chicken, summer veggies, and whipped potatoes. It was delicious and filling. I ordered the Streetcar drink, which was also very good. I was impressed with their service and attentiveness, as well as the ambiance and clean restrooms. I paid for the bachelorettes' and myselfs' dinner, and it was less than $100. I would recommend eating here when in NOLA.
(5)
Sharon W.
I totally forgot to review this place! This was one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans! $.50 cents oysters during happy hour. This is a deal that can not be beat!! For all you Californians, beware, these are not the typical small kumomodo oysters. These are some big guys, but still very good! I had the Shrimp with Jalapeno Grits, He had the Special, Pork with grits, both were amazing and the portion after eating 2 dozen oysters and ordering 2 happy hour drinks each. His special came with a bowl of gumbo, and we were even given a free delicious bread pudding. The total you ask? We paid $86 for 4 drinks, 24 oysters, 2 entrees with one gumbo and a complimentary dessert. Wow LUKE! Way to go!! Thanks for making us feel totally at home and welcome at your restaurant. I am itching to go back just to eat here again.
(4)
Nick K.
Stopped by for breakfast was recommended the shrimp and grits and boy was I impressed. Definitely a must have when in town.
(5)
Wener V.
Ended up here on a whim after our first choice proved to be in a sketchy part of town (it was an attempt to eat where the locals eat). We were not disappointed in our choice. We started with the gumbo and it was amazing. You can really taste the fresh ingredients. Next we had the oyster avocado salad and the shrimp and grits as our entree. Again can't say enough about the fresh ingredients and the shrimp tasted as if it just came off the boat. We didn't try the desert but our table mates next to us did and they enjoyed the bread putting. Definitely would go back no eat there again. Make reservations if you can, we didn't but you should.
(5)
Alicia H.
Jalapeño grits are AH-mazing! Great beer on tap. Oysters are delish! The ambience is nice - there are two rooms - one that's near the bar and another that's a little fancier (you'd want to sit with your parents in the fancy area unless you drink with them in which case the bar area seating is fantastic). Service and food is great here - enough that I'm coming back for the second time in two days (thank you grits and gumbo!). Our server last night was personable and knowledgable. I'll definitely be coming back the next time I'm in NOLA and will be looking out for my next Besh experience!
(5)
Lola O.
First time at a John Besh restaurant. On our visit to New Orleans, bumped into friends and next thing we were on to Happy Hour for the oysters. I've never had oysters, let alone raw oysters but what better time to try?.?.Aanndd I was pleasantly surprised! And the oysters were HUGE! Since we were in New Orleans and there was too much food to eat, didn't want to stuff my face before dinner. The jalapeno shrimp was a complete YES! I did push the actual jalapenos to the side, but the flavor were definitely all UP in the grits. I did realize though, what mint julep REALLY is -a whole lot of bourbon with some mint leaves and a bit of sugar - so definitely lesson learned on that front! But the waiter was VERY knowledge about the entire Food & Drinks menu.
(4)
Pam C.
Lucky enough to eat here twice in 2 weeks. Both times came in around 3, to partake of their awesome happy hour(HH) from 3-6. Each visit I started with a dozen raw oysters ($.75) @ HH. First visit I also had the charcuterie platter, so many great and unusual things. The person seated next to me at the bar even mentioned how beautiful the plate was. Recommend!. Next visit in addition to the raw oysters, I also had the fried oyster romaine salad. it was very good, not sure if it was worth the price point ($17), but the oysters were awesome and the salad perfectly dressed. *side note, I always base my reviews on the food...as service can sometimes, just be off, but both visits I sat at the bar, where I think you usually receive better service, I did not feel this was the case, either visit. 1st visit, service was ok, second visit, was terrible, same bartender. She is not attentive, even when not super busy at 4, on a Tuesday.
(4)
Adalee P.
Delicious food and great service! It's on the pricey side so be prepared to spend some money!
(5)
Kevin J.
The service is slow (in a good, southern kinda way y'all) and the concierge had a bit of an attitude. That being said, our last day there a server named Kevin listened to our need to be done and out of the door by 5 to be at a wedding in the French Quarter. He accommodated all 6 of us amazingly and made every dish arrive and had us ready to go in less than 45 minutes. Amazing. Then he made sure we wouldn't forget him by gifting us a complimentary dessert (whoa...that brownie had us fighting to lick the plate) Great recovery by a wonderful server. The food is always excellent, you just might want to be really clear with your service expectations.
(4)
Carissa C.
Beautiful interior and ambience! Good spot for seafood and local upscale food fare. We tried the crawfish bisque, shrimp grits, and bread pudding. Everything was fantastic! The bisque was flavorful and the crawfish melted in my mouth--unexpected and delightful. The shrimp and grits looked like a small portion for my husband but it was rich and filling. Don't miss dessert. Seriously, don't. It will be the best $8 you ever spend if you have a sweet tooth. We had bread pudding which had a nice crunchy crust, pralines, bourbon syrup (I think), and delicious local vanilla ice cream. It's small so it may not seem like enough to split but again it's rich and filling and super good. I focus on food but the staff was also fantastic! Definitely check this spot out if visiting NOLA. It's fabulous.
(5)
Robin E.
Another good place to eat while in New Orleans, not sure there is a bad place in the city, well we have not been to one yet
(4)
Jon S.
My wife and I were SO looking forward to this dinner. We have all of John Besh's cookbooks. We have also had dinner a few times at the Luke in San Antonio and it was amazing. Luke in NOLA is NOT worth the trip. Our dinner was average at best. First, the Hostess was HORRIBLE she was rude. She almost made us turn around and leave. Next it is LOUD and cramped. My wife was pregnant and uncomfortable. It was difficult to eat with the small table. The crawfish bisque was outstanding. My wife had shrimp and grits and thought they were good. My ribeye was due to come medium rare and it was overcooked. When the waiter asked about our food I told him it was overcooked. He didn't listen and said "excellent". Dessert was great. The white cake was excellent. Bottom line there are so many great food spots in NOLA. This one you can remove from the list.
(2)
Evan P.
Of all of the restaurants that we visited during a long weekend in New Orleans (and there were many) we thought Lukes had the best food across the board. This Franco-German John Besh restaurant left us craving for more and seeking out more of his restaurants during our stay. We came in for lunch on Friday and this appeared to be a popular "power lunch" spot as many people were dressed in business attire. It took us about 30 minutes to get a table for 4 without a reservation. It was well worth the wait! Rarely, have I gone into a restaurant with several other people each ordering different things and each person leaving extremely impressed, full, and enjoying each dish we shared. For the rest of our trip, we kept visiting other restaurants and while individual plates may have been just as good, nothing compared across the board to what we had at Luke's. I highly recommend the Lamb Ragout (listed as boar on menu online, but changed to lamb). While we could not determine our overall favorite dish, someone at our table who claimed they "do not like lamb" could not stop talking about how good this dish was. The croque-monsieur (grilled ham and cheese) was also very good and the fries that came with it where crispy and very well-seasoned. We shared (devoured) an order of oysters and shrimp and thought these were among the best we have had in the city. The Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp was a delicious mix of jalapenos, sausage, and shrimp and was perfectly seasoned and spiced. Everything was delicious here and we look forward to our next visit.
(5)
Melody N.
Possibly my favorite restaurant in New Orleans, I absolutely love it! It's not very spacious so I could see that if you come at a peak time, the wait could be very long or the service could be lacking. Fortunately I have always lucked out with quick seating, great hospitality, and delicious food. I love the decor, Old New Orleans meets rustic. The wooden bar with the bull head (not real) adds a nice touch. John Besh is one of my favorite chefs and I love his menu here. Great for brunch, lunch, happy hour, and dinner. I love how you can come here casual or dressed to the nines and no one bats an eye. You could get something lighter like a nice salad or go all out with shrimp & grits (great choice.) The coffee is actually really good here too, and great gumbo. Try to reserve your table ahead of time by calling, OR checking open table and that might save you some time. A must try for a New Orleans!
(5)
Billy M.
Excellent! Wine choices were great and everything we had was delicious. We ate dinner and ordered the Brussel sprouts and gumbo appetizers, and the risotto and shrimp & grits for entrees, with the bread pudding for desert. It was by far the best meal we had while in NOLA. Our entrees were $26 & $24 and our bill was $100 total with only 1 drink so I would say it is closer to $$$ than $$. Regardless, this place is very good and we would highly recommend it.
(5)
Momo B.
JOHN BESH RESTAURANT Just around the corner from the Sheraton and open late suits us well Fried oyster salad... perfect for a late dinner. Ribeye steak with bernaise... overly trimmed for Yu-go's steak preference... cut awkwardly like a wedge with one end over cooked medium well... meat was tasty... can do better for the price. This is one of eight John Besh restaurants. Waitstaff was genuine and appreciative... just like us. Very noisy with undersized tables arranged for eavesdrop without trying.
(4)
Heather H.
Great oyster happy hours that go on from 5-7pm! My boyfriend and I shared a dozen oysters and a glass of champagne. Our tab was $24 with tip. Great value! I hear they have the best to-go cups in town, and we totally missed out on that. The staff were very nice and attentive. We almost felt too casual but we felt at home! I'd definitely go back :)
(4)
Aaron P.
We really enjoyed our dinner here. Drum meunière was excellent, and roasted chicken was probably laced with crack. Didn't make it for happy hour - definitely will next time we're in New Orleans. Full disclosure - planning to steal their Brussels sprouts appetizer recipe for our next dinner party
(5)
Christina T.
For the past few weeks, I've been craving the crab omelet. Went in once but there weren't any seats at the bar and no open tables with a 30 minute wait. Went back a few weeks later and was able to get a table. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed that the menu changed and the crab omelet wasn't even on the menu. I double checked to see if they could make it but they couldn't. :( I wish I could get an email reminder when they add it back to the menu. lol I ended up getting the crab bisque and fries. The bisque was was flavorful. The fries were good as always. (I knew the bisque wouldn't be enough alone but didn't see anything else that really stuck out to me...probably because I really wanted that omelet.) Nice waitstaff. Pretty fast and acknowledged us. I'll be back again though because I really like this place. Hopefully my favorite dish will be on the menu again. :)
(3)
Charlyne A.
HAPPY HOUR. Just come for the happy hour. I came here almost everyday. Make reservations. Order the seventy five cent oysters and everything on their drink menu. Might as well since everything is half off. Their drinks were meh-okay. I suggest Arnaud's but its just so inexpensive that it doesn't matter.
(5)
Paul H.
I recently spent several days in NOLA and just stopped in to Luke for a quick lunch on my first day. I kept going back, because it was so good. Oysters on the half shell...some of the best I've ever had. Ended up getting a second dozen. Gumbo...very good. Roux could be a bit darker, but still top shelf! Croque Madam...excellent. High quality ham. Toasted just right. Delicious. Fries...very, very good. Charcuterie board...excellent variety and very, very traditional, with pate', blood sausage and several other delicacies. Probably one of the best I have ever had. All meals served with great, crusty French bread and butter. I ate at the bar each time, and service was always top notch.
(5)
Julie O.
The food was amazing and the staff was equally amazing!!! We had the roasted chicken, raw oysters, and shrimp and grits. We also ordered to go for a friend that has several allergies and they made the food to order and didn't give us any trouble! Richie was our waiter and he was very personable! We would absolutely come here again and highly recommend this place if you are in New Orleans!
(5)
Samer H.
Very great decorations and service. The place looks awesome. We first ordered the half dozed jumbo gulf shrimp. I'm not from the gulf but I didn't think that they were that jumbo. They were also a nightmare to peel and eat but the cocktail sauce was really good. Kind of pricey for the size and quality of the shrimp. One was mangled and awkward looking. I ordered the gumbo just to have a Nola dish with my meal. Unfortunately the gumbo itself was room temperature, but the rice that they put on top was refrigerator cold. As soon as i stirred it, it was completely cold. Kind of sad since I was paying $6 for 4 bites of gumbo. Small portions here too. We then ordered the pate and the green salad. The pate was good, and was a huge portion. The pickled sides were probably the best part. I had never tried pate so I can't be the best judge but I liked it. It had a mild flavor to it. The salad was $17 and was 5 leafs of butter lettuce drenched in a basic sauce. Overall this place isn't bad, it just seems like one of those places where you pay for the ambiance and not the food.
(3)
Shane F.
Oh my goodness. Eggs in a jar. Based on my sentence above, you may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Well, Luke has an incredible breakfast dish called Eggs in a jar. Now, I'm not one for grits....they're too....."gritty" (heh). I actually demolished these cheesy, jalapeno-y goodness. The eggs themselves were very straightforward and poached, but once you pop the yolk and that lovely golden center runs over the already cheesy grits...all I can say is, "heaven". Now, throw in several batter-fried shrimp to rim the jar, and you have a meal that will keep you full far past lunch time. For an added treat, get the beignets with the chocolate sauce and preserves. While they aren't as good as Cafe du Monde's, they are still quite delicious with a cup of coffee.
(5)
Jana K.
It was Breakfast, but it was a $40 breakfast for 2. Nothing that really blew me away, food was good. I would recommend a reservation seems like they turn away from you without one. I did enjoy Jalapeño cheese grits
(4)
Isabelle R.
Raw oysters were huge and delicious but some had a little too much shell in them. 75 cent happy hour special, I can't complain. All drinks also half price. The deep-fried oysters were TO DIE FOR. The crawfish bisque was jam-packed with the little sweet crawfish bites and so yummy. The gumbo was very good. Service was 3.5 stars. Beautiful decor, as most places in New Orleans.
(4)
Emily H.
Happy hour is now $0.75 per oyster! (Not $0.50) Still one of the best deals in town. Oysters taste so fresh that you don't need to put any sauce on it. Seafood gumbo has huge chunks of oysters in it. Yum!
(5)
Melinda M.
Why 3 stars? Our server was horrible. I've always believed that service should play a huge role in my reviews no matter how good the food is. We had reservations for 10pm since earlier times were booked. We walked from the French Quarter to this place and there was a bad accident on the way so we had to take a bit of a detour. We were here on a Friday night, but it wasn't too busy. We were quickly seated and our server came to us about 5 mins later. He gave us the menu and went over the specials for the day. Everything seem good, but once our order came out we never saw him again. He didn't come out to fill our glasses or check on us instead he was waiting on other tables. We finished our meal and had to wave him down several times for the check. Well guess what? Almost 30 mins later he never came back with the check so we had to ask someone else for it. Sorry for the rant about the service, but it wasn't something I expected from a John Besh establishment. About the food. This was our second John Besh restaurant on this trip and I've to say I wasn't overly impressed with either. I ordered the shrimp and grits that came out in a little pan, raw oysters and P&J baked oysters. The oysters were pretty good so we had to order another dozen. The shrimp and grits was good, but nothing great. Overall disappointed, but mainly with the service. This place won't be on my list of places to visit again.
(3)
Wes T.
This is a popular restaurant, so I won't try to add on anything that hasn't been covered already. The reason I am writing this review, though, is to throw some wind into their sails since their service on Christmas Day was outstanding. Place was packed, kitchen got a little behind, and servers were scrambling. Food finally came out, was delicious, and at the conclusion management came by and personally apologized for the wait. I love to see this level of concern for the guest experience, and would happily return to experience it again.
(5)
Keny R.
Absolutely the worst customer service ever. 4 paying customers come in at 10:20 and the woman at the hostess counter was rude and disrespectful. After asking if we have a reservation, she proceeded to tell us that it would be a 10 min wait for a table. SIDENOTE: There were several available tables in site. A waiter and the hostess made contact and general glances in our direction at what which point he frowned and she rolled her eyes. We waited patiently as she stood at the podium a few more minutes before going and finding another woman to come back with her. They fiddled with the screen for a few minutes. Then we over hear them asking, "what time is it?", then looking over at us. Needless to say, we decided the best decision was the leave. Apparently Luke and John Besh do NOT need paying customers as it seems Leaving on time is the staff's top priority. Seems like a decent menu, too bad we were not allowed the opportunity to sample it. I will be sharing this experience with others.
(1)
Zenia A.
Stopped into this place during a work trip to New Orleans and was pleased. During happy hour, they have $0.75 oysters and definitely order the Brussel sprout dish as well!
(4)
Anita L.
I didn't even realize it was John Besh's restaurant until I stepped inside. My group of 4 came here for breakfast before heading to meet a group for lunch so we wanted to try a few things but the intention was not to fill up. We ordered the gumbo -- it was something I wanted to try at every single restaurant I went to -- and it was pretty good. A tad salty, but I'd rather that than bland. The local crab omelette was decent, the egg part was fluffy and it was stuffed with plump morsels of crab. I was really happy to see that there was no skimping on ingredients here. The piece de resistance was indeed the shrimp and grits. The shrimp are fried -- there are 6 of them -- and hangs off the lip of a mason jar filled with jalapeno grits and topped with soft poached eggs and a very light Hollandaise sauce. It was absolutely incredible!! The shrimp were perfect crispy on the outside with a great snap while the grits is just a smooth, luxurious, velvety, unctuous, gooey blob of deliciousness. Really happy that we stopped in here!
(4)
Efrain R.
Service is always great. Which is why it gets three stars. The food and menu have taken a dive though. I've eaten here at least 6-8 times over the years It used to be really great. The steak was Just salty, Pork Schnitzel had no flavor, gumbo also just eh.... Not worthy. The menu has been chopped down to what seems like bar food. Not sure what happened here!? Everything used to be excellent. You can do a lot better for your money in this town
(3)
Danielle J.
Every single thing we ordered was amazing. Brussels sprouts are sweet with a bit of heat from finely sliced jalapeño. Crab omelette was big enough for two after the appetizer and came w crispy straw fries. We ordered a side of jalapeño grits which are normally such an after thought but stand alone as the best grits I have ever had. Pricey, yes... But you get what you pay for. I forgot to mention the service was great as well and Savannah was super sweet.
(5)
Tiffany B.
Holyyyyyyy shiet you guys, first time in NOLA & I'm in love with the food & Lüke's. It's a pescetarian's dreaaaaam come true. Service: Absolutely excellent. Our waitress was so friendly & kind. They ran out of wild boar ragu that Josh G. wanted, so she gifted us bread pudding for freeeeee. Prices: Reasonable. Slightly on the expensive, but reasonable. Definitely worth every goddamn penny though because it was so good. Food: I ordered a small cup of seafood gumbo & shrimp & grits, while Josh G. got the shrimp cavatelli. We inhaled everything; it was amazing. Best shrimp grits of my friggin' life. So cheesy & full bodied umami. Shrimp was large & juicy, while the gravy was to die for. The seafood gumbo was also a great dish. So earthy & flavorful with large hunks of oyster & shrimp. A little disappointed how small the cup is. It is literally the size of 1 cup, so if you expected it to be like a mug (2 cups), nope. Josh's shrimp cavatelli was also phenomenal. Full of umami - the tomato sauce was fantastic, I would straight up bathe in dat. It was savory, not too rich, creamy, perfect mount of sweetness, & very fresh. I need that tomato sauce recipe right meow. Then came the bread pudding. Holy expletive, batman. You done good, Chef John Besh. That vanilla ice cream atop a sweet baked bread pudding with delicious pecans & caramel was "melt in your chair, swooning over the moon or seeing your celebrity crush" good. I would like a very large bowl of that right now. Can y'all deliver to Boston plzzzz?? Environment: Large restaurant with pretty decent lighting. Perfect date night or a night out with friends. 10/10 would absolutely recommend. Left so full & happy. edited: was drunk when I wrote this, so yeah.
(5)
Adrienne H.
I love this bar! Great happy hour and awesome bar atmosphere. From oyster shuckers to the bar staff everyone is awesome!!! The shrimp and grits is the best in the city, hands down!
(4)
Mimi V.
We had Luke's for dinner and i must say i was not impressed with a lot of factors. The items we tried were: Baked pesto oysters: People said this was amazing, but i thought this was alright. I'd rather have the char-boiled oysters or fresh oysters. Gumbo: This was alright as well. Nothing stood out about it to me. Ribeye steak: Pretty good flavor to the steak, however, not as tender as the other places. Overall, I thought this place was pretty mediocre. They forgot our dinner and other tables who came in later got their dinner first, so we had to remind them. They also forgot my bread that came with the steak. It just seemed like an off day for them. Customer service was good, but not fantastic.
(3)
Sean B.
Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp En Cocotte. It's roasted jalapeño cheese grits, andouille and green onion sausages, and HUGE shrimp in an iron skillet. In Los Angeles, you go to Animal, and get the pork belly sliders. In San Francisco, you track and find the Señor Sisig burrito truck. In San Diego, you have brunch at Hash House. And in New Orleans, you damned well better go to Lüke and have the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp En Cocotte. And make your friends order it too, and steal a few of their shrimp. And then get one to go. Seriously the best seafood dish in the city. State. Country. World?
(5)
Cody H.
We both enjoyed our meals, although I wish the portions were a little bigger. We were sat next to gentleman that had less then stellar service. He said he was sitting, waiting for his server for almost 30 minutes. We didn't have any problem with service. We did have some oysters and they small, but good. I would have no problem going back here for oysters. For an entree, I had a lobster and it was cooked perfectly...only issue was that it was a small lobster so I was't full after eating it. She got the fish and enjoyed it. She did ask for brussel sprouts to be grilled instead made crispy and they happily complied. She did enjoy her meal. We will go back...very nice atmosphere and experience for us.
(4)
Quinn L.
We went back and were treated by the restaurant. The server, Chris was fantastic. We were in the back area where it was a much more enjoyable experience. The food was also done perfectly. Thanks.
(3)
Amber D.
This was my first time going to Lükes, and although I can say that parking downtown is such a pain to find, Lüke's will definitely put a smile on your face after you've had their food! The atmosphere is not too loud or quiet, just a nice place to go with your loved ones and the service was GREAT! I ordered the Lüke Burger which was HUGE and very filling and we also ordered the stuffed oysters which was amazing! I definitely recommend this place and will be coming back soon
(5)
Molly H.
Ahhhhmazzing. We had some mishaps with our drinks not coming and soup being a little on the cold side, but they remedied the mistakes immediately and sent us desserts at the conclusion of our meal. Raw oysters were divine. I had a special of grits with pork belly. Only compliant was that it wasn't served to me in the comfort of my bed. I would loved to have curled up with that cast iron dish and dreamt sweet dreams next to it. This place is a must. Fairly priced, too.
(5)
Johnny T.
Wow. I am all the way late on this one. I told y'all I hadn't been to New Orleans in 10+ years. It seems as though I am the very last person to have heard of and eaten at Lüke. #fixed My experience at Lüke reminded me of why, even after that damned storm, New Orleans is the center of American culinary awesomeness. It just can't be helped. When I lived here, no matter if I was at a shack or an upscale, coat-only establishment, I don't think I ever had a bad meal. Ever. I'm serious. Lüke keeps the streak going. I came here to meet and upon recommendation from my mentor. Yes, I have one. You should as well. This fellow set me on way wrt career choices, timing and strategy and it had been far too long since I'd seen him. Plus, he has fantastic taste in food/drink. We sat and were immediately greeted by that warm, chewy bread (with butter) I'd missed for so many years (yet instantly remembered once I smelled it). To my surprise, neither my mentor nor I wanted a drink. Where was I and who was I? No drink at lunch... in New Orleans? Something was amiss. I think I wanted to stay fully present in the conversation and meal. I stuck with my tonic and lime and availed myself of the $17 express lunch of the day. For less than $20, you get a cup of soup and the entree of the day. Being that it was Thursday, that meant my choice was the jambalaya. Done. In no time, I was slurping on a bowl of hot, spicy, filling, decadent crab bisque. OMG. I'd missed eating like this. Eating is such a joy/(first world/privileged, I recognize) pleasure. To eat food that make your endorphins light up and mouth sing... it's a blessing. It is. The sweet crab meat was the star of the bowl. Not to be hidden amongst heavy cream, the shellfish was up front and present in every spoonful. I was feeling a wee bit full when my large plate of jambalaya arrived. The description said something about green onion sausage and andouille cracklin'. I dunno. All I know is as soon as the smell hit my noise, I couldn't get it in my mouth fast enough. Wait. I lie. I took a bite. Then took a bite of the corn bread. Then I crumbled the corn bread into the dish. Then I topped everything with a metric ton of hot sauce. THEN I put it in my mouth as fast as I could. Our waiter was pleasant, accustomed to the lunch crowd and delivered the type of service that I remembered, service that helped make New Orleans restaurants famous. Bellies protruding and mouths achy from laughter, my mentor and I bid farewell to Lüke and got on with the business of the day. I was not even four hours into being back in The Big Easy and I didn't want to leave. A good meal and good conversation will do that to/for you.
(4)
Adam W.
The oysters, mussels, and champagne were all amazing. We had the pavlova for dessert which was decadent and delicious. The waitstaff was delightful, knowledgeable, and fun. 10/10 would eat here again.
(5)
Danielle C.
I'm still sitting at the table and this was hands down the best shrimp and grits of my life. If you're in New Orleans you need to run here now! Amazing brunch!!
(5)
L M.
The food was great! The ambiance isn't as warm as other places that we'd tried in New Orleans, and the staff weren't what I would refer to as exuberant with the spirit of New Orleans. We tried the fried chicken on a biscuit and the crawfish omelet. They were tasty. The chef understands how to mix the tapestry of taste into a memorable sonata. The ingredients were all fresh ; the music not to die for and the staff and the ambiance need to speak a bit more in what is the spirit of New Orleans.
(4)
Sherry W.
Made reservations for brunch on the Saturday before Easter 2015. I had the shrimp & grits and my friend had the fried shrimp & eggs. Both dishes were incredibly delicious, as were the drinks. In fact, we licked our plates clean, and we left no drops in our glass. I'm pretty sure that the shrimp and grits were the BEST that I've ever had, and I've tried a lot of them down South! The grits were rich, creamy, and cheesy and you can also taste the fresh jalapeños too, so it wasn't too heavy! My mint julep, was also incredibly strong and delicious although I wish it could have been topped off a bit more with ice. My friend's fried shrimp and eggs were also yummy, but I'm not a huge fan of the flavor of mayonnaise and that was all I could taste in her dish. She disagrees this, though and ate every bite! Her shrimp were fried perfectly, and were the jumbo kind that's meaty and juicy on the inside! The only downfall to the experience was the seating location. Having made reservations weeks ahead of time, I would have hoped to get a better seat than in the back corner, where we were literally separated from the waiters through some hanging newspapers. Not good ambiance at all, but at least the food made up for it!
(5)
Helen V.
Went here twice for happy hour during my stay here. The oysters are $.75 now but that didn't prevent us from ordering! They oysters were quite large and very delicious. We also ordered the crispy brussel sprouts and they were hands down the best I've ever had! The crawfish bisque was also very good, the gumbo just ok. We ended our meal quite satisfied with their delicious bread pudding
(4)
Trang N.
I only come here for their happy hour for the oysters and drinks. Sometimes if I feel like eating something else, I'll order some gumbo and sides. Happy starts at 3pm I believe and ends at 6pm. Everyday including Saturdays!
(4)
Alex J.
Luke is a great joint. The food is all delicious, a fusion of French, German, and New Orleans specialties. Drinks are expensive, but happy hour is a great deal with half off their own draft brews, wine, and cocktails. The oysters at happy hour are only 50 cents, and sure, you say, you know of a 25 cent oyster joint somewhere. I guarantee those oysters aren't as big and fresh as those at Luke. Just the best raw oysters I've had anywhere. I love their lunch, especially the two course daily lunch special. And the burger, dear me, you might not thing of this as a burger place, but it's got one of my favorites in town. The only reason I don't get it more often is because it's hard to get anything done after eating that mid-day. They serve Cokes in the individual small bottles, so they aren't bottomless. But you aren't coming to a place like this for bottomless Cokes, anyway. The biggest drawback to the place is the loudness, especially in the back room. New Orleans restaurants really need to cut this crap out. Having a loud place doesn't make you seem more popular. Also, I have no idea how to pronounce a u with an umlaut, so that's annoying.
(4)
Neeharika M.
Good food..flavor full....v accommodating chef ...he removed the andouille sausage from shrimp and grits as I dot eat red meat for us. We ordered the shrimp and grits and crawfish risotto ..both were good.
(4)
Joe O.
Happy Hour! $.75 oysters! Friend and I ordered 36. They gave us 33 (we counted :P) So the manager hooked us up with 6 more...these tasted even better than the previous 33. Came back next day and did the same. Asked if they had the "sweet" oysters and the server said they only serve one kind. I think he might be mistaken. Pour on a few drops of lemon, tabasco, and cocktail sauce and slurrrrrp! Service has always been good. Cocktails were worth it esp during happy hour. Mint Julep tasted more of bourbon than simple syrup which is a good thing. You get some of the muddled mint flavor as well. Good beers half off as well. Definitely a go to on our next visit and we'll probably order of the main menu as well.
(5)
Mallory R.
Gumbo was good. Burger was average. Dessert (cheesecake to go) was insulting. Service was pretty slow and got drink order wrong plus had to be reminded about our dessert order.
(2)
Tina P.
This place is awesome! I had this place bookmarked while planning my trip to NOLA. Be sure to make reservations. The decor makes you feel like you're experiencing a time warp. I could have dressed up a little, but there were all kinds of people from dressy to very casual. My husband had the Jewish penicillin aka matzo ball soup and I started with the crawfish bisque. My only regret with my soup was I wish I would have ordered a whole bowl of it- delicious!!!! I had the bib salad and ate ever ounce. We shared a shrimp dish that was in a skillet- I forget the name, but that was so flavorful! Can't go wrong with this place!
(5)
Tamia G.
We had the coffee, grillade & grits ($15) and shrimp & grits ($24, plus I added crabmeat for $12). Matt J. was our server for breakfast and he was outstanding! The food was simply amazing. So fresh, flavorful and richly seasoned. The best seafood in town! The experience left such a great impression that... We returned at happy hour (3-6pm) that same afternoon. Wow! Great choice! We started with Ugni Blanc Champagne, French 75 and the St. Charles Streetcar. Their handcrafted cocktails were absolutely amazing and at half off (happy hour) they were even better! Also, their shucked oysters on the half shell were only $0.50 each. We literally ordered 48 oysters (4 dozen). We also enjoyed their flamenkuche (quite unique), which includes onion tartar, bacon and cheese on a cracker crust. The whole experience was outstanding because of the food, drinks and exceptional service by Richie Rich. We were pleasantly surprised that they honored happy hour prices restaurant-wide! We sat in the section with Richie Rich (Rich Whatley), who was so knowledgeable about their menu. He even recommended great combinations of food and drink to enhance our experience. Also, Richie had great recommendations for things to do in- and around the local area. Top level service, with a smile. When I return, I'll ALWAYS ask to be seated with Richie Rich. His high level of service sets the example for others to follow. Kudos to Lüke!
(5)
Michael G.
I ate at Lüke and now brunch will never be the same. Dwarfed by the huge Charles st. Hilton hotel right next door, one could easily walk right past this John Besh restaurant, but after the experience I just had there, it's safe to say that I'll sing praises of Lüke every time I'm asked about where to eat in New Orleans. The ambiance is professional and clean, casual and refined. Diners are greeted by quick-witted, smiling hostess and the servers here are incredible. As a matter of fact, it's safe to say that this place has some of the best service I've ever received in a restaurant. And when you taste the food, you realize why the workers take such pride in their operation. The food at Lüke is magnificent. Southern cooking meets French influence here, and the food (and wine) options are all very tempting. Our server Nicholas recommended the crispy brussel sprouts. They were outstanding. Fried to perfection and cut into perfect bites, they were mixed with almond slivers, micro greens, and a fresh cheese, then dressed with honey. Get the brussel sprouts. They're insanely simple and delicious. We followed this appetizer with a crawfish bisque, which was also quite good. While I would have liked more crawfish tails included in the soup, the addition of a bread crumb stuffed crawfish head staring right back at you made the bisque a real treat! The main dishes we shared were the Shrimp and Grits, and the Fried chicken on a biscuit. Both were mind blowing. The first involved Piping hot jalepeño cheesy grits which paired perfectly with shrimp, sausage, and a subtle but spicy red sauce, and the portion was larger than expected. The Fried chicken was...well...fried chicken. But the fluffy, honey soaked biscuit upon which it rested and the over-easy organic egg it supported, came together and made for a damn good entree. Want great service and excellent food at a reasonable price? Eat at Lüke on Charles street. You will be glad you stopped by.
(5)
Brandy K.
First off, big shout out to our wonderful waitress Abby - everyone knows bad service can ruin the food, no matter how great it is, and she literally helped elevate it to another level! This place is amazing in a completely great way!!! Had the crispy brussel sprouts, mint julep, and shrimp and grits. This is by far the best meal we have had in New Orleans, and dare I say it, our travels in general (across Asia, Europe, ama most of the U.S.)? I'm pretty sure I made everyone uncomfortable with my constant moaning, but it couldn't be helped. Thanks for the recommendation Yelp family...now I'm off to my food coma induced nap :)
(5)
Kayu T.
"Richy Rich" was our waiter and he was so wonderful! I can probably say the best in town hands down. He was humorous without being an ass (like some can) and STILL get everything done right and super tentative. Happy hour is half off cocktails and many beer & wine + 50 cents oysters! We also ordered the crab soup- do yourself a favor and get the bowl... if not two! There's so much meat in it and just pure quality. Richard was so sweet, we mentioned that it was a birthday trip and he treated us to the most amazing chocolate caramel dessert. Def. made our day. We are so grateful that strangers we met told us about this place. We will come back as soon as we come back in town!!
(5)
Rich W.
Happy hour is cool service is great...I feel the food is over priced... Your never sure if you never know if its worth it. Went once and I won't miss not going again. Its price point makes it not worth it...over rated and over priced. Its a poor east of my per diem... Never again
(3)
Shawn S.
Oh Luke, how I really want to love you as soon as I walked in but it just wasn't meant to be, I guess. While the atmosphere and the staff are very nice, they just didn't feel genuine to me. I ordered an old fashioned and it was ok but I've had better. I ordered another drink and it was mediocre as well. Then I ordered the King crab legs($22 for two small legs), the crawfish bisque(which was really good). This isn't the worst restaurant I've been to but it's not that great either especially for the prices they have. I guess I just had high hopes for them. :(
(2)
Alex T.
I came here recently with my mom to relax before a big interview, and we had a great time! We started with the marinated crab claws form the bar. They were good! I really liked the sauce they came in, but I wasn't expecting them to be cold. Still good! I ordered the Shrimp and grits dish, because of course. The grits were some type of jalapeño cheese grits and very good. I liked the dish a lot overall. I just wish they took the tails off of the shrimp for you. It just makes things messy and harder to eat when you have to remove the tails. The service was a little lacking. I felt like the waiter always had somewhere else to be. He seemed very removed from our conversations. If they could fix this, they would be a 5 star place hands down.
(4)
Helen P.
Their Happy Hour is simply amazing. I mean we came back here 3 times during our 3 day trip just so we can partake of their happy hour. Where else can you get fresh raw oysters for $.75 each?? Each time we stopped by there was little to no wait. The second time we were smart and made reservations in advance. We were seated pretty promptly and of course we immediately knew what to order- this time we each got our own dozen of oysters, which come with a small loaf of fresh bread and butter, as well as spicy horseradish and cocktail sauce. Absolutely the best oyster happy hour I have ever had. If I ever go back to New Orleans, I will definitely be back to this gem!
(5)
Raymond L.
I had no idea that this place was owned by a celebrity chef. I came here on a whim after eating dinner and headed home. Passing by, we decided to check it out. Unfortunately for us, the place was booked solid. The hostess apologized that she didn't have any availability tonight and wanted to see if we wanted to wait for an opening. Almost immediately, a lady in glasses and grayish hair smiled and came over and see if maybe we would be interested in dining at the bar, even though it was completely filled. When we couldn't find anywhere to sit at the bar, the lady re-approached us, and offered a series of other wonderful recommendations in the area that we could try since we couldn't get seated at a table or a bar. She gave us a brief introduction as to why they were such a busy location and that the company has a few other fairly similar restaurants. She told us how she absolutely loved working there and enjoying the great food at the other restaurants as well as that one we were at. Before we had another minute to think about it, she asked to see if we were interested in dining at the end of the bar. We advised her that we already ate and was looking for dessert only. She immediate gave us some fabulous suggestions on popular desserts and offered us to get the Gateau Basque, because she's been eating it for years! The waitress at the bar greeted us and was incredibly nice. We had a small discussion about oysters and where they were from. We ended up getting a dozen oysters. Although the PJ Oysters weren't anything too special for me, it was still very fresh and delicious. I think I'm biased because I'm a big fan of Kumamoto (which they have) and Shigoku. As mentioned above, we ordered the Gateau Basque, which was basically a vanilla sponge cake with creme fraiche and Louisiana berry marmalade poured on top. It was incredible. As far as desserts go, that was the highlight of all the desserts we ordered in a week's timespan in New Orleans. Before we finished, the lady in glasses came to check up on us again. She was very nice and asked to make sure that we enjoyed the food. She told us that she'll check on us again before we leave. But we didn't get to say goodbye! She was probably busy making sure the rest of the patrons were having a good time. The staff here is worth recommending on coming here to New Orleans. The food is great, and the service is incredible. We had a stunning of a time, thanks for the Southern hospitality of Luke.
(5)
Jenny T.
Happy hour oysters for only .75 cents sounded too good to pass up on. The oysters were so muddy and earthy. I felt like it wasn't washed or even rinsed off because my entire plate was covered with mud. That alone was enough to turn me off. I'm not sure if it's a New Orleans thing. The oyster itself wasn't crunchy or sweet. It tasted bland and so I drowned the oysters in cocktail sauce and horse radish. I also got tired of biting into fragments of the oyster shell. You really get what you pay for. Hog Island still wins me over by far!
(2)
Ruby D.
After a crazy night in NOLA we needed food. Good food. Hopped on yelp, saw the reviews/the rating and walked out the hotel door. I noticed the menu changes seasonally or daily or I don't even know. But a lot of the pictures I saw were not what was happening when we came in today but nonetheless such a good array of food options for brunch. We got the crispy Brussels 10/10. So damn good Seafood gumbo was good. I personally like my gumbo a little spicier but there were plenty of oysters and shrimp and sausage in mine so I was a happy girl. Fried chicken and biscuit- If you've been to Texas and have hada whataburger honey butter chicken biscuit this is that... but upgraded. I was so full at this point but I ate a good portion of it still. What made this absolutely delicious was the Tabasco honey. good lord. I tried my friend's shrimp and jalapeño cheese grits. Delicious. The burger looked good as well but my tummy was telling me noooo Preston our waiter and Rob the manager took SUCH good care of us. Can't wait to be back in New Orleans
(4)
Jackie K.
Very good breakfast: the french toast was perfectly cinnamon-y, and the french fries were delicious--they didn't even need ketchup, they were that good. Service was OK, although our server kept bumping into tables and chairs because they were so crowded together. Quality breakfast.
(4)
Camille P.
Got a burger from here abd it was awesome, the fries were delicious as well and for take out it was pretty quick! I also tried the oysters salad thing and let me tell you why that'd have me in a coma! They're so delicious!
(4)
Kiana R.
I ordered the shrimp & grits and it was delicious! I am sitting here literally craving more. This is definitely a place to come if this is your first time here like myself. I wish the dish size was slightly larger for the price but it was delicious. I can't say that enough.
(4)
Daniel A.
I liked this place a lot. Thought for the price, they could of put a little more jambalaya in my bowl. But, the beer was cold, the food outstanding, oysters were fresh and shucked so you didn't have to fight to get them out they slid perfectly. I went with the local oysters as recommended by staff. Was NOT disappointed. They were large and tasty. Lots of great items on the menu that are encouraging me to return for a second visit before I depart for home. Again. My only disappointment was portion with the jambalaya but other than that. People were awesome and the food was great!!!
(4)
Andrew S.
Delicious happy hour oysters. Nice atmosphere. Service and drinks were 'meh'.
(4)
Yahong X.
The oyster is really really really awesomeï¼Happy hours are too happy! Oysters are fresh and Soft shell crab taste good!
(5)
Von A.
The interest in this place for me was not in due part to the stellar reviews, proximity to Bourbon Street, or the amazing menu items - but for the fact that the chef of this restaurant is on one of my now fave TV reality shows called Hungry Investors. Definitely would be wise to get a reservation, as this place is packed. Meal-wise, I went here for dinner and got the Ribeye Steak - which was very good. The seasoning had a nice an tangy cajun flavor, and came with fries that were definitely hand made and very crisp.
(4)
Elizabeth S.
Holy crap this place is gotten so many good reviews since the last time I was here. You can come here for really cheap oysters and the most savory food ever for happy hour. I think I went back three times during Mardi Gras, because all the other restaurants just weren't hitting the same spot! I will return next time in NOLA
(5)
Leah H.
So good. Every. Damn. Time. I am obsessed with the Flamenkuchen. The pate is divine. I recommend the crawfish bisque to everyone. With all the great reviews I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this one. Just know this place is awesome!
(5)
Grace C.
My girlfriends and I went for the Happy Hour and it was AMAZING. The service was great from start to finish. e all ordered some cocktails to start as well as 2 dozen oysters (raw and grilled). We also ordered a variety of sides to share: pate, brussels sprouts, grits, and fries. Our table raved about all the sides particularly the brussels sprouts were sweet and caramelized (perfection). We went another round of oysters before we asked for the check. The oysters were so fresh. I can't wait for the next opportunity to venture back for another meal here.
(5)
Michelle E.
Masculine and classy vibe, beautiful brasserie, they have a bar and tv in case you wanted to watch something during happy hour Had the baked oysters, these were yummy, a bit greasy but yummy(needed a squeeze of acid) Had the brussel sprout appetizer, yummy, lots of flavors and textures going on in there, good serving for 4, could probably order this as a meal to go for one Ordered the shrimp en cocotte (shrimp and grits) asked for pouched eggs on top. Grits were jalapeño flavored but GOSH, they must have put a brick of jalapeño jack on there cuz that was all tasted! Shrimp was smaller than expected, gravy was good, not much grits under all that cheese, I had to pick all these cheese out cuz it just overpowered the whole dish (next time, ask them for less cheese or none cuz it didn't need it), best part was the 65 degree sous vide egg(I'd probably love the 75 degree egg more), it was just perfect! Had the chocolate steamed something with salted caramel ice cream. It was ok. The salted caramel ice cream tastes like pure sugar no depth and ridiculously sweet (bi-rite makes salted caramel way better). I had one bite and that was enough I'd probably only come back for happy hour prices raw oysters and such but that's about it
(3)
Donna R.
Not that I am biased or anything... but this meal was probably my fave on our recent vacation to New Orleans. A birthday dinner at John Besh's place?? This girl was sold - hook, line, and sinker. The hostess instantly greeted us and wished me a happy birthday, as did both of our waiters Shane and Warren (multiple times), I was definitely feeling the love. I started off with the crawfish bisque and my husband opted for the gumbo, both were perfection. To accompany our food we both had some great cocktails as well, me -- the Streetcar and him -- the Old Fashioned. We were told to get the fries and the husband was feeling a steak, so he got the ribeye with fries and wow, really, really good and a ton of food. I will say that my husband said the fries got really salty at the end. I got the house special, Shrimp and Grits... and I literally cannot put into words how decadent that dish was. Super cheesy and creamy grits topped with huge shrimp and one hell-of-a-sauce. I could barely finish it cause I was so full, but I was happy to have some yummy leftovers. Is it expensive? Yes, but soo worth it.
(5)
Claudia A.
First, the staff was okay. Interesting decor inside too. We ordered some food to go since they were about to close. I got my mom a cup of gumbo, which she enjoyed. I chose their Steamed Chocolate dessert (good!) My sister ordered the Gateau Basque. Upon returning to our hotel, we discovered she only got the cake!! No creme fraiche or berries!! They were closed so we couldn't do anything about it. Not cool.
(2)
Matt C.
Smash #1 hit. Couple cocktails before / with dinner... of course.. Of course they were tasty. The oysters were delicious. I consider myself an oyster snob; and the one's here were terrific. I had the fish o' the day (I think it was grouper) and it was extremely fresh tasting. The place is booshie. There are many very good restaurants in New Orleans, and "dis be" another one.. Oh, and I forgot to mention the service start to finish, head to toe was spot on. You're a bad boy!
(5)
Bibin A.
I've come here for lunch once but dinner was just terrible. We ended up ordering the steak and the shrimp and grits. Also ordered a few drinks which were actually delightful, so that's the saving grace for the 2 stars. Steak was well over cooked and ended up being way too SALTY, and so were the grits. Our food was barley touched and ended up being a total let down. It was surprising to see a restaurant of that caliber have issues with seasoning. We were extremely disappointed but you win some you lose some, they did end up giving us a free dessert which was the "Salted Caramel". Not sure if that was unintended or clever joke. But needless to say we won't be going back here again. Plenty of other places to try, so it's hard to give a place a second chance.
(2)
Jannet L.
75 not 50 cent oysters at happy hour. It was still my favorite food experience during my short visit to NO. The ambience is cool bar but not dark. Would definitely come here after work for drinks. Had half off wine glass and draft beers. And happy hour is 3 hours!!! Also had the amaze balls deep fried brussel sprouts with apples and cheese - so friggin delicious. Tried the rabbit and chicken liver pate which was pretty good. Almost tasted like bleu cheese and had so many nice relishes and mustards and chutneys. Had a dozen raw oysters all to myself. Best with just lemon juice and bit of fresh horseradish. yummy!!! Wish we had a place like this back home.
(5)
Rachel K.
Wow where do I even begin?? Remember Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High? OK well that was basically our waiter, Rich. He was EFFIN HILARIOUS! We heard the following phrases during dinner: "Wha wha?!" "This shiz is going to be awesome!" "Here are your vagtables." There were so many other gems, but honestly I can't even remember. Regardless, we were there for a birthday and Rich went out of his way to make our experience special. We were giggling all night and his persona. We had the onion tarte and brussel sprouts to share and I had the Grilled Mahi. Honestly the descriptions on the menu don't even serve the food justice. Mahi with caper butter? Sounds rather ordinary. But no that's where you'd be wrong. It was so good I actually wiped my clean, which I NEVER do. It was served with kale, but not regular kale salad. These were more like spiced kale chips. I was like HOW DO I MAKE THESE AT HOME??? I wanted a bag to take with me just so I could snack on them. The birthday cake was a little piece of chocolatey heaven. I'm not sure what it was but it tasted like flourless chocolate cake with ice cream. It was super moist and dense. Not too bitter and not too sweet. When I go back to New Orleans, Luke's will definitely be on my go to list.
(5)
Lani P.
Oh How I wish, I wish I had a Lüke where in Denver. First I been wanting to go here for a while now and follow Chef John Besh . I guess I could fly to the Luke's in San Antonio, it's closer. lol Well we got up early to get here for breakfast on the day we were flying out Monday August 3rd, 2015. It was about maybe 8am when we got there and looked like we were the only customers so far. It looks like a really fancy place, but they are very nice and the prices are not expensive at all and the portions are great, but the quality and taste is OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD!!!!! So our waitress "Nicole" was helpful and nice, but i also knew exactly what I was getting and also some stuff to try before getting there. She was a Local girl who's from Maui. So her and I chatted and my pidgin accent started to come out. So this is the low down on what we got: Fresh black coffee was delicious & fresh and I don't usually drink coffee nor do I like it black. Virgin Bloody Mary was just what I needed from Drinking too much the night Be4 and it was tasty. Chicken Tobasco honey sandwich that came with Grits - Very yummy, but the Grits were the STAR and talk about it here in a few. Famous Shrimp & Grits w/Lump Crab topped off w/over easy eggs.- This was what I came here for initially and it was delicious, but there was just a lot going on in flavors, next time I won't mess with perfection and keep it simple with just "shrimp w the grits" Egg White Fritata my friend been craving eggs whites - It was good, healthy wise, but we should've ate this first because after tasting the grits and other dishes, this tasted somewhat bland. It by no means was bland, but you can't mix healthy when your eating gluttonous rich tasting dishes. It did taste delicious several hours later. We ended up taking this to go. Fries - Now these were actually horrible and burnt like. I like crunchy fries, but only if the inside is also soft and fluffy. We ate a few pieces and they were so bad we didn't even bother taking it to go and wasted the whole thing and just left it there. It basically looked untouched. The only Bad thing and so not worth getting. Now the grits. OH MY FREAKEN GOSH!!! This was just a shocker! So I didn't know that my sandwich came with grits and I decided to just taste it with a spoon. As soon as it hit my mouth, all my taste buds EXPLODED in Ecstasy!! I was soo blown away and couldn't believe it so I took another spoonful and closed my eyes & was in Food Heaven!! My friend was like "no way is it that good", then tried it and was experiencing what I just had! Ecstasy! It was just basic no frills grits!!! It was sooo dang good!! We ordered 2 more on the side. they had a jalapeno one, so we got on of each. Now mind you the jalapeno grits were delicious and not too spicy, but When it comes to PERFECTION, the plain grits is THE BEST EVER!!!! Oh my gosh, how can a small side dish steal the show?!! It was crazy! We had delicious entree's, but yet all we could rave, crave and talk about is the Grits!I I am going back to NOLA, just because of the food here. Luke's, Green Fork and SEED are 3 reasons I am going back just for a weekend trip so that I can eat heavenly. The Grits are the MAIN reasons why Everyone needs eat here!!!! I can still taste that nice creamy, not watery at all and just the perfect amount of butter to it. I didn't even have to add salt or anything. If I could only have one dish before die, not meal, but "dish." This would be it!!!!
(5)
Aimee C.
This review is mainly for the service. I felt discriminated by the color of my skin at this restaurant. We came in at 3 pm on a Friday when there were a lot of empty seats. Our first server introduced herself right after doing so at two neighboring tables, but we waited about fifteen minutes before anyone asking if we needed anything or introducing today's specials, while the table next to ours had already got their first dish. (We came during happy hours, but I found out only through her friendly conversation with the girls next to us after we were done eating.) I thought she had forgotten us so I told her with a smile that we were ready to order. She turned around and sent a trainee-looking guy to us and never spoke to us again. (You could tell because they don't take orders, dress slightly differently, and mainly clean up dirty plates from tables.) I don't mind being served by a trainee, but our glasses were empty the whole time and no one bothered to add water. It was very hard to get the second guy's attention because we sat where most customers were served by the first server. I noticed our second guy served all Asian customers who sat in various areas. I hoped this was a coincident. I'm usually very polite to my servers. I understand how stressful their jobs are and I respect them a lot. I don't need everyone to put on a smile while serving but at least I shouldn't feel neglected with no water and no plate for bread, or being treated as a less valuable customer while people next to us were getting a five-star treatment. I really hope this doesn't happen to others because this experience was very unpleasant. I'm never coming back here again.
Well I have to admit that John has ruined what was my favorite Besh restaurant. I ventured to my favorite spot for oysters though early in the season for a friends birthday party. I was interested in the oyster special happy hour which is 75 cents not 50 cents as it used to be and that was a sign of worse to come. We ordered bowls of gumbo that is excellent but has gone from $8 to $10 per bowl since I have last been here. They used to have daily specials where you order get an entree and a cup of soup for about $20 and that is gone. The menu has been reduced a bunch of high priced items that you would have expected from August or any of his other places that you didn't get here. Luke was like a neighborhood kitchen that served really good food at a good price but now he has gone for the tourists instead of the locals and it shows in more ways than one. They have added more tables and crammed the small interior, the tables are now so small you really can't fit the oyster trays on them comfortably when seating a table of 3 or 4. The oysters themselves were the worst I have ever had from them with about 3 that were not opened that I had to open at the table. Gumbos normally come with hot french bread and they only brought one for a table of three where they are supposed to be given to each person not per table. The oysters have really turned into a lost leader to get you in the door and spend a check that you really were not anticipating. They have baked oyster not char broiled at a whopping $17.50 per half dozen. My friend though it was for a dozen and ordered the half not knowing the $17.50 was for the half dozen which made the situation even worse. To top it all off we were there for a birthday and notified the hostess and the waiter and there was no recognition with a dessert or not even a happy birthday from the waiter. From start to finish this was a miserable experience and one that I was not expecting from a John Besh restaurant and is not qualified as a TOURIST TRAP. In fact this place has changed so much they really should start over with their reviews because many on here were for the previous chef and menu.
(1)
Benjamin G.
Definitely my favorite place to grab a dozen oysters after work. I recommend their Happy Hour 75 cent oysters are a go to for anyone in CBD or the surrounding area. Sure you can get oysters from 20+ others places in New Orleans but this is where I recommend going. I'll have to sit down and try the actual menu one day but you can surely find me sitting at the bar at least one day a week with a plate of a dozen raw oysters and a beer in front of me.
(4)
Kerry T.
How do I even start this off? I absolutely love lükes. I've been here twice now and I was NOT disappointed at all. You should also make reservations before coming! My waiters name was Melanie and she was amazing. She was one of the best! She checked on my boyfriend and I plenty times, refilled our waters, very sweet and helped us pick foods! I'd suggest the lüke burger. It's by far the best burger I have ever eaten honestly. It wasn't too loud, but it was enough for you to talk and just have a great lunch, brunch, dinner, etc. They brought out free dessert after for us because we were on a date! It was extremely sweet. The atmosphere was great, service was A+! I love lükes! Thanks for the great experience! :)
(5)
J'me W.
Oh John Besh how embarrassed you would have been on April 26, 2015 at 9:30am. I raved about this place as you can see in my previous reviews I have given it 5 stars each time. So I brought my cousin here for her first time to indulge in the goodness. Mind you we want to Emerial's the night before which was also her first time and the service as usual was bar none. So I wanted to introduce her to my other favorite chef in Nola's cuisine. We walked in and I should have known something was off. The 2 hostess were not friendly especially the one with dark hair, large eyes, drags her feet when she walks, and rolls her eyes at customers who is disturbing her morning (I asked for her name and was told he didn't know). It was so bad I just watched her even when we got seated and could not believe she was at the front of the house. The trash can behind the check in desk was overflowing and my cousin said that would never happen at Emerial's whom as soon as you take a sip of your water someone swoops in like dark Vader and fills your glass. Anyway, we got seated after standing there for 18 min, no biggie. Our waiter Nicolas brought us a brunch menu and I said can we also see the breakfast menu since brunch technically starts at 10. It was 9:48 and he looked at his watch and said a unenthusiastic yep and brought the breakfast menu. Then I tell you know lie the first words out of his mouth when he sat the menus down was "So what do you want".. My reaction was like an old school episode of Punked. I said we need a minute. We ordered a stack of pecan pancakes and shrimp and grits. When he brought us our food we being the yelpers we are we took our photos. He then says "Yea girl Instagram my shit". My biggest pet peeve Just because I am black don't assume I talk like a stereotype. I stated actually this is for yelp. So he walked off, my cousin still mouth on the floor appalled. The pancakes came in a thin stack of seven with about a teaspoon of pecan butter on top. So we asked Nicolas for more butter. He says "You want that exact butter? We said yes and he said "I have to get it from the kitchen. Exactly 15 minutes later he sees that we haven't eaten the pancakes and says I don't know why they haven't brought you any butter I told them too. All this is while he fills the water glasses of the other tables and fills my glass with what's left in his pitcher and never comes back with more, see my pic. So we then asked a nice guy who was cleaning tables if he could get us some butter and he was back within 5 min. However the pancakes were now cold and so was the butter so it was over. We told Nicolas and he said OK I will take it off the bill and then just brings us our check. He didn't offer to remake them, given us something different or even ask he wanted us gone. My cousin couldn't believe how mad I was and I told her this was more than a let me talk to the manager situation this was full blown Letter to the company situation. All in all we split the Shrimp and grits which were delicious and that's it and left hungry. We had to go somewhere else to eat after. This day was beyond embarrassing to the John Besh name and with the mecca of food in Nola you can't slack on service. Now my new foodie cousin can care less who John Besh is and how amazing I say he is because all she remembers is being treated worse than a waffle House at 2am. I hope management reads this and addresses those staff member because this day was beyond any experience I have ever had in a restaurant on its worse day.
(1)
Amanda M.
We stopped by here for happy hour. They had $0.75 raw oysters served by the half dozen. I also tried the fried oyster salad with avocado--that was definitely my favorite. I've never had fried oysters with so much flavor before. Their fry batter is the best! We also tried a cup of the seafood gumbo, which was equally flavorful and delicious. The atmosphere here was fun and lively, not too stuffy. I'd definitely recommend stopping in here for a snack before a late dinner!
My word! On my third trip to New Orleans, I returned to Luke with a few friends. We decided to try one of everything on the hors d'oeuvres menu except for the tuna. Everything was so delicious, and surprisingly, a table of three women and two men did not finish everything we ordered, even though it was all super tasty. The highlight for me was the charcuterie platter with the addition of rabbit liver pate and chicken liver pate. Wow! It was all so delicious! The sausages looked and tasted super fresh; one of the pates, I forget which was which, was absolutely amazing! The onion jam was a perfect accompaniment, as were the pickled watermelon bits-- who would have thought! I could have stayed with that platter, for a long time. No, seriously. I still think about going some place comparable in NYC and ordering some wine and a platter. No sharing, limited conversation, just a good drink and tasty eats. We also enjoyed the crispy Brussel sprouts, jalepeno grits, crabmeat maison (super fresh and delicious!), baked oysters and a flatbread type pizza with the best bacon ever (a.k.a. Flamenkuchen). Again, everything was delicious with quality, thoughtful ingredients. I get all the hype now after tasting an assortment from the menu and it all being absolutely, perfectly delicious. To drink, I enjoyed the French 75. It was well-made and tasty, but the highlight was the food. I will be back next time I'm in NOLA.
(5)
Kiefer S.
I came to Lüke after my mom raved about it for months, and as far as the food goes I was not disappointed. The oysters were great (although they were out if two varieties by 6pm), and the creole tomato salad tasted as fresh as a Whole Foods smells. The peach & blueberry pavlova was a great and light was to finish the meal off. My friends got the bread pudding which smelled fantastic. We sat in the bar area so we were tagged teamed by two waiters - one of which was amazing. The other took out drink order then didn't return for twenty minutes, and we had to ask the other guy to check on the wine. For the atmosphere, the service just didn't match. 5 stars for food, 3-3.5 for service.
(4)
Adrienne K.
Came in to Lüke for breakfast on a Friday morning and enjoyed it so much that we came back for Friday supper. The breakfast items seemed basic, but were cooked with so much flavor and diversity. The crab omelette was a lot of food because it came with a mixed greens salad and a side of fries. The omelette itself was creamy and packed with crab, and the fries were crispy and salty. My favorite breakfast dish ordered was the shrimp and grits--it was served in a skillet, with andouille sausage and a brown sauce. The shrimps were huge and cooked tenderly, and the farm fresh eggs on top added extra creamy texture to the grits. The description said 'jalapeño grits' but I couldn't taste any heat. This dish would be even more amazing if it came with a biscuit on the side to scoop up the brown sauce and grits. The Pain Perdu was like a French toast with mascarpone spread and born slices separating the bread. Perfect balance of sweet and savory. We returned to Lüke for dinner, mostly for some small bites. Saw photos on Yelp of the charcuterie board and that appetizer is a must try!! There were 5 different types of cured meats on the board, including a duck sausage, terrine of pork shoulder, rabbit pate, and more. It was served with crusty bread, and able to be paired with whole grain mustard, horseradish mustard, bread and butter pickles, and pickled watermelon rind. AMAZING if you love trying cured meats. There was a balance of creamy textures in terrine and pate, and also a balance of fattiness and meat in the other meats. Also ordered a small seafood platter, which had raw oysters, crawfish ceviche, and steamed clams, mussels, and shrimp. This platter was a hit or miss. The oysters were sweet and not briny or sandy, the crawfish was sour and had a little kick from the serrano chilis, but there was nothing special about the steamed options--the shrimps were slightly over cooked and hard to peel and the clams and mussels were only slightly flavored. For the amount of food served on the platter, it was worth $29 (something in California of that price, quantity and quality would have probably been about double the price). Also ordered a side of Brussels sprouts, crispy and full of flavor in the chili oil, and extra crunchy in texture because it was topped with apples and almonds. Lastly we had a bread pudding with pecan sauce and a scoop of ice cream. Excellent way to end a Southern meal! The top of the pudding was crispy, inside was moist, and the hot buttered pecan sauce wasn't overly sweet. I probably could have used double the amount that was plated. I am definitely glad I stopped in twice. Thank you John Besh for getting both lunch and dinner spot on!! Everything was so enjoyable that we tried another one of his restaurants, Domenica, which is located only a few blocks away from Lüke!
(5)
Scott R.
Lüke is an incredible deal for happy hour, and the best damned oysters I have ever had. Mrs. R. did the research for our trip to New Orleans, and she spotted that Lüke has a great happy hour special -- $0.75 oysters on the half shell, $1.25 fried oysters, and half-price cocktails. She's not one for oysters or most seafood, but she thought she would take one for the team. First bit of advice -- get a reservation. Mrs. R. called around 2.30 and she was still able to get a reservation for us at 3.00 (I do not recommend calling this late, it just worked out for us). When we got to Lüke at 3.00, a table was ready for us, but folks who were walking in off the street just then to get a table were being told that they were booked up until at least 4.30; and, while the bar is open seating, it was absolutely packed. Second bit of advice -- get the raw and the fried oysters. The raw are absolutely gonzo, they were glistening and fresh and were gigantic. Coupled with the traditional accoutrements of horseradish and ketchup for you to mix into your own personal blend of cocktail sauce, they are a fantastic treat; and for $9 / 12 they're a steal. While I might be a big fan of raw oysters, I'm somewhat cool to fried oysters. It's always seemed to me that battering and frying oysters robs them of their character and they're transformed into a mere vehicle for oil-crisped batter and dipping sauces. These fried oysters were not those flavorless husks. Probably because they started as the gigantic monsters that are shucked for the half-shell, each of the fried oysters is a well-balanced product of fried crispness and soft, buttery oyster. As I mentioned, Mrs. R. set up this excursion so that I could get some fresh oysters, but she absolutely fell in love with the fried oysters. Whether fried or raw, all of the oysters were so good that we ordered a dozen of each as a second round. In addition to the special on oysters, the cocktail menu also features half-price drinks during happy hour. Mrs. R. had a delicious Sazerac that had a lovely balance of liquor and bitters. I had a mint julep, and though it did not come in the traditional cup, it did have a generous punch of bourbon, and a whole handful of fresh mint to accompany the crushed ice and simple syrup. Delicious. We liked the happy hour at Lüke so much that while we were eating it, we were already devising plans on how we could make it back over multiple afternoons during our stay to enjoy more oysters and drinks.
(5)
Brenda C.
Dinner with subline. Let me begin by telling you that they have oysters at $.75 per oyster and grilled oyster is a dollar and a quarter per grilled oyster during happy hour. Indeed it is happy. Happy hour is between the hours of 3 to 6 PM. Lots of locals and tourists all knew to flock to this place because they really do have the best deal in town. We had ordered 24 oysters; that is two dozen oysters and it came out to $18. Naturally we also had to have other food to go with The delicious oysters. We had seafood gumbo and we also had some wonderful vegetables that were in season. The sauce for the vegetables was an herb infused butter that we ordered extra bread just so that we can mop in the wonderful sauce. This seafood gumbo was pretty good. It wasn't the best we've ever had. But it was pretty good. I do like the fact that they put nice okra into it. As you already know I love vegetables and the sauce that went with the vegetables was absolutely delicious. We overstuffed ourselves with the oysters we honestly couldn't eat another bite. Even when they mentioned delicious choices for desserts, sadly we had to refuse them. Another day, another meal.
(4)
Fernando C.
Nice place. Food was decadent but pricey. Probably cause it's connected to a high-end hotel. The crawfish bisque was delicious but super-rich. Kinda upset my stomach cause I'm not used to such fatty foods. The service was decent albeit not terribly quick. They sat me in the very back of the restaurant even though it was fairly empty. I dunno why but found that odd.
(3)
gary g.
Oysters are outstanding, and at their happy hour they are 75¢ each. Classy place, good drinks, great oysters.
(4)
Brietta Y.
This was my second time visiting this place and while the food was good, I thought it wasn't good enough to warrant coming back here yet again, especially since this is quite a pricey place.
This was the brunch that started my birthday. No hesitation at all with this short but sweet menu. We had pretty good, rich options including a fried chicken biscuit sandwich. That was ordered and an egg white frittata, and we asked if we could split it. They brought it out on two plates which was lovely and it was jam packed with flavor. Cherry tomatoes and that crisp buttery outside of the egg whites was yummy. The service was on point and they filled up my coffee often. I'm not a huge fan of small yet dainty cups when it comes to coffee, but I dealt with it. Now, let's talk about that sandwich. Fried chicken y'all, on a biscuit. A flaky, buttery biscuit that we cut in half and savored. The chicken was melt in your mouth tender and it came with this tart but spicy honey drizzle something! For balance, we had fruit on the side and that was packed with ripe berries. I couldn't imagine eating this often but it was a treat!
We had a reservation, which I would recommend because it's quite the cozy inside, and we were seated right away. The Brussels sprouts we ordered as an appetizer was the highlight of the meal. They were sweet, spicy, crispy on the outside, and delicious! My fried oyster, avocado and bacon salad was served with a buttermilk dressing. The bacon was what I can only assume is Southern style, more like side meat than strips of bacon. Not really my style, don't get me wrong because this girl loves bacon, I just prefer it doesn't look like it could wedge itself into my coronaries. The fried oysters were smooth, savory, and fulfilling. My husband's burger was delicious. It seemed to be a popular item on the menu. It's huge and really should be shared with another person. All in all the food was great, although the service was lackluster but that may be because our first night in NOLA we were spoiled at Emeril's. I also felt like we waited a long time between meal courses. No free bread to start? Lame. Not the best experience I had in NOLA, the competition is fierce.
(3)
Zain M.
Came to Lüke for dinner after getting in late. Good thing they are open late. First off the ambiance is great. Love the music and feel for the place. Now to the good part, the food. It was delicious. I had the steak and my boyfriend had the fish of the day which happened to be a black drum. Steak was perfectly cook. Textbook ribeye. It came with a side of shoestring fries which I really didn't care for. The black drum was delicious. Lightly breaded and served with a decadent sauce. Would definitely recommend this place to any tourist.
Brunch! The bar knows how to make a drink. The menu is chalked full of fun treats to boost your sundayfunday.
(4)
Tim W.
We had the shrimp and grits which were very good. The crab soup was delicious but it was the French toast dish as dessert that was over the top. You will not go wrong with the French toast dish!!!!!!!
(5)
Erin L.
The food here was good: I ordered the gumbo (small portion) and split the bread pudding for dessert (delicious). The service left something to be desired and had the potential to ruin our whole meal. Our main server abandoned us about 20 minutes in to give his attention to a bachelorette party and a loud argument about college football with some bar patrons but never found the time to put in our oyster and wine orders. Thankfully the second server took over, and he was great. I expected good service all around from a restaurant like this...
(2)
Megan M.
Stumbled across this restaurant for lunch one day and decided to give it a shot. We ordered the stuffed oysters, daily special with jambalaya and cheese grits. The oysters and grits were amazing, the other dishes were so-so. Service is slow and there are definitely less expensive places in New Orleans with similar, if not better, food. This restaurant is good to stop in for an appetizer and a drink, then you might want to move on to somewhere else.
(4)
Ashley Y.
We went to Felix, oceana grill, acme, royal house, and basically all the 4 star and above seafood places on yelp, but nothing compared to the oysters at Luke. Also if the other "specials of the day" are as good as the Monday fried chicken special, then GO FOR IT. We were amazed by how moist the chicken was and how it still managed to pack so much flavor. Portions are big and although it's a tad pricier than some other NOLA brunch places, it's well worth it!
(5)
Letitia L.
Best meal we had in New Orleans. Started off with great bread and butter, and things only escalated from there. Our server was an enthusiastic young man with a jaunty walk and ("Now if y'all are asking about the bread pudding, It wouldn't be right if I didn't tell you there was another dessert I preferred better. It's a steamed chocolate, we got a machine that steam-cooks things, topped with a scoop of salted caramel ice-cream, drizzled with caramel sauce"). Goat Cheese stuffed Squash Blossoms: 4 stars This was recommended by our server. Soft tempura-fried squash flowers served with aromatic garnishes and a Georgia peach chutney. Jumbo Shrimp en Cocotte: 5 stars It's a small portion served in a little iron dish and cost $24... but is probably the best shrimp and grits in the country. Bread Pudding: 4.5 stars Heavenly spongy pudding topped with a fat scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and butter pecan caramel sauce in the saucer. It was so delicious, we ended up having this interaction: [Only a drib of bread pudding remained in our ramekin] Server: Let me get that out of your way... me: No!!! Server: Oh, okay! [backs away] Partner: Wow, you were really fierce. I think he was afraid for his life. me: No, I wasn't! I'm completely normal! [Five minutes later the dish is licked clean] Server: Can I take it away now? You're not gonna spoon-stab me or anything? -- my partner's highlight of the trip Just go eat here. It's fantastic.
(5)
Sheri C.
I went here with friend in from out of town. They had three dozen oysters for happy hour plus half dozen clams. These little girls could EAT! I had the burger bc I couldn't decide what I should get. It was big and delicious. The oysters were also great. For dessert we had the bread pudding. OMG DELICIOUS. I was a little perturbed that I had to share with three others, but I wasn't really mad. The oysters are HUGE, hello! I was impressed with the setup, albeit a little crowded. The service was good, but it was busy. I would definitely come back here - during happy hour. Otherwise it could get a bit pricey. And I'm a lady with a budget. Well don john besh, well done.
(4)
Sarah V.
This must be one of the best places for oysters in New Orleans. I went with a group during their happy hour and we tried fresh and fried oysters and both were exquisite. They even made some of the fried ones gluten free for us. The cocktails were delicious, simple traditional flavors that are half price at happy hour. Highly recommended!
(5)
Sylvain B.
2.5 stars This place is clearly over rated. First, you wait. Tables are empty but you need to wait to be seated. so you wait 10 minutes and then you are sent in a remote location (last table of the most remote room). ok. Why not? ...as long as the food is good. So I went to Luke for happy hours and oyster specials yes BUT.. Oysters had definitely been frozen (and No. I do know about oysters: I am from Normandy, France, and lived 5 years in Arcachon as well, the homeland of oysters, so trust me, I know when an oyster has been frozen. You can try this at home: simply put lemon on the oyster: if it moves (it retracts naturally with the lemon acidity) it means it's alive, if it doesn't move well...good luck.) So, oyster were dry on top, previously frozen. 75 cents/per oyster: you get what you pay for. beer? very nice at 3.5$ during happy hours (7$ otherwise). 5$ fries? why not. but don't expect anything special. Honey brussel sprout: interesting, but so much honey that I couldn't eat them. I don't eat sweet. Honey seasoning should be more subtle and less sweet (maybe a vinegar reduction with a bit of honey?). You can perfume a dish with honey not literally dip your Brussels sprout in it! Place itself is classy, clean, nice service. Might update my review if I try more of their menu. 2.5 stars for happy hours deal.
(2)
Vy T.
Came here for their HH, which is everyday! You get 75 cents oyster, and half off on drinks.. Need I say more? I made reservations, but it wasn't really busy. The restaurant is fairly large with a large space in the back for seating. I also got the bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was pretty sweet, but the best part were the nuts!! Overall, a great spot for good oysters at an amazing price!!
(4)
Jude P.
Hat's in the air for ole Luke's!!! Classy, Cool, and just plain undeniably good. Let's just get this out the way now... to date, the best French 75 I've had... such a perfect balance and now I'm going to be thinking of it til my next fix. Another drink that has a 20yr balsamic vinaigrette in yet was great as well, matter of fact.. Props to the bartender who did a fantastic job... she killed it. The complimentary bread seemed just too plain, no score there but let's get on with the dish... the Roasted chicken entree... tender as hell and the potatoes were a perfect compliment. Although there were much chicken dishes, that's really the staple in Louisiana but this is a easy go back to and your stomach will appreciate you after. Easily seeking a return bout!
(4)
Shuff M.
Possibly my fav rest ever. E v e r. Burger is an awesome burger but there are so many other awesome things. Haven't had a special that is not awesome. Go for brunch if you are there on Sunday. Crab omelet is different but really good. Oysters yes. Steak yes if they have one
Raw oysters: Happy hour oysters are from 3-6pm. You MUST get their oysters. For 75 cents each, they were fresh, clean, tender, juicy, everything you can ask for in raw oysters. In a course of 2 days, my gf and I ordered 3 dozen of them. And that's on top of all the food we ate at other places. I really love the ambiance of the restaurant too. It's super classy and clean. Shrimp and grits: salty! The waitress recommended putting crab meat on it which was a nice touch. (It's $13 extra btw). I really enjoyed mine but my gf thought it was too salty. It would've been nice to complement the saltiness with some bread or something. Overall the flavor profile was there. Pancakes: Decent pancakes. Not the best but wasn't terrible. Kinda pricey. ($9ish for like a stack of 5-6) Louisiana rabbit and chicken liver pate: came with an array of dipping sauce. The sour/saltiness of the pickled dipping sauce went well with the pate. Mint julep: Got it for happy hour (1/2 off). Too much bourbon. Ratio was off. Too much ice. Wasn't a fan. Tl;dr: Go for the happy hour oysters. 75 cents. So good.
(5)
Anya C.
Seafood was fresh. Pork was really good, fish was fresh, chicken was juicy, pasta was a bit spicy but good. Wish they have more tea options for desert. Service was good too.
(4)
Stacey C.
Came here for their Happy Hour. Oysters on the half shell- half of them were clean, half still had pieces of shell and sand Fried Oysters- smaller than we expected, but better than the raw oysters Pate- very rich and mousse like
(3)
Virginia Y.
75 cents for oysters during happy hour? Well it's going to taste just like what it's charged for, 75 cents. I've eaten a lot of happy hour oysters in my life from varying cities.. DC, Boston, New York and this was by far the worst one but the cheapest one. I never thought you could screw up on food that's raw but clearly Luke has proven me wrong. There were broke shells in every slurp I took so my mouth was filled with raw oysters and shells each time I ate. The person who laid out the dish did a poor job, all the juices were gone. The oysters weren't laid properly so all the juice dripped out. One of the best things about raw oysters is the juice, it's what makes the crucial texture in raw oysters. I ended up having dried out oysters with bits of shell.. I decided to take a gamble with the fried oysters, not really that great either. It's just okay. I left wondering if it was fair for what I paid for, it was 75 cents a piece after all..
(2)
Michele H.
The staff is friendly. Food is delicious. I had the shrimp and grits. Which was like nothing I've had before. The guys sitting at the bar next to me said the desserts were so good they would lick the plates clean if no one was looking. Sunday brunch that starts at 10 am as well as an early breakfast menu. I highly recommend having a meal here.
(5)
Alex R.
Came here for dinner with my wife having high expectations for a John Besh restaurant and we were overall pretty pleased with our experience. We called to make a last minute reservation and they were able to accommodate us immediately. There is not very much parking besides street parking right outside of the restaurant, some meter parking or free street parking around the corner. We started with a couple appetizers: The Pate of Louisiana Rabbit & Chicken livers which was amazing!! We also enjoyed the crawfish Sharon, although it was nothing to write home about. My wife tried to order the crispy soft shell crab for an entree, however we were told they had run out and the server recommended she try the shrimp and grits as an alternative (it was very tasty and I actually enjoyed the grits which I'm usually not a big fan of), but still left us wondering if the soft shell crab would have been even better? I originally ordered the Washington parish roasted chicken... Not only did it come out cold but I found there to be a tremendous lack in flavor and I expressed my discontent with the dish to our server after a couple of bites (something I rarely do). I had it sent back and decided to go the safe route and ordered the Luke Burger because I had heard good things about it. The burger turned out to be delicious and very large in size (almost hard to take a bite out of) and amount of fries was very generous. For dessert we had the steamed chocolate with salted caramel ice cream which was heavenly (highly recommend you try it)! The staff was very attentive and friendly. We always had our water glasses filled to the top, and one of the servers assistants came by to change our white table top cloth (which was a little dirty from our appetizers and entrees) while we were waiting for our dessert. We told him that it was ok and that we were just going share a quick dessert and didn't want to dirty another table cloth, but he insisted that it would be his pleasure to change it for us. We were so impressed that we left him a tip for doing that. We will be back in the future, perhaps for happy hour oysters next time!
(4)
Eissa S.
We had a great meal here, the happy hour oysters were awesome and the cocktails were beautifully proportioned with liquor. But the best part was the wait staff! We had Melanie and Abigail helping us and they were total sweethearts! Will definitely be back again when we're back on NOLA again.
(5)
Angelyna C.
I went here for Brunch on a Saturday and there was no line thank God. The hostess which later on I found out was the manager greeted us with a hospitable smile and very welcoming attitude. We felt right at home. I orders the egg white frittata it was so yummy and the service was superb! They really know what they are doing there. I can't wait to go for dinner and try it out! Thank you for a unforgettable experience.
(5)
June Y.
Made reservations for a Friday night and was promptly seated. Our group of 3 ordered the Baked P&J oysters (1/2 dozen) for appetizers due to popular recommendation. While I thought the oysters were tasty, it wasn't anything amazing. Not sure why the oysters come out green but the top layer is somewhat similar to a breaded crust. For my entree, I ordered the soft shell crab which was delicious. Perfectly portioned and seasoned. For dessert, we decided to share the bourbon bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and the steamed chocolate with salted caramel ice cream. Both desserts were yummy but I personally preferred the bread pudding- so flavorful and rich and quite possibly the best bread pudding I've ever had. Personally, I'm not too big of a fan of straight up chocolate cake but the "steamed" really piqued my interest so I gave it a shot. The consistency of the cake is unlike any normal chocolate cake. It's almost mousse like and less dense however the flavor was very much like fudge (which is way too sweet for my liking). The steamed chocolate did pair well with the salted caramel ice cream and I would recommend to chocolate lovers.
(4)
Ed V.
Just had to try John Besh's place in NOLA. I am so glad I did as it was well worth the experience. We started out with a dozen of oysters on the half shell and they were so fresh and delightful. We then had the fried oyster and avocado salad which was very tasty. It had big chunks of bacon in addition to a very tasty dressing. For the main course I had the ribeye with Bearnaise sauce which was good to perfection. The Bearnaise sauce was amazing. The wife had the Cajun pasta with Gulf shrimp which I tried and it was very good. We made a reservation which was a good idea as they were very busy. the service was perfect - attentive but not to overbearing. They serve coke in little bottles which was a neat thing since we were in the South. A nice way to finish our 4 day trip to NOLA.
(4)
Mac R.
Thank you Lüke (and John Besh) for showing me what red beans & rice could and should be! We ordered a daily special of Tabasco Fried Chicken served with red beans & rice. The chicken was good but not the star of the dish. The red beans and rice packed so much flavor, superb seasoning & porky goodness that I will never think of them in quite the same way ever again!!! The oyster shuckers work very hard here & do a superb job! The $0.75 cent oysters during happy hour (3-6pm) are enormous, super sweet, tasty & served with a side of horseradish that will give you a head rush! We managed to eat a lot of those during our recent visit to New Orleans. And the Hopitoulas IPA on tap was also half off during happy hour. It's a great little spot to squeeze into for some delicious food, fresh oysters or a drink. It's not a large space and can get pretty packed.
(4)
Gary R.
This is a happy hour review only. We came here a couple times with focus. No nonsense focus. We came for oysters. Fresh, giant, tender, succulent, $.75 oysters. And half price drinks. But you can get those a lot of places. But the oysters? They are spectacular. We didn't try them at Acme or Felix's. Saw no reason to do that! These are the kind you want to eat for hours on end. We ate till we were full. We started with a dozen each and then added more, as needed. Add a few drinks and you can leave here with a full belly and a huge smile. And that we did. The place is small and is off the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel but with a separate street entrance. There can be a wait during happy hour, which is from 3-6, so get here early. Service was ok, not great when we sat at a table. It was better when we were able to get a seat at the bar. If I lived here, I'd have my own seat at the bar like Norm on Cheers. I'm talking everyday kind of regular. Amazing.
(5)
Prashant B.
My first ever review ever. Just never been blown away by such good food before! This place is incredible! Do note that I am a vegetarian, and finding veggie places in NOLA is no joke. So I just walked in here, hoping to get lucky. The initial menu selection was disappointing. Apart from a couple of salads, pretty much nothing for me. So I started with a French 75, and oh my! Deliciousness! Then I decide to try the Brussel Sprout salad, and am speechless at the moment. Can't believe how good this is... Must Must have. So excited to try more of NOLA cuisine.
(4)
Rasheeda S.
I visit New Orleans often and had been trying to get into Lükes a few different times but they were always so busy. This time I lucked up and was seated right away. I was glad I came back the third time. The food is phenomenal, the atmosphere has an air of sophistication without being stuffy and the service is top notch. My waiter even made sure the kitchen charbroiled my oysters despite it not being on the menu. I was quite literally never told no. I can't wait to make this a stable of my trip every time I come.
(5)
Calvin W.
Came here with a big group so we all ordered cocktails from happy hour. All great, except the well drinks.... but you get what you pay for. The cocktails were great though! Food was delicious and you can't really go wrong. We basically ordered one of everything. Service was nice and attentive. Atmosphere was modern but welcoming. Overall a very classy place that stood out during our whirlwind trip.
(5)
David L.
If you're going to Luke you're probably going because you've either read good things, heard good things, or know it's a John Besh restaurant. Your reasoning doesn't matter. If you're looking for a good meal with a little nicer ambiance at a reasonable price Luke should be on your itinerary. On this trip to New Orleans they had hands down the best service out of the 11+ places I ate at. Water was always full. The hostess and manager were able to seat our large party all at one table even though we had originally had two separate groups. And the wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. What should you order at Luke? If there's one thing you should eat there and possibly get seconds of it's the Brussel sprouts! That is not a typo. Get the Brussel sprouts! Besides the alligator sausage at Parkway Tavern this is the one dish on this trip that really stood out. I want this recipe! Mr. Besh if you're reading this please message me your Brussel sprouts recipe! I also tasted the shrimp and grits and the pork schnitzel with some kind of amazing mushroom sauce. The shrimp and grits was really good. Would I order it again? Probably not. But that's because I already make a damn good shrimp and grits. The pork schnitzel on the hand is worth ordering multiples of. First of all there's enough pig on this plate to serve two hungry guys. While the pork is cooked perfectly and it fried to a golden brown, it's the sauce that's the star of the show. You could put this sauce on top of balut (fertilized duck egg) and I'd eat a dozen of them. I sampled a few other dishes here as well and everything was great. If possible sit in the back by the kitchen and watch the chefs work their magic or take a look at the framed menus from the past Luke has hanging around the walls. There really isn't one bad thing I can say about Luke. Thanks for a great last dinner In New Orleans.
(5)
Aaron G.
We just had a delicious lunch here! Great prices, and very good food. It is right across the street from our hotel. I love that it's quiet, and the experience is fabulous!
(5)
Noel R.
Came for a light late dinner with my wife. We're from out of town, and Luke is a nice break from the chaos of the Bourbon street area. Was not disappointed. Stuffed oysters were great, and the Luke salad was probably one of the best salads I've ever had. And the clincher, of course was the bread pudding! Great service too and ambience was terrific. Would recommend this to anyone wanting a quiet evening with great food!
(5)
Lillian D.
This is only based on breakfast. The selection is limited. I was hoping they'd have beignets. In lieu of that, I got coffee, fruit, and bacon - sweet and salty. The coffee was great. The bacon and fruit were sad for $5 each. The bacon was scrawny. The few berries weren't sweet, and the melons were under ripe. As with the hotel itself, the staff were rather muted - not especially helpful or friendly. If it's raining outside and you're getting ready to leave, stay here for breakfast. Otherwise, go out.
(3)
ChaChi S.
Visiting from out of town and my concierge recommended Luke for a close restaurant to my hotel that would give me a foodie taste of New Orleans. Mint julip = 2/10 - almost all bourbon. No flavor. Crispy brussel sprout - 11/10 - Devine! Shrimp and grits - 7/10 Bread pudding - 10/10 Service 8/10. Overall 38/50. May have been worthy of all five stars if not for the horrid mint julip.
(4)
Mark S.
What a perfect way and meal to end our trip. One of several restaurants owned by Chef John Besh In New Orleans. From appetizer to entrees all the way to the end, dessert. For our appetizer we split the Crab Meat Maison, served with fresh herbs, touch of horseradish and country bread croutons. My choice of entree was the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp over Roasted Jalapeño Cheese Grits and Andouille/green onion sausage. I have never been a fan of grits before. They have always been kind of bland, this one knocked my socks off. The wife went with the Fresh Gulf Fish done Amandine Style. It was lightly battered with buttermilk and flour, then fried and topped with Almonds in a brown butter sauce. Served with new potatoes, green beans and roasted vegetables. Please, try to save room for dessert. Somehow we did. With two Cappuccinos we ordered Brendan's Bread Pudding. This is to die for! It is topped with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and is accompanied by a buttered pecan sauce. Also ordered the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Tart, made with bittersweet chocolate and topped with Coconut Sorbet. Put this place on your bucket list of restaurants in NOLA. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Frank B.
It's been a while since I've been to Lüke so I thought I'd give it a try for Coolinary lunch; the tantalizing appeal of "Tabasco Honey Fried Chicken" with a choice of soup was more then enough. Combined with a "lüke" warm roll for $18, it's a pretty solid deal. I opted for the cup of seafood gumbo as my soup; it was delicious, perfectly cooked melding the plentiful array of oysters and shrimp with some lagniappe of andouille and okra. When the chicken came out I was surprised how large of a portion it was; not overwhelming, the perfect size in fact, I just figured they would cut corners for Coolinary. Not only that, the chicken sat on an abundant delectable mound of red beans & rice! They were about the best damn RB&R I have every tasted; they smoke pork butt then let it cook down into the red beans. Not exactly an energy booster, but, they are frankly, to die for. The chicken was also cooked perfectly; the meat fell right off the bone and the batter was perfectly fried in both flavor and crispness. While I ate all the chicken I had about 2/3rds of my RB&R left. I'll happily enjoy those at a later juncture. The ticket time was 4 minutes for the gumbo and 12 minutes for my chicken; perfect for those on the go or the working business class! Final Thoughts: It really was worth it if you want to venture into the CBD on a work day. If you are in or working in the surround CBD area and on your lunch break, this is a MUST DO.
(5)
Kevin N.
Come for happy hour $0.75 oysters and half off cocktails! I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you can. We walked in and was told the wait for a table was going to take almost an hour and a half. Regardless, we put our name down and prayed for some bar seating to open up as those were first come first serve. We ended up finding some standing room at the end of the bar where we ended up ordering some drinks while we waited. I tried a sazerac and the french 75. The French 75 I particularly enjoyed and would definitely recommend to anyone. The girlfriend's mint julep was also quite refreshing and delicious. Their drinks are quite strong as I was pretty tipsy by the time we got seated at a table (probably 45 minutes after we put our names down, which was well before their estimated time). We had heard good things about the burger so we ordered one to share (which came served with fries) along with 2 dozen oysters. The burger was phenomenal! My opinion may be a bit biased due to my partially inebriated state :P but this was probably one of the most well-cooked burgers I've had in my life. The meat was moist, tender, flavorful, and the best part, it was huge! The fries were addicting, I think we ended up ordering another batch. Oysters were delicious and fresh, I enjoyed them more here than at Acme. Definitely a place I would recommend for anyone visiting to check out.
(5)
Kelvin C.
The happy hour here is ridiculous (3-6pm) . Totally ridonkelous. $0.75 cent oysters, $1.25 fried oysters, and half off drinks. That means $5 old fashions, sazeracs, mint juleps (too sweet for my taste), and other libations. Great deal. Quality of the raw oysters was only slightly below acme's but at $0.75 a pop, it's basically a steal. The fried oysters were also really good. Hopefully you get lucky and find bar seating as it is first come first serve. 5 stars!
(5)
Yuqing L.
The last meal I had in New Orleans was here. We ordered crawfish biscuit, jumbo shrimp, and crawfish omelette. I LOVE the omelette. It is healthy - with asparagus and homemade salad on the side, and tasty - crawfish in the omelette tastes awesome together with asparagus. The fried potatoes were too salty for me but I don't like fries anyway, so that's ok. In general, foods I had here are not way better than other restaurants. However, it is very popular and hard to make a reservation. If you call at noon for the same day seat, you'll possibly have to reserve for a 4pm time slot. If you walk in, there is very few chance to get seated in a short time. So make sure to reserve seats if you want to come.
(4)
Dixi S.
While my husband dined on four dozen happy hour oysters (yes, 48!), I enjoyed a glass of wine. Amazing happy hour prices, no vegan food options. I had two glasses, he had 2-3 cocktails, and like I said , 48 oysters- bill total under $80!
(4)
Brittany L.
I wanted to come here for brunch but the timing didnt work out. Despite not showing any reservations on open table I called and was able to get a table for 9 2 hours prior to dinner! PARKING: We took the street car here and it was about a 5 or so minute walk from the stop. I think you can get validated parking at the Hilton but it seems expensive. ATMOSPHERE: It's inside the Hilton but you dont have to go into the HIlton to get into the restaurant as it has it's own entrance. You'll see the "Luke" sign when you are walking in. There are places to sit in the very front, in the middle, and then if you go totally in the back there are more tables even further up. It has that ind of New England trendy vibe to it. Definitely a "nicer" restaurant, but casual enough you dont have to dress up to come inside. FOOD: They give you long "breadstick" type loaves of bread to eat with creamy butter. Our only gripe was that he gave us 3 sticks for 9 of us so we had to constantly ask for more. It was good though - very warm and crusty but soft on the inside. BRUSSEL SPROUTS - very tasty. Has some mint in it making it taste sort of like vietnamese food and there are some peppers so it could be spicy but this was a perfect side dish to have some veggies. SHRIMP N GRITS - I think the name is something else on the menu but this was SO good. Definitely worth sharing with someone. They put a delicious broth/sauce over the grits with some cheese and shrimp. The shrimp were fresh and the sauce totally gives the grits an amazing taste. Very flavorful. SHRIMP AND CAVATELLI ETOUFFE - I think I spelled it right! This is a past dish, cavatelli is almost like gnocchi because it is a potato-y type of pasta that is oval shaped. The sauce was good (almost like pan roast) and the shrimps were tasty too. This and the shrimp and grits would be my go to choices. My friends also got the seafood sampler for $24 which looked very fresh and good if you like oysters, shrimp, clams/muscles etc. BREAD PUDDING - small enough for 1 person who likes this and big enough to share in a group if everyone wants a small bite. It wasnt runny and the ice cream on top was refreshing. Overall - good if you want a more trendy/nice atmosphere without spending a ton of money. I thought the food here was better than some of the other restaurants we tried like Acme oyster house.
(4)
Sebrina B.
Seriously, I really should not even be writing this review. I went to a John Besh restaurant and ordered a burger. TO MY DEFENSE (sorry I had to shout over all over your booos). To my defense it was 1) a work meeting and my expense account is slim so I had to pass on the $25 Grilled Mahi that I wanted and 2) the party I was meeting with actually recommended the burger and 3) it was DELICIOUS. Seriously huge bun and huge burger. I ordered it well which is sometimes not a very good decision but it was still a good moist burger. High quality meat professionally cooked. I actually ate the burger, (well half of it) with no condiments. Also a testament to the tastiness. The shoestring fries were decent as well and over flowing from the little holder. I personally prefer steak fries and less salt. but I still did manage to eat them all over the remainder of the work day. Service, meh; ambiance, meh; parking, don't get me started. However, I attribute all of those things to being in the CBD during lunch hour. If any of those would have been above average, it probably would have been a 5 star for me. Not my favorite Besh place but still decent. Definitely a place I would take a visiting family member if they were staying in the quarter and treating.
Luke is a restaurant I'd come back to over and over again. And then I'd come back again, cause omg I looooove it. It is just the right amount of fancy (a brasserie) with an amazing happy hour... 75 cent oysters ( that are HUGE) and half price cocktails and wine 3-6 daily. The oysters are some of the best I have ever had... Huge and briney.... And the cocktails are among the best in the city. I had a French 75... And now I am ordering a mint julep to go, cause I gotta say I don't know when I'm gonna find another amazing mint julep... And I am making my way through the best of the best of the city!! Run here for their happy hour... Ahhhh... Even if it is not happy hour... You will be thrilled. Word. Oh and a big shout out to Terrione... What a sweetie!!
(5)
Sara G.
First of all: the oysters were so effing good, they made me dizzy. The raw ones were so soft and tender that it felt like an element somewhere between liquid and solid. I can't even. The baked P&J oysters stuffed with blue crab and shrimp were some of the best cooked oysters I've ever had. Their French 75 was so perfectly sweet and frothy without too much of a lemon bite. Best I've ever had. And the service was so good that I came back a second day in a row when I'm only here for 4 days total! Vusi was our server and he was AMAZING!! Run, don't walk. Get to Lüke now!
(5)
Jason L.
Wow, do not miss the Grilled Oysters with crabmeat and shrimp. The Jalapeño Grits with shrimp is a must. The 17.00 burger was good but stick to the seafood. I will definitely be back ...
Went to check out the hype... it was pretty good. We went for breakfast on a Monday. Found out the "Brunch" menu is served only on weekends Disappointed. Food was tasty but had a limited menu for weekday breakfast. Had NO Sausage and Gravy which is a southern staple! Service was excellent!!! Staff was fast, patient, courteous and accommodating! Would go back because of that. Overall ...would go back but for dinner or brunch on a weekend. 4 stars because of menu items, limited space and priced higher than food served.
(4)
Aditya C.
I ordered the crispy fried chicken on a biscuit with the honey sauce- it was perfect and to the point.
(5)
Grace B.
Great atmosphere, AMAZING happy hour specials, and top-notch service. We were a party of 7 and the restaurant was super accommodating even when we were 20 minutes late to our reservation during happy hour! The happy hour specials are half off drinks and $0.75 oysters which were what we were coming here for. The drinks were cute and refreshing and the oysters were fresh. The server also came by to make sure we were doing okay and was very prompt about attending to our needs. Unfortunately, I didn't end up getting food here but got a taste of the soup which was amazing and the food coming out of the kitchen all looked really good. Definitely one of my top places to come back to next time I'm in New Orleans.
(5)
Denzyl A.
Very classy find more toward the downtown area of the French Quarters. The staff were absolutely perfect. Our waitress was very kind to talk to and made sure we had everything our stomachs desired. The manager even took her time to check-in and converse with us, and that was really appreciated. I had the opportunity to enjoy the croquet Madame which allotted me delicious bite after delicious bite. My friend had the frittata which was beautifully light and fluffy. The decor was very nice as well and we got to sit in front of the glass kitchen window where we watched the chefs work their magic on the stove. Think of magicians with the grace of a fairy godmother but still the ferocity of Harry Potter. Definitely recommend this to anybody in the area
(4)
Sulisa C.
This is a cute little restaurant/bar within a hotel. We came here for the Saturday from (11am - 4pm). Service: - We were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess - We didn't have to wait long to be seated - the service was a slow (perhaps they're understaffed?) Food: - Delicious seafood gumbo - it's a rich dish with a variety of seafood, the rue was not too thick but not too viscous, flavorful, but I would give it 4/5 stars because it was smaller than I expected it to be - Baked oysters - I usually don't eat oysters, but these were AMAZING! It was coated with a pesto coat and the "taste of the sea" was not overpowering 5/5 stars - Jalapeno grits - it's a signature side in the south, but jalapenos?!?! Brilliant! The jalapenos added a nice kick to the cheesy grits and my taste buds were rather pleased 4/5 stars - Croque Monsieur (without an egg) and Croque Madame (with an organic egg on top) - grilled chisesi ham & emmenthaler cheese sandwich with house-made fries - it was a little too heavy of a sandwich, so it's good for sharing, they're generous with the portions 3/5 stars Ambiance: -casual setting - there are tables as well as bar seating - it has a creole decor theme (especially at the bar)
(4)
Daniel C.
We came on a Friday night without a reservation, but we were still promptly seated. Our waitress was sweet and super helpful. Their raw oysters are very good and are just $0.75 during happy hour-- we caught the tail end of it because we arrived at 5:45p. All three dozen were clean, fresh, and super tasty. We also tried their other raw oysters and all were perfect. Unlike what you'd see at other raw oyster places (i.e. across the street at Trenasse), the oysters were actually CLEAN on the outside and NOT covered with mud and grime on the shell. The rabbit and chicken liver pate was served with crispy croutons and was actually really delightful. The crispy brussels sprouts were wonderful. Not quite as good as the brussels sprouts from Uchiko in Austin, but still my second favorite preparation ever. The one negative was the mojito my wife ordered which was 90% sugar. Would love to go here again. I only wish they had fried oysters as well.
(5)
Javier D.
How do I begin. The.75 cent oysters during happy hour; the out of this world seafood gumbo; the best red beans and rice; the fried boneless Chicken. Everything was first rate delicious food. My first time at a John Besh restaurant and worth all the accolades.
(5)
Andrea M.
My friend went here for the oysters. They used to be $0.50 during happy hour, but I guess that was awhile back. Now it's $0.75. They weren't really big either. But then again, if you're coming during happy hour, they won't serve the better choices since it would be gone fast. We were here mainly for oysters, but my friend did order a side of fries. They were pretty good. Nothing too too special. They were thin and warm when it came out to us. There was also the complimentary bread that came out. I am unsure why there was no plate provided with it as it just sat causally on the tabletop. Lol. The service was attentive. The restaurant's atmosphere was one of a dimly lit bar scene. I guess this place is good for drinks and oysters during happy hour.
(3)
Anna B.
Everything about this place is great! Upon the waitress' suggestion, we all ordered the Shrimp and Grits and had the pleasant surprise of crab on top. It was the bomb. Like seriously, best first meal in New Orleans. Service was great, ambiance was great, food was great. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Frank L.
More of a 3.75. Seating is mad crowded. Happy hour prices especially for oysters and drinks are really good. It was bout $.65 per oyster. Without happy hour still not bad at $1.25ish. Definitely anything cheaper you can find in NY or Cali lol. I didnt get to try anything else. The fried oysters were just ok. Get there for happy hour on time. Even if ur seated, if u dont put in the order before happy hour ends you dont get the happy hour price....and im talkin even a seconds/minute off...the waitress tried to put it in and it was too late so had to pay full price.
(3)
Jenny W.
When I was looking for dinner options in NO and came across Luke, I got excited in learning it was a John Besh restaurant! I am a big Top Chef junkie so I was really happy to have the chance to dine here while visiting NO for a day. Even better, it's a casual French restaurant (hubby likes casual, and I like French!). The service here is friendly and efficient. I wish the complimentary bread was warmer though. We started with a cup of the crab bisque, baked oysters, and the Flamenkuchen. Crab bisque was to die for. I especially loved the little kick it had. Bake oysters were also incredible. The Flamenkuchen, while highly recommended by other Yelpers, we thought it was okay. The flavor was nice but if the onion was warmer or closer to room temp, it would have been better. It was on the cooler side. For entree, we split the Steak Frites. We weren't given steak knives, not sure if we were supposed to or not, but we didn't even need them. The steak was so tender and juicy that it could be cut with a butter knife :) Because we split the steak, they gave us each an order/side of fries. It was too much! but so wonderful at the same time. We also had a side of the jalapeno grits. Amazing! So creamy and delicious. Probably means it's so bad for you :) For dessert, we split the bread pudding. I was so stuffed by now I couldn't finish, but hubby happily downed the rest on my behalf.
(4)
G P.
The food, ambiance, and service here is great. We had the burger and fried oyster salad. There was enough to share between the both of us, with room for their absolutely delicious bread pudding!
(4)
Cami P.
Ribeye Steak was awesome! Shrimp & grits yummy & so was dessert. Service could be better, but still ok, I have patience
(4)
Eric J.
Crab omelette, jalapeño Grits, and Crispy Brussel sprouts are out of this world! I highly recommend this spot!
(5)
Jamie F.
All bachelorette parties should include a boozy brunch... at Lüke, of course! All I can say is, I am so glad my MOH did her yelp research and picked this awesome restaurant (*special shout out to her*). Food and drinks were very memorable. My faves were the stuffed oysters and crispy brussel sprouts - seriously must-get! I also really liked the stuffed french toast. Usually when the menu says stuffed french toast, it really means a french toast sandwich. At Lüke, it was INJECTED WITH NUTELLA! The soft shell crab BLT was also delightful and came with plenty of frites. For drinks, just one glass of the French 75 was enough to put this girl in an even happier mood ;) Service was very professional - constant water refills, napkin folding, plate changing between courses, etc... although a smile from the server wouldn't hurt. Most of us grouped into pairs so we could share multiple dishes, and the kitchen split half portions for us! Since we were in a private room (another brownie point), I can't comment on the overall ambiance. From what I remember when first entering the space, it had a chic bistro vibe. In the end, we walked out feeling full, tipsy, and fabulous!
(5)
Gunhee P.
It was on the pricier side for us (~$30 per person), but food was delicious along with great service
(5)
Naji S.
A highly rated and much reviewed restaurant always catches my eye on Yelp...I arrived with great expectations! I was greeted with a very full restaurant, a nice hostess and vibrant energy. I was seated in a little corner and a nice table where I can watch the restaurant. I was brought water by one gentleman, who I'm not sure was my actual server (but immediately asked if I wanted something other than water to drink) and then it was followed up by a visit from who I assume was my waitress to take my order. I liked her kind, attentive attitude to start. Simple meal: $17.50 Burger (wrapped in lettuce). Fries came out skinny, COLD, and too salty. Asked the male server for a replacement and 3 minutes later, with burger half finished, fries replaced. Burger was average at best. Not flavorful, not special. Dessert: pavlova. A wonderful Australian fave I hadn't ever seen on a menu. I was excited, until I took my first bite... The already sweet pavlova was drenched in a very sweet fruit compote. Totally ruining the concept. Pavlova needs tart fruits, not over-sweetened sweet ones. Coffee: ordered with the Pavlova, came when the pavlova was half done. I never saw the female waitress again until she picked up the check with my form of payment that the had been dropped off. Maybe my table of one disappointed them? I would give this place a try again, but nothing about it was outstanding... Perhaps the 2000+ reviews are from tourists who are used to eating from fast food chains and other mediocre places.
(3)
Christopher M.
THE FORCE IS STRONG IN THIS ONE Great atmosphere. Doesn't feel like a tourist trap.
(4)
John T.
BLUF: Great food and service. Fancy atmosphere and gorgeous dinning area. Great happy hour. Make a reservation. Get a sazerac. Went there on a sunday early dinner. Made reservations and glad I did cuz it filled up shortly past 6. Got there just in time for the happy hour deals. Half off oysters which were huge and amazing. Half off cocktails; the sazerac was one of the better ones I have had in the city (not too sweet). Waiter was great. No complaints. Atmosphere was intimate yet still a full house. The actual restaurant was huge with super high ceilings. Very nice place. I got the shrimp and grits. They were jalapeno cheese grits and jumbo shrimp with a brown gravy. It was amazing. Not a huge portion though so I suggest getting appetizers or dessert too. My lady got the squash crepes (maybe?) and she really liked it. Bro-in-law got fish cuz he couldnt eat anymore fried foods that weekend (sissy). He liked his too. All the portions were a little small. i know that is a very "american" and crass observation/opinion cuz size doesn't matter...but too bad; I like to be in pain after dinner especially when spending $30 an entree. A true foodie would not note this but i am not a professional, I just want to eat. Overall the place is great. Def recommend going to knock if off your list and get some great food. I don't think I would become a regular.
(4)
Justin H.
Amazing food. Had the Shrimp and Grits. Best I've had in New Orleans! I think it was our servers first day, or they were just short staffed that they had to pull someone from the back, but the service was just mediocre. I'll give 4 stars based off the food.
(4)
Jessica W.
Good location but not great food for breakfast I went to Luke based on great reviews of it for dinner. I didn't experience great food for breakfast, however. I ordered a standard breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and a biscuit. The food was very bland, and the biscuit didn't come with jam or butter until I asked for it. Otherwise the service was rapid, and the waiter was nice. If you're looking for a good breakfast, try elsewhere.
(1)
Margaret R.
+ strong drinks + happy hour from 3-6pm; half off drinks and 75 cent oysters +/- oysters were okay but I definitely had sweeter ones + new waiter made up for the former waiter's slow service - slow service (waiter didn't put in our order until 20 minutes
(3)
howard b.
This was the second time my wife and I ha e had brunch there. Both times were killer! First they have a very nice staff, good atmosphere and the food and drink are great. We suggest the Bloody Mary's, rabbit and chicken liver pate, the raw oysters, and the hamburger, all outstanding! Great way to start a Sunday
(5)
Jess Y.
Luke probably wins as my favorite oyster happy hour. My friends and I frequently come in for oysters, appetizers and half price wine. I've tried pretty much every oyster happy hour in the city, and Luke has the consistently freshest tasting oysters around with other delicious raw bar offerings on the menu as well. I'm wondering if that's why they upped their price per oyster to 75 cents? I have tried some of their entrees, but I've found that I enjoy trying a bunch of the smaller items/appetizers more. The crispy brussel sprouts, flamenkuche, and the pate are amazing! Their cocktail selection is good too, but their wine menu is where it's at. I just can't pass up the Simmonet Febvre they've had on the menu this summer. I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time. I've found it to be unnecessary a few times over the summer, but during the high season, I usually have trouble getting even a table for two right away if I just walk in. I've always had great service when I come in. This isn't the kind of place where you rush to get in and out, so even when food is slow to arrive, I don't really notice.
(5)
Brenda L.
Had my first mint julep here and I discovered that I am not a fan. It was too sweet & strong for me. I tried the mussels and fries dish which came with a ton of mussels. They didn't skimp on quantity at all. Since I was visiting from Denver, a landlocked seafood less state, I was ready for any quantity of seafood. I also tried the croque madame (no egg = croque Monsieur) which was ginormous & presented on a cutting board. I tried the seafood gumbo which was really expensive but tasty. The potion could have been larger. Interior of this place is really nice with subway tiles and classic wood panels. The servers wear white coats & were very helpful and attentive. The majority of the patrons were business people. This place is walking distance from the French quarters.
(3)
Brittany L.
SO disappointed after seeing all the good reviews! Came here for breakfast while visiting NOLA and was very let down. The biscuits were really dry and heavy, and even the eggs tasted off. Wouldn't recommend to anyone, at least not for breakfast.
(2)
Major J.
Great food and excellent happy hour. Need to make a reservation but worth trying this restaurant for their seafood and Cajun food. I thought they had the best gumbo and jalapeño grits. The size was a perfect portion. I'm going back for their burger which looked great and almost everyone ordered it. Customer service was good . Couldn't really tell who my server was but it seemed like everybody helped each other out in the restaurant so flagging down a random server didn't really matter they were happy to assist you.
(5)
Stephanie M.
Happy hour Came in not once, but twice during our four day NOLA vacay. Happy hour is daily from 3-6 and features $0.75 oysters, half off cocktails, and $3 draft beers. Yes, please, and thank you very much. Ambiance: classy, gastropub feel Service: friendly and professional, as expected for an establishment of this caliber Drinks: full bar, with a handful of craft beers on tap. The river bend cocktail was my favorite: vodka, blueberry smash, basil, ginger ale. The mint julep was mostly bourbon with a dash of mint Oysters on the half shell: okay, okay, so this is all we got while here... Plump, sweet, fresh and delicious. Watch out for the horseradish, they make it fresh and it is oh-so-potent!! Take what you would normally use on an oyster, and use a third for the same amount of flavor. The cocktail sauce is a tangy sweet house blend. Would I recommend? Of course!
(5)
Deanna L.
Last "supper" in New Orleans - Tuesday before heading to the airport, we grabbed Lunch at Lukes - John Bash' restaurant in the central business district. We glad we did. While I have the worst time choosing dishes in NOLA that are meat -free and somewhat healthy, John's lunch menu was great. We started with fresh oysters, which were as fresh as they come and pretty huge in size. In fact, the fresh seafood bar is on display and its an impressive sight as you as you walk into the door. We loved the Louisiana shrimp with jasmine rice - just to make sure to get extra rice to soak up all that goodness. That's what soulful, southern cooking is all about to me - flavors and comforts, not grease and pork. Service was ahh, whatever, there seemed to be a general nonchalant attitude. Nothing terrible, no rudeness, just that sort of ahh, whatever, they didn't clear the oysters plate when the rest of the plates came. When I wanted more rice, I couldn't get the waiter's attention, even though there was only another table. Perhaps it's the high afternoon heat that generally puts everyone in a sleepy haze. The food was excellent and the lunch was the best value we have experienced in New Orleans.
(4)
Cindy L.
Happy hour 3-6pm for 50 cent oysters. And indeedy, it's a happy day for my boyfriend and I. We immediately ordered three dozen oysters plus cocktails without wreaking havoc on our wallets! This is the GO TO spot if you love oysters and cocktails for a steal. Lüke, we will be back!
(5)
Tracy W.
Great late night place ,you get lost in it. Food service this quality just expect a little bit more .
(3)
Philip V.
Once voted as a top 10 chef in America, Chef John Besh sets the benchmark for fine dining in New Orleans. His best work is on display at Lüke's. ----The Food---- Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp En Cocotte ($24.00)- This dish is one of the more heavy, yet satisfying ones I had in NOLA. It has roasted jalapeño cheese grits, andouille & green onion sausages, with the juiciest, fresh shrimp I've had. The seasonings and spices will give your taste buds a punch, leaving them in a daze and wanting more. The grits were light and creamy balancing out the heavy sauce. Superb. I just wish the portions matched the prices, as this dish isn't enough to fill me up. Croque Madame ($16.50)- Grilled ham & cheese sandwich with house-made fries and a fried egg on top. Paying this much for a simple grilled ham, egg, and cheese sandwich is a crime. While it's great tasting in its own right, I couldn't get over how I may have been able to make this in my own kitchen. A knife and fork will be needed as you enjoy this classic sandwich. The house made fries were crispy and well done--they were amazing to eat with the gravy in the dish above. Brendan's Bread Pudding ($8.00)- One look and taste of Chef Besh's top selling dessert and you'll understand the love and warmth he has for his son, of which it is named after. It's a small dish with vanilla bean ice cream & hot buttered pecan sauce covering a spongey, warm bread. Definitely the most memorable dessert in NOLA. ---- Conclusion: It's difficult to justify the prices when the portions are so small, even if the flavors of each dish were unique. It'd be understandable if service AND atmosphere were amazing, but service needs improvement. Right down to the host, server, and person I called to get the bread pudding to-go seemed impatient and had attitude. I enjoyed the atmosphere though. Extra Notes: -Accepts credit card -I feel service could use improvement -Decor has a romantic, classy touch -Restrooms are clean
(4)
Elizabeth G.
Listen, I am now a Besh fan for life. We went for happy hour and 75¢ oysters and ended up staying and having some of the best food all trip. Fantastic place, lots of fun!
(5)
Â¥ W.
Unlike many others that has the love for Cajun flavors, I am one of those few that's not a fan. On my third day in Nola, Luke is the only restaurant that has left my stomach at ease. My group and I each ordered a different item on the menu so we can all share. All were recommendations from the bartender. Totally surpassed the names of the entrees but got the pics to show!
(5)
Hannah B.
This place would no doubt get 5 stars from me if the service had been just a little bit faster. The food was amazing. We got the Flammen...uh the onion tarte thing, and the Etoufee with crab. So good I could cry. The servers recommendations were awesome. (But we often sat with empty drinks for too long.)
We had shrimps and grits, omelet with local crab. Both of them were sooooo good!!!!! Especially the shrimps and grits, tastes like heaven!
(5)
Annie G.
Got a little wild with the girlfriends at Luke during their Sunday happy hour. Between the four of us, we started with two dozen oysters (50 cents each). Thirty minutes later, we ordered another two dozen oysters. So fresh and delicious! Meanwhile, we treated ourselves to a multitude of cocktails including the silver saint and mint julep. Our server was awesome and kept the drinks coming - which were all half price during the happy hour (3pm to 6pm every day). It was pouring rain that afternoon, so we ended up staying for more than two hours. Way after 6pm (end of happy hour), the staff continued to let us have the happy hour prices. We ended with the bread pudding which was perfect! Definitely a great experience at Luke, which was recommended to us by multiple friends.
(4)
Karen L.
I came to Lüke for dinner late one night and really enjoyed my meal! It may have been because I had really low expectations after reading several negative reviews about the service here. My sister called ahead to see if there was a wait and the person said that the restaurant was busy and that they had reservations coming in throughout the night. My sister checked OpenTable though and was able to make a reservation for four a few minutes after she called. We walked into the restaurant and there were several empty tables so we were confused. While we were waiting to be seated, a couple at the table next to the area we were waiting in left without ordering so I got worried. I was debating whether or not to go to a different restaurant when our table became available. I would recommend sitting in the back near the kitchen if possible because I loved the atmosphere! It felt like an entirely different restaurant back there. The kitchen is entirely surrounded by glass so you can watch the chefs prepare your food. Our server was friendly and attentive. We started off our meal with Flamenkuche, Baked Oysters and complimentary Garlic Bread. My mom and I shared the Shrimp and Grits and Steak Frites. I loved everything!
(5)
Natalie D.
Best meal in NOLA! ! First the service was spectacular starting with the hostess when we called to get the only remaining reservation on 12/26. The Happy Hour Specials are the best in the City. We started with fresh oysters, fried oysters and build shrimp with several rounds of drinks The seafood was soooooo fresh! Back to the service two words: KYLE & KENNY! They were so cute and friendly, they gave us just enough attention and made fantastic recommendations. Tip: get a table in the back to watch the kitchen! On the rest of the meal... we has the crab bisque which was fantastic. The bread was fresh with a really great butter. The shrimp and grits were out of this world! The Roasted Veggies Were Amazing# The wild boar ragout was the the best pasta dish I have ever tasted. Luke is my new favorite restaurant of all time. Tip: make a reservation and go now!!!
(5)
L N.
Luke is okay. The food was too fishy for my liking. We ordered the blue crab salad (returned it) gumbo, and jambalaya. The customer service was really good although we did not know who our sole server was, we had at least 4 people come to our table. The bread pudding was the bomb!
Brussels sprouts and bread pudding ... Is how you stole my heart! Here's a few juke tips to keep in mind before you arrive: 1. You need a reservation (at least on the weekends). The hostesses were not taking any walk ins. 2. The menu changes often, so do g come with your heart set on anything... Even their menu online is boy current. 3. Try to get a table in the back room so you can watch the kitchen work their magic. What I ordered: 1. Old fashioned: 4 stars because they use the good luxardo cherries. Beware they use Jim Beam if you don't ask for something else. 2. Crispy Brussels sprouts with cheese and awesome sauce: 5 stars hands down best sprouts I've ever had 3. Juke salad: 4 stars: tip you can order 1/2 sizes on the salads. Awesome house made buttermilk dressing and yummy yellow beets! 4. Squash crepes: 2 stars ... I sent it back it was not flavors I enjoyed.. Heavy sage and thanksgiving stuffing taste. 5. Jalapeño cheesy grits: 5 stars ... Best grits ever! 6. Pecan bread pudding: 5 stars. We were drooling over this in the window do the chef sent one out for us... It was as amazing as it looked. Despite sending my entree back, we had a great meal. The service and food was spot on. Thanks Juke!
(4)
Melissa M.
In planning my NOLA trip, making reservations, in advance, for dinner was the first thing I wanted to get out of way. When I was doing research on Yelp, Luke came up when I filtered for "Most Reviewed" and it was a no-brainer that I should plan a dinner here for my girls and I. I was able to make reservations for 4 at 8 PM on a Sunday with no problems on OpenTable. We had no problems walking here from our hotel which was a block over from Bourbon St. We arrived and the place was packed, both the front room and towards the back in the separate room which is where they sat us. We were lucky enough to be seated right next to the kitchen, where they had clear, glass windows and we could see all the chefs working hard preparing all the meals. Everything on the menu looked good, but I ended up ordering the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp "en Cocotte" ($24) which was comprised of Roasted Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Andouille & Green Onion Sausages. Seeing that the grits had Jalapeno cheese, I was worried because my spice tolerance is very low, but when I asked the waiter, he confirmed that the dish wasn't spicy and that the Jalapeno cheese just gave the grits flavor. I'm glad I listened to him and went ahead with ordering that. The food took a little while to come out but we understood because the place was really busy and you could see them working non-stop in the kitchen. The Shrimp & Grits were sooooo good. The Jalapeno cheese added another level to the dish and it complemented the hearty, flavorful sauce that the Shrimp were swimming in. I'd never had grits because and I kept forgetting they were actually grits because the sauce was all over them. Thickness-wise, in my opinion, they were probably similar to mashed potatoes but definitely grainier but I didn't mind them and I'm glad that my first experience to Southern grits was in this beautiful dish. I forget what my friends ordered but all I remember is everyone loving their dish. They all seemed to enjoy mine as well. Also for all of you Gluten-free folks, the waiters will tell you what could be made GF so you don't need to rule this restaurant out if you'll be eating with someone with Celiac disease. Even though we were stuffed, there's always room for dessert so at the recommendation of our waiter's we ordered the Steamed Chocolate to share and it was heavenly! I'd definitely recommend Luke if you want a nice dinner!
(4)
Tony W.
I was in New Orleans for four days and this was by far the best meal I had while I was in town. The Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp 'en cocotte' was out of this world. It's a bit heavy for a lunch dish, so skip breakfast if you want this. Service was perfectly non-existent except when taking orders and bringing food, which is exactly what you want during a business meeting. Food came out very quickly as well, so they're used to accommodating business lunches. I don't have much more to add that the 1,200 reviews haven't already covered, so go give it a shot!
(5)
Mary L.
My first Yelp review and I think this place is worthy to be my first! Haha :) First of all, we came during HH and they had 75 cent oysters and half off on fried oysters. Also half off on wine, beer, cocktails - great deals! We tried the raw and fried oysters; usually I'm not a fan of fried oysters but they were good! Our waitress was attentive and helpful, service was wonderful. I wish I had remembered her name, she was sweet! I've never been interested in trying grits, I even asked our waitress what grits were and she had me interested enough to split an entree with my friend. And those shrimp and grits were amazing! We're from Texas so we would definitely recommend this place~
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Roland R.
Really good Croquet Madame! Tip - only difference between a Croquet Madame and a Croquet Monsieur is the Madame has an egg on it! The Crab Maison is basically lump crab with some sauces/spices. If you don't like horseradish, don't get this. We also got the seafood tower. EVERYTHING was so fresh. Pricey but worth it. Goes really well with a nice bottle of champagne. Good wine list and a lot of the bottles are reasonably priced. Service was really friendly and helpful! I'll definitely come back for the Croquet Madame!
(4)Kelly W.
Went here for dinner and had a pretty nice meal. Started with the Brussels sprouts and gumbo, both were pretty good, the sprouts had quite a kick to them. For dinner I had the risotto (which the chef added the night before) and it was amazing! Would definitely recommend it! Overall a good meal, but not a must do.
(4)Jennifer M.
Came here on a Friday night with a bachelorette party. We originally had a reservation for 8pm, but called around 6 to request a later time, and they accommodated 7 of us at 9:15 easily. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the manager, and immediately served complimentary champagne. We sat towards the back of the restaurant, and it was very private. Our server, "Richie Rich" was amazing. He made friendly conversation, suggested entrees and drinks, and brought warm bread with the waters. I ordered the Poulet- Grande-mere, which was herb roasted chicken, summer veggies, and whipped potatoes. It was delicious and filling. I ordered the Streetcar drink, which was also very good. I was impressed with their service and attentiveness, as well as the ambiance and clean restrooms. I paid for the bachelorettes' and myselfs' dinner, and it was less than $100. I would recommend eating here when in NOLA.
(5)Sharon W.
I totally forgot to review this place! This was one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans! $.50 cents oysters during happy hour. This is a deal that can not be beat!! For all you Californians, beware, these are not the typical small kumomodo oysters. These are some big guys, but still very good! I had the Shrimp with Jalapeno Grits, He had the Special, Pork with grits, both were amazing and the portion after eating 2 dozen oysters and ordering 2 happy hour drinks each. His special came with a bowl of gumbo, and we were even given a free delicious bread pudding. The total you ask? We paid $86 for 4 drinks, 24 oysters, 2 entrees with one gumbo and a complimentary dessert. Wow LUKE! Way to go!! Thanks for making us feel totally at home and welcome at your restaurant. I am itching to go back just to eat here again.
(4)Nick K.
Stopped by for breakfast was recommended the shrimp and grits and boy was I impressed. Definitely a must have when in town.
(5)Wener V.
Ended up here on a whim after our first choice proved to be in a sketchy part of town (it was an attempt to eat where the locals eat). We were not disappointed in our choice. We started with the gumbo and it was amazing. You can really taste the fresh ingredients. Next we had the oyster avocado salad and the shrimp and grits as our entree. Again can't say enough about the fresh ingredients and the shrimp tasted as if it just came off the boat. We didn't try the desert but our table mates next to us did and they enjoyed the bread putting. Definitely would go back no eat there again. Make reservations if you can, we didn't but you should.
(5)Alicia H.
Jalapeño grits are AH-mazing! Great beer on tap. Oysters are delish! The ambience is nice - there are two rooms - one that's near the bar and another that's a little fancier (you'd want to sit with your parents in the fancy area unless you drink with them in which case the bar area seating is fantastic). Service and food is great here - enough that I'm coming back for the second time in two days (thank you grits and gumbo!). Our server last night was personable and knowledgable. I'll definitely be coming back the next time I'm in NOLA and will be looking out for my next Besh experience!
(5)Lola O.
First time at a John Besh restaurant. On our visit to New Orleans, bumped into friends and next thing we were on to Happy Hour for the oysters. I've never had oysters, let alone raw oysters but what better time to try?.?.Aanndd I was pleasantly surprised! And the oysters were HUGE! Since we were in New Orleans and there was too much food to eat, didn't want to stuff my face before dinner. The jalapeno shrimp was a complete YES! I did push the actual jalapenos to the side, but the flavor were definitely all UP in the grits. I did realize though, what mint julep REALLY is -a whole lot of bourbon with some mint leaves and a bit of sugar - so definitely lesson learned on that front! But the waiter was VERY knowledge about the entire Food & Drinks menu.
(4)Pam C.
Lucky enough to eat here twice in 2 weeks. Both times came in around 3, to partake of their awesome happy hour(HH) from 3-6. Each visit I started with a dozen raw oysters ($.75) @ HH. First visit I also had the charcuterie platter, so many great and unusual things. The person seated next to me at the bar even mentioned how beautiful the plate was. Recommend!. Next visit in addition to the raw oysters, I also had the fried oyster romaine salad. it was very good, not sure if it was worth the price point ($17), but the oysters were awesome and the salad perfectly dressed. *side note, I always base my reviews on the food...as service can sometimes, just be off, but both visits I sat at the bar, where I think you usually receive better service, I did not feel this was the case, either visit. 1st visit, service was ok, second visit, was terrible, same bartender. She is not attentive, even when not super busy at 4, on a Tuesday.
(4)Adalee P.
Delicious food and great service! It's on the pricey side so be prepared to spend some money!
(5)Kevin J.
The service is slow (in a good, southern kinda way y'all) and the concierge had a bit of an attitude. That being said, our last day there a server named Kevin listened to our need to be done and out of the door by 5 to be at a wedding in the French Quarter. He accommodated all 6 of us amazingly and made every dish arrive and had us ready to go in less than 45 minutes. Amazing. Then he made sure we wouldn't forget him by gifting us a complimentary dessert (whoa...that brownie had us fighting to lick the plate) Great recovery by a wonderful server. The food is always excellent, you just might want to be really clear with your service expectations.
(4)Carissa C.
Beautiful interior and ambience! Good spot for seafood and local upscale food fare. We tried the crawfish bisque, shrimp grits, and bread pudding. Everything was fantastic! The bisque was flavorful and the crawfish melted in my mouth--unexpected and delightful. The shrimp and grits looked like a small portion for my husband but it was rich and filling. Don't miss dessert. Seriously, don't. It will be the best $8 you ever spend if you have a sweet tooth. We had bread pudding which had a nice crunchy crust, pralines, bourbon syrup (I think), and delicious local vanilla ice cream. It's small so it may not seem like enough to split but again it's rich and filling and super good. I focus on food but the staff was also fantastic! Definitely check this spot out if visiting NOLA. It's fabulous.
(5)Robin E.
Another good place to eat while in New Orleans, not sure there is a bad place in the city, well we have not been to one yet
(4)Jon S.
My wife and I were SO looking forward to this dinner. We have all of John Besh's cookbooks. We have also had dinner a few times at the Luke in San Antonio and it was amazing. Luke in NOLA is NOT worth the trip. Our dinner was average at best. First, the Hostess was HORRIBLE she was rude. She almost made us turn around and leave. Next it is LOUD and cramped. My wife was pregnant and uncomfortable. It was difficult to eat with the small table. The crawfish bisque was outstanding. My wife had shrimp and grits and thought they were good. My ribeye was due to come medium rare and it was overcooked. When the waiter asked about our food I told him it was overcooked. He didn't listen and said "excellent". Dessert was great. The white cake was excellent. Bottom line there are so many great food spots in NOLA. This one you can remove from the list.
(2)Evan P.
Of all of the restaurants that we visited during a long weekend in New Orleans (and there were many) we thought Lukes had the best food across the board. This Franco-German John Besh restaurant left us craving for more and seeking out more of his restaurants during our stay. We came in for lunch on Friday and this appeared to be a popular "power lunch" spot as many people were dressed in business attire. It took us about 30 minutes to get a table for 4 without a reservation. It was well worth the wait! Rarely, have I gone into a restaurant with several other people each ordering different things and each person leaving extremely impressed, full, and enjoying each dish we shared. For the rest of our trip, we kept visiting other restaurants and while individual plates may have been just as good, nothing compared across the board to what we had at Luke's. I highly recommend the Lamb Ragout (listed as boar on menu online, but changed to lamb). While we could not determine our overall favorite dish, someone at our table who claimed they "do not like lamb" could not stop talking about how good this dish was. The croque-monsieur (grilled ham and cheese) was also very good and the fries that came with it where crispy and very well-seasoned. We shared (devoured) an order of oysters and shrimp and thought these were among the best we have had in the city. The Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp was a delicious mix of jalapenos, sausage, and shrimp and was perfectly seasoned and spiced. Everything was delicious here and we look forward to our next visit.
(5)Melody N.
Possibly my favorite restaurant in New Orleans, I absolutely love it! It's not very spacious so I could see that if you come at a peak time, the wait could be very long or the service could be lacking. Fortunately I have always lucked out with quick seating, great hospitality, and delicious food. I love the decor, Old New Orleans meets rustic. The wooden bar with the bull head (not real) adds a nice touch. John Besh is one of my favorite chefs and I love his menu here. Great for brunch, lunch, happy hour, and dinner. I love how you can come here casual or dressed to the nines and no one bats an eye. You could get something lighter like a nice salad or go all out with shrimp & grits (great choice.) The coffee is actually really good here too, and great gumbo. Try to reserve your table ahead of time by calling, OR checking open table and that might save you some time. A must try for a New Orleans!
(5)Billy M.
Excellent! Wine choices were great and everything we had was delicious. We ate dinner and ordered the Brussel sprouts and gumbo appetizers, and the risotto and shrimp & grits for entrees, with the bread pudding for desert. It was by far the best meal we had while in NOLA. Our entrees were $26 & $24 and our bill was $100 total with only 1 drink so I would say it is closer to $$$ than $$. Regardless, this place is very good and we would highly recommend it.
(5)Momo B.
JOHN BESH RESTAURANT Just around the corner from the Sheraton and open late suits us well Fried oyster salad... perfect for a late dinner. Ribeye steak with bernaise... overly trimmed for Yu-go's steak preference... cut awkwardly like a wedge with one end over cooked medium well... meat was tasty... can do better for the price. This is one of eight John Besh restaurants. Waitstaff was genuine and appreciative... just like us. Very noisy with undersized tables arranged for eavesdrop without trying.
(4)Heather H.
Great oyster happy hours that go on from 5-7pm! My boyfriend and I shared a dozen oysters and a glass of champagne. Our tab was $24 with tip. Great value! I hear they have the best to-go cups in town, and we totally missed out on that. The staff were very nice and attentive. We almost felt too casual but we felt at home! I'd definitely go back :)
(4)Aaron P.
We really enjoyed our dinner here. Drum meunière was excellent, and roasted chicken was probably laced with crack. Didn't make it for happy hour - definitely will next time we're in New Orleans. Full disclosure - planning to steal their Brussels sprouts appetizer recipe for our next dinner party
(5)Christina T.
For the past few weeks, I've been craving the crab omelet. Went in once but there weren't any seats at the bar and no open tables with a 30 minute wait. Went back a few weeks later and was able to get a table. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed that the menu changed and the crab omelet wasn't even on the menu. I double checked to see if they could make it but they couldn't. :( I wish I could get an email reminder when they add it back to the menu. lol I ended up getting the crab bisque and fries. The bisque was was flavorful. The fries were good as always. (I knew the bisque wouldn't be enough alone but didn't see anything else that really stuck out to me...probably because I really wanted that omelet.) Nice waitstaff. Pretty fast and acknowledged us. I'll be back again though because I really like this place. Hopefully my favorite dish will be on the menu again. :)
(3)Charlyne A.
HAPPY HOUR. Just come for the happy hour. I came here almost everyday. Make reservations. Order the seventy five cent oysters and everything on their drink menu. Might as well since everything is half off. Their drinks were meh-okay. I suggest Arnaud's but its just so inexpensive that it doesn't matter.
(5)Paul H.
I recently spent several days in NOLA and just stopped in to Luke for a quick lunch on my first day. I kept going back, because it was so good. Oysters on the half shell...some of the best I've ever had. Ended up getting a second dozen. Gumbo...very good. Roux could be a bit darker, but still top shelf! Croque Madam...excellent. High quality ham. Toasted just right. Delicious. Fries...very, very good. Charcuterie board...excellent variety and very, very traditional, with pate', blood sausage and several other delicacies. Probably one of the best I have ever had. All meals served with great, crusty French bread and butter. I ate at the bar each time, and service was always top notch.
(5)Julie O.
The food was amazing and the staff was equally amazing!!! We had the roasted chicken, raw oysters, and shrimp and grits. We also ordered to go for a friend that has several allergies and they made the food to order and didn't give us any trouble! Richie was our waiter and he was very personable! We would absolutely come here again and highly recommend this place if you are in New Orleans!
(5)Samer H.
Very great decorations and service. The place looks awesome. We first ordered the half dozed jumbo gulf shrimp. I'm not from the gulf but I didn't think that they were that jumbo. They were also a nightmare to peel and eat but the cocktail sauce was really good. Kind of pricey for the size and quality of the shrimp. One was mangled and awkward looking. I ordered the gumbo just to have a Nola dish with my meal. Unfortunately the gumbo itself was room temperature, but the rice that they put on top was refrigerator cold. As soon as i stirred it, it was completely cold. Kind of sad since I was paying $6 for 4 bites of gumbo. Small portions here too. We then ordered the pate and the green salad. The pate was good, and was a huge portion. The pickled sides were probably the best part. I had never tried pate so I can't be the best judge but I liked it. It had a mild flavor to it. The salad was $17 and was 5 leafs of butter lettuce drenched in a basic sauce. Overall this place isn't bad, it just seems like one of those places where you pay for the ambiance and not the food.
(3)Shane F.
Oh my goodness. Eggs in a jar. Based on my sentence above, you may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Well, Luke has an incredible breakfast dish called Eggs in a jar. Now, I'm not one for grits....they're too....."gritty" (heh). I actually demolished these cheesy, jalapeno-y goodness. The eggs themselves were very straightforward and poached, but once you pop the yolk and that lovely golden center runs over the already cheesy grits...all I can say is, "heaven". Now, throw in several batter-fried shrimp to rim the jar, and you have a meal that will keep you full far past lunch time. For an added treat, get the beignets with the chocolate sauce and preserves. While they aren't as good as Cafe du Monde's, they are still quite delicious with a cup of coffee.
(5)Jana K.
It was Breakfast, but it was a $40 breakfast for 2. Nothing that really blew me away, food was good. I would recommend a reservation seems like they turn away from you without one. I did enjoy Jalapeño cheese grits
(4)Isabelle R.
Raw oysters were huge and delicious but some had a little too much shell in them. 75 cent happy hour special, I can't complain. All drinks also half price. The deep-fried oysters were TO DIE FOR. The crawfish bisque was jam-packed with the little sweet crawfish bites and so yummy. The gumbo was very good. Service was 3.5 stars. Beautiful decor, as most places in New Orleans.
(4)Emily H.
Happy hour is now $0.75 per oyster! (Not $0.50) Still one of the best deals in town. Oysters taste so fresh that you don't need to put any sauce on it. Seafood gumbo has huge chunks of oysters in it. Yum!
(5)Melinda M.
Why 3 stars? Our server was horrible. I've always believed that service should play a huge role in my reviews no matter how good the food is. We had reservations for 10pm since earlier times were booked. We walked from the French Quarter to this place and there was a bad accident on the way so we had to take a bit of a detour. We were here on a Friday night, but it wasn't too busy. We were quickly seated and our server came to us about 5 mins later. He gave us the menu and went over the specials for the day. Everything seem good, but once our order came out we never saw him again. He didn't come out to fill our glasses or check on us instead he was waiting on other tables. We finished our meal and had to wave him down several times for the check. Well guess what? Almost 30 mins later he never came back with the check so we had to ask someone else for it. Sorry for the rant about the service, but it wasn't something I expected from a John Besh establishment. About the food. This was our second John Besh restaurant on this trip and I've to say I wasn't overly impressed with either. I ordered the shrimp and grits that came out in a little pan, raw oysters and P&J baked oysters. The oysters were pretty good so we had to order another dozen. The shrimp and grits was good, but nothing great. Overall disappointed, but mainly with the service. This place won't be on my list of places to visit again.
(3)Wes T.
This is a popular restaurant, so I won't try to add on anything that hasn't been covered already. The reason I am writing this review, though, is to throw some wind into their sails since their service on Christmas Day was outstanding. Place was packed, kitchen got a little behind, and servers were scrambling. Food finally came out, was delicious, and at the conclusion management came by and personally apologized for the wait. I love to see this level of concern for the guest experience, and would happily return to experience it again.
(5)Keny R.
Absolutely the worst customer service ever. 4 paying customers come in at 10:20 and the woman at the hostess counter was rude and disrespectful. After asking if we have a reservation, she proceeded to tell us that it would be a 10 min wait for a table. SIDENOTE: There were several available tables in site. A waiter and the hostess made contact and general glances in our direction at what which point he frowned and she rolled her eyes. We waited patiently as she stood at the podium a few more minutes before going and finding another woman to come back with her. They fiddled with the screen for a few minutes. Then we over hear them asking, "what time is it?", then looking over at us. Needless to say, we decided the best decision was the leave. Apparently Luke and John Besh do NOT need paying customers as it seems Leaving on time is the staff's top priority. Seems like a decent menu, too bad we were not allowed the opportunity to sample it. I will be sharing this experience with others.
(1)Zenia A.
Stopped into this place during a work trip to New Orleans and was pleased. During happy hour, they have $0.75 oysters and definitely order the Brussel sprout dish as well!
(4)Anita L.
I didn't even realize it was John Besh's restaurant until I stepped inside. My group of 4 came here for breakfast before heading to meet a group for lunch so we wanted to try a few things but the intention was not to fill up. We ordered the gumbo -- it was something I wanted to try at every single restaurant I went to -- and it was pretty good. A tad salty, but I'd rather that than bland. The local crab omelette was decent, the egg part was fluffy and it was stuffed with plump morsels of crab. I was really happy to see that there was no skimping on ingredients here. The piece de resistance was indeed the shrimp and grits. The shrimp are fried -- there are 6 of them -- and hangs off the lip of a mason jar filled with jalapeno grits and topped with soft poached eggs and a very light Hollandaise sauce. It was absolutely incredible!! The shrimp were perfect crispy on the outside with a great snap while the grits is just a smooth, luxurious, velvety, unctuous, gooey blob of deliciousness. Really happy that we stopped in here!
(4)Efrain R.
Service is always great. Which is why it gets three stars. The food and menu have taken a dive though. I've eaten here at least 6-8 times over the years It used to be really great. The steak was Just salty, Pork Schnitzel had no flavor, gumbo also just eh.... Not worthy. The menu has been chopped down to what seems like bar food. Not sure what happened here!? Everything used to be excellent. You can do a lot better for your money in this town
(3)Danielle J.
Every single thing we ordered was amazing. Brussels sprouts are sweet with a bit of heat from finely sliced jalapeño. Crab omelette was big enough for two after the appetizer and came w crispy straw fries. We ordered a side of jalapeño grits which are normally such an after thought but stand alone as the best grits I have ever had. Pricey, yes... But you get what you pay for. I forgot to mention the service was great as well and Savannah was super sweet.
(5)Tiffany B.
Holyyyyyyy shiet you guys, first time in NOLA & I'm in love with the food & Lüke's. It's a pescetarian's dreaaaaam come true. Service: Absolutely excellent. Our waitress was so friendly & kind. They ran out of wild boar ragu that Josh G. wanted, so she gifted us bread pudding for freeeeee. Prices: Reasonable. Slightly on the expensive, but reasonable. Definitely worth every goddamn penny though because it was so good. Food: I ordered a small cup of seafood gumbo & shrimp & grits, while Josh G. got the shrimp cavatelli. We inhaled everything; it was amazing. Best shrimp grits of my friggin' life. So cheesy & full bodied umami. Shrimp was large & juicy, while the gravy was to die for. The seafood gumbo was also a great dish. So earthy & flavorful with large hunks of oyster & shrimp. A little disappointed how small the cup is. It is literally the size of 1 cup, so if you expected it to be like a mug (2 cups), nope. Josh's shrimp cavatelli was also phenomenal. Full of umami - the tomato sauce was fantastic, I would straight up bathe in dat. It was savory, not too rich, creamy, perfect mount of sweetness, & very fresh. I need that tomato sauce recipe right meow. Then came the bread pudding. Holy expletive, batman. You done good, Chef John Besh. That vanilla ice cream atop a sweet baked bread pudding with delicious pecans & caramel was "melt in your chair, swooning over the moon or seeing your celebrity crush" good. I would like a very large bowl of that right now. Can y'all deliver to Boston plzzzz?? Environment: Large restaurant with pretty decent lighting. Perfect date night or a night out with friends. 10/10 would absolutely recommend. Left so full & happy. edited: was drunk when I wrote this, so yeah.
(5)Adrienne H.
I love this bar! Great happy hour and awesome bar atmosphere. From oyster shuckers to the bar staff everyone is awesome!!! The shrimp and grits is the best in the city, hands down!
(4)Mimi V.
We had Luke's for dinner and i must say i was not impressed with a lot of factors. The items we tried were: Baked pesto oysters: People said this was amazing, but i thought this was alright. I'd rather have the char-boiled oysters or fresh oysters. Gumbo: This was alright as well. Nothing stood out about it to me. Ribeye steak: Pretty good flavor to the steak, however, not as tender as the other places. Overall, I thought this place was pretty mediocre. They forgot our dinner and other tables who came in later got their dinner first, so we had to remind them. They also forgot my bread that came with the steak. It just seemed like an off day for them. Customer service was good, but not fantastic.
(3)Sean B.
Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp En Cocotte. It's roasted jalapeño cheese grits, andouille and green onion sausages, and HUGE shrimp in an iron skillet. In Los Angeles, you go to Animal, and get the pork belly sliders. In San Francisco, you track and find the Señor Sisig burrito truck. In San Diego, you have brunch at Hash House. And in New Orleans, you damned well better go to Lüke and have the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp En Cocotte. And make your friends order it too, and steal a few of their shrimp. And then get one to go. Seriously the best seafood dish in the city. State. Country. World?
(5)Cody H.
We both enjoyed our meals, although I wish the portions were a little bigger. We were sat next to gentleman that had less then stellar service. He said he was sitting, waiting for his server for almost 30 minutes. We didn't have any problem with service. We did have some oysters and they small, but good. I would have no problem going back here for oysters. For an entree, I had a lobster and it was cooked perfectly...only issue was that it was a small lobster so I was't full after eating it. She got the fish and enjoyed it. She did ask for brussel sprouts to be grilled instead made crispy and they happily complied. She did enjoy her meal. We will go back...very nice atmosphere and experience for us.
(4)Quinn L.
We went back and were treated by the restaurant. The server, Chris was fantastic. We were in the back area where it was a much more enjoyable experience. The food was also done perfectly. Thanks.
(3)Amber D.
This was my first time going to Lükes, and although I can say that parking downtown is such a pain to find, Lüke's will definitely put a smile on your face after you've had their food! The atmosphere is not too loud or quiet, just a nice place to go with your loved ones and the service was GREAT! I ordered the Lüke Burger which was HUGE and very filling and we also ordered the stuffed oysters which was amazing! I definitely recommend this place and will be coming back soon
(5)Molly H.
Ahhhhmazzing. We had some mishaps with our drinks not coming and soup being a little on the cold side, but they remedied the mistakes immediately and sent us desserts at the conclusion of our meal. Raw oysters were divine. I had a special of grits with pork belly. Only compliant was that it wasn't served to me in the comfort of my bed. I would loved to have curled up with that cast iron dish and dreamt sweet dreams next to it. This place is a must. Fairly priced, too.
(5)Johnny T.
Wow. I am all the way late on this one. I told y'all I hadn't been to New Orleans in 10+ years. It seems as though I am the very last person to have heard of and eaten at Lüke. #fixed My experience at Lüke reminded me of why, even after that damned storm, New Orleans is the center of American culinary awesomeness. It just can't be helped. When I lived here, no matter if I was at a shack or an upscale, coat-only establishment, I don't think I ever had a bad meal. Ever. I'm serious. Lüke keeps the streak going. I came here to meet and upon recommendation from my mentor. Yes, I have one. You should as well. This fellow set me on way wrt career choices, timing and strategy and it had been far too long since I'd seen him. Plus, he has fantastic taste in food/drink. We sat and were immediately greeted by that warm, chewy bread (with butter) I'd missed for so many years (yet instantly remembered once I smelled it). To my surprise, neither my mentor nor I wanted a drink. Where was I and who was I? No drink at lunch... in New Orleans? Something was amiss. I think I wanted to stay fully present in the conversation and meal. I stuck with my tonic and lime and availed myself of the $17 express lunch of the day. For less than $20, you get a cup of soup and the entree of the day. Being that it was Thursday, that meant my choice was the jambalaya. Done. In no time, I was slurping on a bowl of hot, spicy, filling, decadent crab bisque. OMG. I'd missed eating like this. Eating is such a joy/(first world/privileged, I recognize) pleasure. To eat food that make your endorphins light up and mouth sing... it's a blessing. It is. The sweet crab meat was the star of the bowl. Not to be hidden amongst heavy cream, the shellfish was up front and present in every spoonful. I was feeling a wee bit full when my large plate of jambalaya arrived. The description said something about green onion sausage and andouille cracklin'. I dunno. All I know is as soon as the smell hit my noise, I couldn't get it in my mouth fast enough. Wait. I lie. I took a bite. Then took a bite of the corn bread. Then I crumbled the corn bread into the dish. Then I topped everything with a metric ton of hot sauce. THEN I put it in my mouth as fast as I could. Our waiter was pleasant, accustomed to the lunch crowd and delivered the type of service that I remembered, service that helped make New Orleans restaurants famous. Bellies protruding and mouths achy from laughter, my mentor and I bid farewell to Lüke and got on with the business of the day. I was not even four hours into being back in The Big Easy and I didn't want to leave. A good meal and good conversation will do that to/for you.
(4)Adam W.
The oysters, mussels, and champagne were all amazing. We had the pavlova for dessert which was decadent and delicious. The waitstaff was delightful, knowledgeable, and fun. 10/10 would eat here again.
(5)Danielle C.
I'm still sitting at the table and this was hands down the best shrimp and grits of my life. If you're in New Orleans you need to run here now! Amazing brunch!!
(5)L M.
The food was great! The ambiance isn't as warm as other places that we'd tried in New Orleans, and the staff weren't what I would refer to as exuberant with the spirit of New Orleans. We tried the fried chicken on a biscuit and the crawfish omelet. They were tasty. The chef understands how to mix the tapestry of taste into a memorable sonata. The ingredients were all fresh ; the music not to die for and the staff and the ambiance need to speak a bit more in what is the spirit of New Orleans.
(4)Sherry W.
Made reservations for brunch on the Saturday before Easter 2015. I had the shrimp & grits and my friend had the fried shrimp & eggs. Both dishes were incredibly delicious, as were the drinks. In fact, we licked our plates clean, and we left no drops in our glass. I'm pretty sure that the shrimp and grits were the BEST that I've ever had, and I've tried a lot of them down South! The grits were rich, creamy, and cheesy and you can also taste the fresh jalapeños too, so it wasn't too heavy! My mint julep, was also incredibly strong and delicious although I wish it could have been topped off a bit more with ice. My friend's fried shrimp and eggs were also yummy, but I'm not a huge fan of the flavor of mayonnaise and that was all I could taste in her dish. She disagrees this, though and ate every bite! Her shrimp were fried perfectly, and were the jumbo kind that's meaty and juicy on the inside! The only downfall to the experience was the seating location. Having made reservations weeks ahead of time, I would have hoped to get a better seat than in the back corner, where we were literally separated from the waiters through some hanging newspapers. Not good ambiance at all, but at least the food made up for it!
(5)Helen V.
Went here twice for happy hour during my stay here. The oysters are $.75 now but that didn't prevent us from ordering! They oysters were quite large and very delicious. We also ordered the crispy brussel sprouts and they were hands down the best I've ever had! The crawfish bisque was also very good, the gumbo just ok. We ended our meal quite satisfied with their delicious bread pudding
(4)Trang N.
I only come here for their happy hour for the oysters and drinks. Sometimes if I feel like eating something else, I'll order some gumbo and sides. Happy starts at 3pm I believe and ends at 6pm. Everyday including Saturdays!
(4)Alex J.
Luke is a great joint. The food is all delicious, a fusion of French, German, and New Orleans specialties. Drinks are expensive, but happy hour is a great deal with half off their own draft brews, wine, and cocktails. The oysters at happy hour are only 50 cents, and sure, you say, you know of a 25 cent oyster joint somewhere. I guarantee those oysters aren't as big and fresh as those at Luke. Just the best raw oysters I've had anywhere. I love their lunch, especially the two course daily lunch special. And the burger, dear me, you might not thing of this as a burger place, but it's got one of my favorites in town. The only reason I don't get it more often is because it's hard to get anything done after eating that mid-day. They serve Cokes in the individual small bottles, so they aren't bottomless. But you aren't coming to a place like this for bottomless Cokes, anyway. The biggest drawback to the place is the loudness, especially in the back room. New Orleans restaurants really need to cut this crap out. Having a loud place doesn't make you seem more popular. Also, I have no idea how to pronounce a u with an umlaut, so that's annoying.
(4)Neeharika M.
Good food..flavor full....v accommodating chef ...he removed the andouille sausage from shrimp and grits as I dot eat red meat for us. We ordered the shrimp and grits and crawfish risotto ..both were good.
(4)Joe O.
Happy Hour! $.75 oysters! Friend and I ordered 36. They gave us 33 (we counted :P) So the manager hooked us up with 6 more...these tasted even better than the previous 33. Came back next day and did the same. Asked if they had the "sweet" oysters and the server said they only serve one kind. I think he might be mistaken. Pour on a few drops of lemon, tabasco, and cocktail sauce and slurrrrrp! Service has always been good. Cocktails were worth it esp during happy hour. Mint Julep tasted more of bourbon than simple syrup which is a good thing. You get some of the muddled mint flavor as well. Good beers half off as well. Definitely a go to on our next visit and we'll probably order of the main menu as well.
(5)Mallory R.
Gumbo was good. Burger was average. Dessert (cheesecake to go) was insulting. Service was pretty slow and got drink order wrong plus had to be reminded about our dessert order.
(2)Tina P.
This place is awesome! I had this place bookmarked while planning my trip to NOLA. Be sure to make reservations. The decor makes you feel like you're experiencing a time warp. I could have dressed up a little, but there were all kinds of people from dressy to very casual. My husband had the Jewish penicillin aka matzo ball soup and I started with the crawfish bisque. My only regret with my soup was I wish I would have ordered a whole bowl of it- delicious!!!! I had the bib salad and ate ever ounce. We shared a shrimp dish that was in a skillet- I forget the name, but that was so flavorful! Can't go wrong with this place!
(5)Tamia G.
We had the coffee, grillade & grits ($15) and shrimp & grits ($24, plus I added crabmeat for $12). Matt J. was our server for breakfast and he was outstanding! The food was simply amazing. So fresh, flavorful and richly seasoned. The best seafood in town! The experience left such a great impression that... We returned at happy hour (3-6pm) that same afternoon. Wow! Great choice! We started with Ugni Blanc Champagne, French 75 and the St. Charles Streetcar. Their handcrafted cocktails were absolutely amazing and at half off (happy hour) they were even better! Also, their shucked oysters on the half shell were only $0.50 each. We literally ordered 48 oysters (4 dozen). We also enjoyed their flamenkuche (quite unique), which includes onion tartar, bacon and cheese on a cracker crust. The whole experience was outstanding because of the food, drinks and exceptional service by Richie Rich. We were pleasantly surprised that they honored happy hour prices restaurant-wide! We sat in the section with Richie Rich (Rich Whatley), who was so knowledgeable about their menu. He even recommended great combinations of food and drink to enhance our experience. Also, Richie had great recommendations for things to do in- and around the local area. Top level service, with a smile. When I return, I'll ALWAYS ask to be seated with Richie Rich. His high level of service sets the example for others to follow. Kudos to Lüke!
(5)Michael G.
I ate at Lüke and now brunch will never be the same. Dwarfed by the huge Charles st. Hilton hotel right next door, one could easily walk right past this John Besh restaurant, but after the experience I just had there, it's safe to say that I'll sing praises of Lüke every time I'm asked about where to eat in New Orleans. The ambiance is professional and clean, casual and refined. Diners are greeted by quick-witted, smiling hostess and the servers here are incredible. As a matter of fact, it's safe to say that this place has some of the best service I've ever received in a restaurant. And when you taste the food, you realize why the workers take such pride in their operation. The food at Lüke is magnificent. Southern cooking meets French influence here, and the food (and wine) options are all very tempting. Our server Nicholas recommended the crispy brussel sprouts. They were outstanding. Fried to perfection and cut into perfect bites, they were mixed with almond slivers, micro greens, and a fresh cheese, then dressed with honey. Get the brussel sprouts. They're insanely simple and delicious. We followed this appetizer with a crawfish bisque, which was also quite good. While I would have liked more crawfish tails included in the soup, the addition of a bread crumb stuffed crawfish head staring right back at you made the bisque a real treat! The main dishes we shared were the Shrimp and Grits, and the Fried chicken on a biscuit. Both were mind blowing. The first involved Piping hot jalepeño cheesy grits which paired perfectly with shrimp, sausage, and a subtle but spicy red sauce, and the portion was larger than expected. The Fried chicken was...well...fried chicken. But the fluffy, honey soaked biscuit upon which it rested and the over-easy organic egg it supported, came together and made for a damn good entree. Want great service and excellent food at a reasonable price? Eat at Lüke on Charles street. You will be glad you stopped by.
(5)Brandy K.
First off, big shout out to our wonderful waitress Abby - everyone knows bad service can ruin the food, no matter how great it is, and she literally helped elevate it to another level! This place is amazing in a completely great way!!! Had the crispy brussel sprouts, mint julep, and shrimp and grits. This is by far the best meal we have had in New Orleans, and dare I say it, our travels in general (across Asia, Europe, ama most of the U.S.)? I'm pretty sure I made everyone uncomfortable with my constant moaning, but it couldn't be helped. Thanks for the recommendation Yelp family...now I'm off to my food coma induced nap :)
(5)Kayu T.
"Richy Rich" was our waiter and he was so wonderful! I can probably say the best in town hands down. He was humorous without being an ass (like some can) and STILL get everything done right and super tentative. Happy hour is half off cocktails and many beer & wine + 50 cents oysters! We also ordered the crab soup- do yourself a favor and get the bowl... if not two! There's so much meat in it and just pure quality. Richard was so sweet, we mentioned that it was a birthday trip and he treated us to the most amazing chocolate caramel dessert. Def. made our day. We are so grateful that strangers we met told us about this place. We will come back as soon as we come back in town!!
(5)Rich W.
Happy hour is cool service is great...I feel the food is over priced... Your never sure if you never know if its worth it. Went once and I won't miss not going again. Its price point makes it not worth it...over rated and over priced. Its a poor east of my per diem... Never again
(3)Shawn S.
Oh Luke, how I really want to love you as soon as I walked in but it just wasn't meant to be, I guess. While the atmosphere and the staff are very nice, they just didn't feel genuine to me. I ordered an old fashioned and it was ok but I've had better. I ordered another drink and it was mediocre as well. Then I ordered the King crab legs($22 for two small legs), the crawfish bisque(which was really good). This isn't the worst restaurant I've been to but it's not that great either especially for the prices they have. I guess I just had high hopes for them. :(
(2)Alex T.
I came here recently with my mom to relax before a big interview, and we had a great time! We started with the marinated crab claws form the bar. They were good! I really liked the sauce they came in, but I wasn't expecting them to be cold. Still good! I ordered the Shrimp and grits dish, because of course. The grits were some type of jalapeño cheese grits and very good. I liked the dish a lot overall. I just wish they took the tails off of the shrimp for you. It just makes things messy and harder to eat when you have to remove the tails. The service was a little lacking. I felt like the waiter always had somewhere else to be. He seemed very removed from our conversations. If they could fix this, they would be a 5 star place hands down.
(4)Helen P.
Their Happy Hour is simply amazing. I mean we came back here 3 times during our 3 day trip just so we can partake of their happy hour. Where else can you get fresh raw oysters for $.75 each?? Each time we stopped by there was little to no wait. The second time we were smart and made reservations in advance. We were seated pretty promptly and of course we immediately knew what to order- this time we each got our own dozen of oysters, which come with a small loaf of fresh bread and butter, as well as spicy horseradish and cocktail sauce. Absolutely the best oyster happy hour I have ever had. If I ever go back to New Orleans, I will definitely be back to this gem!
(5)Raymond L.
I had no idea that this place was owned by a celebrity chef. I came here on a whim after eating dinner and headed home. Passing by, we decided to check it out. Unfortunately for us, the place was booked solid. The hostess apologized that she didn't have any availability tonight and wanted to see if we wanted to wait for an opening. Almost immediately, a lady in glasses and grayish hair smiled and came over and see if maybe we would be interested in dining at the bar, even though it was completely filled. When we couldn't find anywhere to sit at the bar, the lady re-approached us, and offered a series of other wonderful recommendations in the area that we could try since we couldn't get seated at a table or a bar. She gave us a brief introduction as to why they were such a busy location and that the company has a few other fairly similar restaurants. She told us how she absolutely loved working there and enjoying the great food at the other restaurants as well as that one we were at. Before we had another minute to think about it, she asked to see if we were interested in dining at the end of the bar. We advised her that we already ate and was looking for dessert only. She immediate gave us some fabulous suggestions on popular desserts and offered us to get the Gateau Basque, because she's been eating it for years! The waitress at the bar greeted us and was incredibly nice. We had a small discussion about oysters and where they were from. We ended up getting a dozen oysters. Although the PJ Oysters weren't anything too special for me, it was still very fresh and delicious. I think I'm biased because I'm a big fan of Kumamoto (which they have) and Shigoku. As mentioned above, we ordered the Gateau Basque, which was basically a vanilla sponge cake with creme fraiche and Louisiana berry marmalade poured on top. It was incredible. As far as desserts go, that was the highlight of all the desserts we ordered in a week's timespan in New Orleans. Before we finished, the lady in glasses came to check up on us again. She was very nice and asked to make sure that we enjoyed the food. She told us that she'll check on us again before we leave. But we didn't get to say goodbye! She was probably busy making sure the rest of the patrons were having a good time. The staff here is worth recommending on coming here to New Orleans. The food is great, and the service is incredible. We had a stunning of a time, thanks for the Southern hospitality of Luke.
(5)Jenny T.
Happy hour oysters for only .75 cents sounded too good to pass up on. The oysters were so muddy and earthy. I felt like it wasn't washed or even rinsed off because my entire plate was covered with mud. That alone was enough to turn me off. I'm not sure if it's a New Orleans thing. The oyster itself wasn't crunchy or sweet. It tasted bland and so I drowned the oysters in cocktail sauce and horse radish. I also got tired of biting into fragments of the oyster shell. You really get what you pay for. Hog Island still wins me over by far!
(2)Ruby D.
After a crazy night in NOLA we needed food. Good food. Hopped on yelp, saw the reviews/the rating and walked out the hotel door. I noticed the menu changes seasonally or daily or I don't even know. But a lot of the pictures I saw were not what was happening when we came in today but nonetheless such a good array of food options for brunch. We got the crispy Brussels 10/10. So damn good Seafood gumbo was good. I personally like my gumbo a little spicier but there were plenty of oysters and shrimp and sausage in mine so I was a happy girl. Fried chicken and biscuit- If you've been to Texas and have hada whataburger honey butter chicken biscuit this is that... but upgraded. I was so full at this point but I ate a good portion of it still. What made this absolutely delicious was the Tabasco honey. good lord. I tried my friend's shrimp and jalapeño cheese grits. Delicious. The burger looked good as well but my tummy was telling me noooo Preston our waiter and Rob the manager took SUCH good care of us. Can't wait to be back in New Orleans
(4)Jackie K.
Very good breakfast: the french toast was perfectly cinnamon-y, and the french fries were delicious--they didn't even need ketchup, they were that good. Service was OK, although our server kept bumping into tables and chairs because they were so crowded together. Quality breakfast.
(4)Camille P.
Got a burger from here abd it was awesome, the fries were delicious as well and for take out it was pretty quick! I also tried the oysters salad thing and let me tell you why that'd have me in a coma! They're so delicious!
(4)Kiana R.
I ordered the shrimp & grits and it was delicious! I am sitting here literally craving more. This is definitely a place to come if this is your first time here like myself. I wish the dish size was slightly larger for the price but it was delicious. I can't say that enough.
(4)Daniel A.
I liked this place a lot. Thought for the price, they could of put a little more jambalaya in my bowl. But, the beer was cold, the food outstanding, oysters were fresh and shucked so you didn't have to fight to get them out they slid perfectly. I went with the local oysters as recommended by staff. Was NOT disappointed. They were large and tasty. Lots of great items on the menu that are encouraging me to return for a second visit before I depart for home. Again. My only disappointment was portion with the jambalaya but other than that. People were awesome and the food was great!!!
(4)Andrew S.
Delicious happy hour oysters. Nice atmosphere. Service and drinks were 'meh'.
(4)Yahong X.
The oyster is really really really awesomeï¼Happy hours are too happy! Oysters are fresh and Soft shell crab taste good!
(5)Von A.
The interest in this place for me was not in due part to the stellar reviews, proximity to Bourbon Street, or the amazing menu items - but for the fact that the chef of this restaurant is on one of my now fave TV reality shows called Hungry Investors. Definitely would be wise to get a reservation, as this place is packed. Meal-wise, I went here for dinner and got the Ribeye Steak - which was very good. The seasoning had a nice an tangy cajun flavor, and came with fries that were definitely hand made and very crisp.
(4)Elizabeth S.
Holy crap this place is gotten so many good reviews since the last time I was here. You can come here for really cheap oysters and the most savory food ever for happy hour. I think I went back three times during Mardi Gras, because all the other restaurants just weren't hitting the same spot! I will return next time in NOLA
(5)Leah H.
So good. Every. Damn. Time. I am obsessed with the Flamenkuchen. The pate is divine. I recommend the crawfish bisque to everyone. With all the great reviews I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this one. Just know this place is awesome!
(5)Grace C.
My girlfriends and I went for the Happy Hour and it was AMAZING. The service was great from start to finish. e all ordered some cocktails to start as well as 2 dozen oysters (raw and grilled). We also ordered a variety of sides to share: pate, brussels sprouts, grits, and fries. Our table raved about all the sides particularly the brussels sprouts were sweet and caramelized (perfection). We went another round of oysters before we asked for the check. The oysters were so fresh. I can't wait for the next opportunity to venture back for another meal here.
(5)Michelle E.
Masculine and classy vibe, beautiful brasserie, they have a bar and tv in case you wanted to watch something during happy hour Had the baked oysters, these were yummy, a bit greasy but yummy(needed a squeeze of acid) Had the brussel sprout appetizer, yummy, lots of flavors and textures going on in there, good serving for 4, could probably order this as a meal to go for one Ordered the shrimp en cocotte (shrimp and grits) asked for pouched eggs on top. Grits were jalapeño flavored but GOSH, they must have put a brick of jalapeño jack on there cuz that was all tasted! Shrimp was smaller than expected, gravy was good, not much grits under all that cheese, I had to pick all these cheese out cuz it just overpowered the whole dish (next time, ask them for less cheese or none cuz it didn't need it), best part was the 65 degree sous vide egg(I'd probably love the 75 degree egg more), it was just perfect! Had the chocolate steamed something with salted caramel ice cream. It was ok. The salted caramel ice cream tastes like pure sugar no depth and ridiculously sweet (bi-rite makes salted caramel way better). I had one bite and that was enough I'd probably only come back for happy hour prices raw oysters and such but that's about it
(3)Donna R.
Not that I am biased or anything... but this meal was probably my fave on our recent vacation to New Orleans. A birthday dinner at John Besh's place?? This girl was sold - hook, line, and sinker. The hostess instantly greeted us and wished me a happy birthday, as did both of our waiters Shane and Warren (multiple times), I was definitely feeling the love. I started off with the crawfish bisque and my husband opted for the gumbo, both were perfection. To accompany our food we both had some great cocktails as well, me -- the Streetcar and him -- the Old Fashioned. We were told to get the fries and the husband was feeling a steak, so he got the ribeye with fries and wow, really, really good and a ton of food. I will say that my husband said the fries got really salty at the end. I got the house special, Shrimp and Grits... and I literally cannot put into words how decadent that dish was. Super cheesy and creamy grits topped with huge shrimp and one hell-of-a-sauce. I could barely finish it cause I was so full, but I was happy to have some yummy leftovers. Is it expensive? Yes, but soo worth it.
(5)Claudia A.
First, the staff was okay. Interesting decor inside too. We ordered some food to go since they were about to close. I got my mom a cup of gumbo, which she enjoyed. I chose their Steamed Chocolate dessert (good!) My sister ordered the Gateau Basque. Upon returning to our hotel, we discovered she only got the cake!! No creme fraiche or berries!! They were closed so we couldn't do anything about it. Not cool.
(2)Matt C.
Smash #1 hit. Couple cocktails before / with dinner... of course.. Of course they were tasty. The oysters were delicious. I consider myself an oyster snob; and the one's here were terrific. I had the fish o' the day (I think it was grouper) and it was extremely fresh tasting. The place is booshie. There are many very good restaurants in New Orleans, and "dis be" another one.. Oh, and I forgot to mention the service start to finish, head to toe was spot on. You're a bad boy!
(5)Bibin A.
I've come here for lunch once but dinner was just terrible. We ended up ordering the steak and the shrimp and grits. Also ordered a few drinks which were actually delightful, so that's the saving grace for the 2 stars. Steak was well over cooked and ended up being way too SALTY, and so were the grits. Our food was barley touched and ended up being a total let down. It was surprising to see a restaurant of that caliber have issues with seasoning. We were extremely disappointed but you win some you lose some, they did end up giving us a free dessert which was the "Salted Caramel". Not sure if that was unintended or clever joke. But needless to say we won't be going back here again. Plenty of other places to try, so it's hard to give a place a second chance.
(2)Jannet L.
75 not 50 cent oysters at happy hour. It was still my favorite food experience during my short visit to NO. The ambience is cool bar but not dark. Would definitely come here after work for drinks. Had half off wine glass and draft beers. And happy hour is 3 hours!!! Also had the amaze balls deep fried brussel sprouts with apples and cheese - so friggin delicious. Tried the rabbit and chicken liver pate which was pretty good. Almost tasted like bleu cheese and had so many nice relishes and mustards and chutneys. Had a dozen raw oysters all to myself. Best with just lemon juice and bit of fresh horseradish. yummy!!! Wish we had a place like this back home.
(5)Rachel K.
Wow where do I even begin?? Remember Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High? OK well that was basically our waiter, Rich. He was EFFIN HILARIOUS! We heard the following phrases during dinner: "Wha wha?!" "This shiz is going to be awesome!" "Here are your vagtables." There were so many other gems, but honestly I can't even remember. Regardless, we were there for a birthday and Rich went out of his way to make our experience special. We were giggling all night and his persona. We had the onion tarte and brussel sprouts to share and I had the Grilled Mahi. Honestly the descriptions on the menu don't even serve the food justice. Mahi with caper butter? Sounds rather ordinary. But no that's where you'd be wrong. It was so good I actually wiped my clean, which I NEVER do. It was served with kale, but not regular kale salad. These were more like spiced kale chips. I was like HOW DO I MAKE THESE AT HOME??? I wanted a bag to take with me just so I could snack on them. The birthday cake was a little piece of chocolatey heaven. I'm not sure what it was but it tasted like flourless chocolate cake with ice cream. It was super moist and dense. Not too bitter and not too sweet. When I go back to New Orleans, Luke's will definitely be on my go to list.
(5)Lani P.
Oh How I wish, I wish I had a Lüke where in Denver. First I been wanting to go here for a while now and follow Chef John Besh . I guess I could fly to the Luke's in San Antonio, it's closer. lol Well we got up early to get here for breakfast on the day we were flying out Monday August 3rd, 2015. It was about maybe 8am when we got there and looked like we were the only customers so far. It looks like a really fancy place, but they are very nice and the prices are not expensive at all and the portions are great, but the quality and taste is OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD!!!!! So our waitress "Nicole" was helpful and nice, but i also knew exactly what I was getting and also some stuff to try before getting there. She was a Local girl who's from Maui. So her and I chatted and my pidgin accent started to come out. So this is the low down on what we got: Fresh black coffee was delicious & fresh and I don't usually drink coffee nor do I like it black. Virgin Bloody Mary was just what I needed from Drinking too much the night Be4 and it was tasty. Chicken Tobasco honey sandwich that came with Grits - Very yummy, but the Grits were the STAR and talk about it here in a few. Famous Shrimp & Grits w/Lump Crab topped off w/over easy eggs.- This was what I came here for initially and it was delicious, but there was just a lot going on in flavors, next time I won't mess with perfection and keep it simple with just "shrimp w the grits" Egg White Fritata my friend been craving eggs whites - It was good, healthy wise, but we should've ate this first because after tasting the grits and other dishes, this tasted somewhat bland. It by no means was bland, but you can't mix healthy when your eating gluttonous rich tasting dishes. It did taste delicious several hours later. We ended up taking this to go. Fries - Now these were actually horrible and burnt like. I like crunchy fries, but only if the inside is also soft and fluffy. We ate a few pieces and they were so bad we didn't even bother taking it to go and wasted the whole thing and just left it there. It basically looked untouched. The only Bad thing and so not worth getting. Now the grits. OH MY FREAKEN GOSH!!! This was just a shocker! So I didn't know that my sandwich came with grits and I decided to just taste it with a spoon. As soon as it hit my mouth, all my taste buds EXPLODED in Ecstasy!! I was soo blown away and couldn't believe it so I took another spoonful and closed my eyes & was in Food Heaven!! My friend was like "no way is it that good", then tried it and was experiencing what I just had! Ecstasy! It was just basic no frills grits!!! It was sooo dang good!! We ordered 2 more on the side. they had a jalapeno one, so we got on of each. Now mind you the jalapeno grits were delicious and not too spicy, but When it comes to PERFECTION, the plain grits is THE BEST EVER!!!! Oh my gosh, how can a small side dish steal the show?!! It was crazy! We had delicious entree's, but yet all we could rave, crave and talk about is the Grits!I I am going back to NOLA, just because of the food here. Luke's, Green Fork and SEED are 3 reasons I am going back just for a weekend trip so that I can eat heavenly. The Grits are the MAIN reasons why Everyone needs eat here!!!! I can still taste that nice creamy, not watery at all and just the perfect amount of butter to it. I didn't even have to add salt or anything. If I could only have one dish before die, not meal, but "dish." This would be it!!!!
(5)Aimee C.
This review is mainly for the service. I felt discriminated by the color of my skin at this restaurant. We came in at 3 pm on a Friday when there were a lot of empty seats. Our first server introduced herself right after doing so at two neighboring tables, but we waited about fifteen minutes before anyone asking if we needed anything or introducing today's specials, while the table next to ours had already got their first dish. (We came during happy hours, but I found out only through her friendly conversation with the girls next to us after we were done eating.) I thought she had forgotten us so I told her with a smile that we were ready to order. She turned around and sent a trainee-looking guy to us and never spoke to us again. (You could tell because they don't take orders, dress slightly differently, and mainly clean up dirty plates from tables.) I don't mind being served by a trainee, but our glasses were empty the whole time and no one bothered to add water. It was very hard to get the second guy's attention because we sat where most customers were served by the first server. I noticed our second guy served all Asian customers who sat in various areas. I hoped this was a coincident. I'm usually very polite to my servers. I understand how stressful their jobs are and I respect them a lot. I don't need everyone to put on a smile while serving but at least I shouldn't feel neglected with no water and no plate for bread, or being treated as a less valuable customer while people next to us were getting a five-star treatment. I really hope this doesn't happen to others because this experience was very unpleasant. I'm never coming back here again.
(1)Ping F.
Came here for the happy hour oysters, but ended up being more satisfied with the breading pudding. Like what over reviewers already said, you get what you pay for. Just go elsewhere for oysters. We ordered a dozen raw oysters and a dozen fried oysters. The raw oysters were tiny. About half the size of the size to slightly smaller then the saltines that were provided. There was no flavor, which is why you would have to drench them in the hot cocktail sauce. The cocktail sauce by the way was deceivingly hot, with a 2 second delay, so you're shocked when your nose burns. Back to the oysters. There were shell pieces in them! The fried oysters were the same. Raw oysters happy hour - $0.75/pc Fried oysters happy hour - $1.25/pc The fried chicken entrée was good. The chicken was perfectly fried with a light batter. The beans were tasty, just a bit too salty for me. The gumbo soup that came with it was good, but also salty. Pecan bread pudding with ice cream was amazing. It came out hot, and with a crunchy top layer. The caramel sauce was so good, and I think there was a touch of alcohol in it. Shared it with my bf, but I could have eaten it all by myself. No need to count calories for desert! Service was great. Our server was attentive and explained the happy hour prices to us. (All alcohol drinks are half off during happy hour.)
(3)Christopher W.
Well I have to admit that John has ruined what was my favorite Besh restaurant. I ventured to my favorite spot for oysters though early in the season for a friends birthday party. I was interested in the oyster special happy hour which is 75 cents not 50 cents as it used to be and that was a sign of worse to come. We ordered bowls of gumbo that is excellent but has gone from $8 to $10 per bowl since I have last been here. They used to have daily specials where you order get an entree and a cup of soup for about $20 and that is gone. The menu has been reduced a bunch of high priced items that you would have expected from August or any of his other places that you didn't get here. Luke was like a neighborhood kitchen that served really good food at a good price but now he has gone for the tourists instead of the locals and it shows in more ways than one. They have added more tables and crammed the small interior, the tables are now so small you really can't fit the oyster trays on them comfortably when seating a table of 3 or 4. The oysters themselves were the worst I have ever had from them with about 3 that were not opened that I had to open at the table. Gumbos normally come with hot french bread and they only brought one for a table of three where they are supposed to be given to each person not per table. The oysters have really turned into a lost leader to get you in the door and spend a check that you really were not anticipating. They have baked oyster not char broiled at a whopping $17.50 per half dozen. My friend though it was for a dozen and ordered the half not knowing the $17.50 was for the half dozen which made the situation even worse. To top it all off we were there for a birthday and notified the hostess and the waiter and there was no recognition with a dessert or not even a happy birthday from the waiter. From start to finish this was a miserable experience and one that I was not expecting from a John Besh restaurant and is not qualified as a TOURIST TRAP. In fact this place has changed so much they really should start over with their reviews because many on here were for the previous chef and menu.
(1)Benjamin G.
Definitely my favorite place to grab a dozen oysters after work. I recommend their Happy Hour 75 cent oysters are a go to for anyone in CBD or the surrounding area. Sure you can get oysters from 20+ others places in New Orleans but this is where I recommend going. I'll have to sit down and try the actual menu one day but you can surely find me sitting at the bar at least one day a week with a plate of a dozen raw oysters and a beer in front of me.
(4)Kerry T.
How do I even start this off? I absolutely love lükes. I've been here twice now and I was NOT disappointed at all. You should also make reservations before coming! My waiters name was Melanie and she was amazing. She was one of the best! She checked on my boyfriend and I plenty times, refilled our waters, very sweet and helped us pick foods! I'd suggest the lüke burger. It's by far the best burger I have ever eaten honestly. It wasn't too loud, but it was enough for you to talk and just have a great lunch, brunch, dinner, etc. They brought out free dessert after for us because we were on a date! It was extremely sweet. The atmosphere was great, service was A+! I love lükes! Thanks for the great experience! :)
(5)J'me W.
Oh John Besh how embarrassed you would have been on April 26, 2015 at 9:30am. I raved about this place as you can see in my previous reviews I have given it 5 stars each time. So I brought my cousin here for her first time to indulge in the goodness. Mind you we want to Emerial's the night before which was also her first time and the service as usual was bar none. So I wanted to introduce her to my other favorite chef in Nola's cuisine. We walked in and I should have known something was off. The 2 hostess were not friendly especially the one with dark hair, large eyes, drags her feet when she walks, and rolls her eyes at customers who is disturbing her morning (I asked for her name and was told he didn't know). It was so bad I just watched her even when we got seated and could not believe she was at the front of the house. The trash can behind the check in desk was overflowing and my cousin said that would never happen at Emerial's whom as soon as you take a sip of your water someone swoops in like dark Vader and fills your glass. Anyway, we got seated after standing there for 18 min, no biggie. Our waiter Nicolas brought us a brunch menu and I said can we also see the breakfast menu since brunch technically starts at 10. It was 9:48 and he looked at his watch and said a unenthusiastic yep and brought the breakfast menu. Then I tell you know lie the first words out of his mouth when he sat the menus down was "So what do you want".. My reaction was like an old school episode of Punked. I said we need a minute. We ordered a stack of pecan pancakes and shrimp and grits. When he brought us our food we being the yelpers we are we took our photos. He then says "Yea girl Instagram my shit". My biggest pet peeve Just because I am black don't assume I talk like a stereotype. I stated actually this is for yelp. So he walked off, my cousin still mouth on the floor appalled. The pancakes came in a thin stack of seven with about a teaspoon of pecan butter on top. So we asked Nicolas for more butter. He says "You want that exact butter? We said yes and he said "I have to get it from the kitchen. Exactly 15 minutes later he sees that we haven't eaten the pancakes and says I don't know why they haven't brought you any butter I told them too. All this is while he fills the water glasses of the other tables and fills my glass with what's left in his pitcher and never comes back with more, see my pic. So we then asked a nice guy who was cleaning tables if he could get us some butter and he was back within 5 min. However the pancakes were now cold and so was the butter so it was over. We told Nicolas and he said OK I will take it off the bill and then just brings us our check. He didn't offer to remake them, given us something different or even ask he wanted us gone. My cousin couldn't believe how mad I was and I told her this was more than a let me talk to the manager situation this was full blown Letter to the company situation. All in all we split the Shrimp and grits which were delicious and that's it and left hungry. We had to go somewhere else to eat after. This day was beyond embarrassing to the John Besh name and with the mecca of food in Nola you can't slack on service. Now my new foodie cousin can care less who John Besh is and how amazing I say he is because all she remembers is being treated worse than a waffle House at 2am. I hope management reads this and addresses those staff member because this day was beyond any experience I have ever had in a restaurant on its worse day.
(1)Amanda M.
We stopped by here for happy hour. They had $0.75 raw oysters served by the half dozen. I also tried the fried oyster salad with avocado--that was definitely my favorite. I've never had fried oysters with so much flavor before. Their fry batter is the best! We also tried a cup of the seafood gumbo, which was equally flavorful and delicious. The atmosphere here was fun and lively, not too stuffy. I'd definitely recommend stopping in here for a snack before a late dinner!
(5)Caroline P.
My husband and I went to Luke for our anniversary dinner and we were so pleased with our meals! Both our cocktails were creative and delicious. I had the Silver Saint which I would describe as a refreshing margarita ish cocktail but with less sweetness and more flavor. My husband had the Bufula Negra (I think) which was very tasty, I don't care for Whiskey and even I liked it. (he later tried the Slow and Low at the waiters suggestions, and was very pleased with that as well). Both our waiters were very attentive and had great attitudes. They were sweet and just chatty enough without over doing it. My favorite level of attention at a restaurant. Our meals, were, sublime. I ordered the Grilled Rib-eye with lump crab meat. The whole dish was buttery and the flavors were interesting and delicious. Often times I get bored with a steak part of the way through... not with this one! My husband had the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp "en Cocotte" (fancy Shrimp & Grits) and it was so full of flavor and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. He said the grits were like clouds. We had read on yelp that the Bread Pudding was the best, and while I am not normally a fan, we ordered that and Bourbon Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée. The Bread Pudding totally stole the show. It was decadent, buttery, fabulous. The Crème Brûlée was good as well, but do not miss the Bread Pudding. Over all a wonderful experience. I'll be back and plan to bring my friends!
(5)Maria M.
My word! On my third trip to New Orleans, I returned to Luke with a few friends. We decided to try one of everything on the hors d'oeuvres menu except for the tuna. Everything was so delicious, and surprisingly, a table of three women and two men did not finish everything we ordered, even though it was all super tasty. The highlight for me was the charcuterie platter with the addition of rabbit liver pate and chicken liver pate. Wow! It was all so delicious! The sausages looked and tasted super fresh; one of the pates, I forget which was which, was absolutely amazing! The onion jam was a perfect accompaniment, as were the pickled watermelon bits-- who would have thought! I could have stayed with that platter, for a long time. No, seriously. I still think about going some place comparable in NYC and ordering some wine and a platter. No sharing, limited conversation, just a good drink and tasty eats. We also enjoyed the crispy Brussel sprouts, jalepeno grits, crabmeat maison (super fresh and delicious!), baked oysters and a flatbread type pizza with the best bacon ever (a.k.a. Flamenkuchen). Again, everything was delicious with quality, thoughtful ingredients. I get all the hype now after tasting an assortment from the menu and it all being absolutely, perfectly delicious. To drink, I enjoyed the French 75. It was well-made and tasty, but the highlight was the food. I will be back next time I'm in NOLA.
(5)Kiefer S.
I came to Lüke after my mom raved about it for months, and as far as the food goes I was not disappointed. The oysters were great (although they were out if two varieties by 6pm), and the creole tomato salad tasted as fresh as a Whole Foods smells. The peach & blueberry pavlova was a great and light was to finish the meal off. My friends got the bread pudding which smelled fantastic. We sat in the bar area so we were tagged teamed by two waiters - one of which was amazing. The other took out drink order then didn't return for twenty minutes, and we had to ask the other guy to check on the wine. For the atmosphere, the service just didn't match. 5 stars for food, 3-3.5 for service.
(4)Adrienne K.
Came in to Lüke for breakfast on a Friday morning and enjoyed it so much that we came back for Friday supper. The breakfast items seemed basic, but were cooked with so much flavor and diversity. The crab omelette was a lot of food because it came with a mixed greens salad and a side of fries. The omelette itself was creamy and packed with crab, and the fries were crispy and salty. My favorite breakfast dish ordered was the shrimp and grits--it was served in a skillet, with andouille sausage and a brown sauce. The shrimps were huge and cooked tenderly, and the farm fresh eggs on top added extra creamy texture to the grits. The description said 'jalapeño grits' but I couldn't taste any heat. This dish would be even more amazing if it came with a biscuit on the side to scoop up the brown sauce and grits. The Pain Perdu was like a French toast with mascarpone spread and born slices separating the bread. Perfect balance of sweet and savory. We returned to Lüke for dinner, mostly for some small bites. Saw photos on Yelp of the charcuterie board and that appetizer is a must try!! There were 5 different types of cured meats on the board, including a duck sausage, terrine of pork shoulder, rabbit pate, and more. It was served with crusty bread, and able to be paired with whole grain mustard, horseradish mustard, bread and butter pickles, and pickled watermelon rind. AMAZING if you love trying cured meats. There was a balance of creamy textures in terrine and pate, and also a balance of fattiness and meat in the other meats. Also ordered a small seafood platter, which had raw oysters, crawfish ceviche, and steamed clams, mussels, and shrimp. This platter was a hit or miss. The oysters were sweet and not briny or sandy, the crawfish was sour and had a little kick from the serrano chilis, but there was nothing special about the steamed options--the shrimps were slightly over cooked and hard to peel and the clams and mussels were only slightly flavored. For the amount of food served on the platter, it was worth $29 (something in California of that price, quantity and quality would have probably been about double the price). Also ordered a side of Brussels sprouts, crispy and full of flavor in the chili oil, and extra crunchy in texture because it was topped with apples and almonds. Lastly we had a bread pudding with pecan sauce and a scoop of ice cream. Excellent way to end a Southern meal! The top of the pudding was crispy, inside was moist, and the hot buttered pecan sauce wasn't overly sweet. I probably could have used double the amount that was plated. I am definitely glad I stopped in twice. Thank you John Besh for getting both lunch and dinner spot on!! Everything was so enjoyable that we tried another one of his restaurants, Domenica, which is located only a few blocks away from Lüke!
(5)Scott R.
Lüke is an incredible deal for happy hour, and the best damned oysters I have ever had. Mrs. R. did the research for our trip to New Orleans, and she spotted that Lüke has a great happy hour special -- $0.75 oysters on the half shell, $1.25 fried oysters, and half-price cocktails. She's not one for oysters or most seafood, but she thought she would take one for the team. First bit of advice -- get a reservation. Mrs. R. called around 2.30 and she was still able to get a reservation for us at 3.00 (I do not recommend calling this late, it just worked out for us). When we got to Lüke at 3.00, a table was ready for us, but folks who were walking in off the street just then to get a table were being told that they were booked up until at least 4.30; and, while the bar is open seating, it was absolutely packed. Second bit of advice -- get the raw and the fried oysters. The raw are absolutely gonzo, they were glistening and fresh and were gigantic. Coupled with the traditional accoutrements of horseradish and ketchup for you to mix into your own personal blend of cocktail sauce, they are a fantastic treat; and for $9 / 12 they're a steal. While I might be a big fan of raw oysters, I'm somewhat cool to fried oysters. It's always seemed to me that battering and frying oysters robs them of their character and they're transformed into a mere vehicle for oil-crisped batter and dipping sauces. These fried oysters were not those flavorless husks. Probably because they started as the gigantic monsters that are shucked for the half-shell, each of the fried oysters is a well-balanced product of fried crispness and soft, buttery oyster. As I mentioned, Mrs. R. set up this excursion so that I could get some fresh oysters, but she absolutely fell in love with the fried oysters. Whether fried or raw, all of the oysters were so good that we ordered a dozen of each as a second round. In addition to the special on oysters, the cocktail menu also features half-price drinks during happy hour. Mrs. R. had a delicious Sazerac that had a lovely balance of liquor and bitters. I had a mint julep, and though it did not come in the traditional cup, it did have a generous punch of bourbon, and a whole handful of fresh mint to accompany the crushed ice and simple syrup. Delicious. We liked the happy hour at Lüke so much that while we were eating it, we were already devising plans on how we could make it back over multiple afternoons during our stay to enjoy more oysters and drinks.
(5)Brenda C.
Dinner with subline. Let me begin by telling you that they have oysters at $.75 per oyster and grilled oyster is a dollar and a quarter per grilled oyster during happy hour. Indeed it is happy. Happy hour is between the hours of 3 to 6 PM. Lots of locals and tourists all knew to flock to this place because they really do have the best deal in town. We had ordered 24 oysters; that is two dozen oysters and it came out to $18. Naturally we also had to have other food to go with The delicious oysters. We had seafood gumbo and we also had some wonderful vegetables that were in season. The sauce for the vegetables was an herb infused butter that we ordered extra bread just so that we can mop in the wonderful sauce. This seafood gumbo was pretty good. It wasn't the best we've ever had. But it was pretty good. I do like the fact that they put nice okra into it. As you already know I love vegetables and the sauce that went with the vegetables was absolutely delicious. We overstuffed ourselves with the oysters we honestly couldn't eat another bite. Even when they mentioned delicious choices for desserts, sadly we had to refuse them. Another day, another meal.
(4)Fernando C.
Nice place. Food was decadent but pricey. Probably cause it's connected to a high-end hotel. The crawfish bisque was delicious but super-rich. Kinda upset my stomach cause I'm not used to such fatty foods. The service was decent albeit not terribly quick. They sat me in the very back of the restaurant even though it was fairly empty. I dunno why but found that odd.
(3)gary g.
Oysters are outstanding, and at their happy hour they are 75¢ each. Classy place, good drinks, great oysters.
(4)Brietta Y.
This was my second time visiting this place and while the food was good, I thought it wasn't good enough to warrant coming back here yet again, especially since this is quite a pricey place.
(3)Kathleen B.
Okay, so I came here late last night with some coworkers so try the world renowned chefs cuisine that was ever so talked about from other coworkers. Overall I am extremely pleased with the experience. There was a hostess that was a little delayed in answering questions and helping, maybe she was new. And our first server was an odd duck. He really wasn't the most organized and forgot one of my coworkers gumbo. He also had runners bringing food to the wrong tables. But once we asked them to cancel the gumbo, a more experienced person came and happily helped us. He is great and mentioned he is coming to Houston to help with another restaurant opening. I appreciated his help and the bread pudding he brought us as an apology for food mixup so. I love the atmosphere here. Like an upscale hotel restaurant that welcomes all types of clothing. I got the snapper with crab on top that came with some great sautéed veggies. We also had the raw oysters which I never had before. Then I tried the pate for my first time and all the relishes that you could pair with it were so delicious. There was a creole mustard and pickles and a fig type jam. And my favorite part was the AMAZING bread pudding with candied pecans. So yummy!
(4)Alexis B.
This was the brunch that started my birthday. No hesitation at all with this short but sweet menu. We had pretty good, rich options including a fried chicken biscuit sandwich. That was ordered and an egg white frittata, and we asked if we could split it. They brought it out on two plates which was lovely and it was jam packed with flavor. Cherry tomatoes and that crisp buttery outside of the egg whites was yummy. The service was on point and they filled up my coffee often. I'm not a huge fan of small yet dainty cups when it comes to coffee, but I dealt with it. Now, let's talk about that sandwich. Fried chicken y'all, on a biscuit. A flaky, buttery biscuit that we cut in half and savored. The chicken was melt in your mouth tender and it came with this tart but spicy honey drizzle something! For balance, we had fruit on the side and that was packed with ripe berries. I couldn't imagine eating this often but it was a treat!
(5)Ali S.
Nice place with good food! We had dinner here on our first night in NOLA and it was delicious. I ordered the fish (grilled instead of sautéed) with some crabmeat on top while my wife had the shrimp and grits with crabmeat on top. We both we're extremely satisfied with our choices! Taste was very rich and the food was well cooked. If there's anything to point out it's the price, but you get what you pay for right?! Recommended while in NOLA if you're staying in a nearby hotel.
(4)Sevann H.
We had a reservation, which I would recommend because it's quite the cozy inside, and we were seated right away. The Brussels sprouts we ordered as an appetizer was the highlight of the meal. They were sweet, spicy, crispy on the outside, and delicious! My fried oyster, avocado and bacon salad was served with a buttermilk dressing. The bacon was what I can only assume is Southern style, more like side meat than strips of bacon. Not really my style, don't get me wrong because this girl loves bacon, I just prefer it doesn't look like it could wedge itself into my coronaries. The fried oysters were smooth, savory, and fulfilling. My husband's burger was delicious. It seemed to be a popular item on the menu. It's huge and really should be shared with another person. All in all the food was great, although the service was lackluster but that may be because our first night in NOLA we were spoiled at Emeril's. I also felt like we waited a long time between meal courses. No free bread to start? Lame. Not the best experience I had in NOLA, the competition is fierce.
(3)Zain M.
Came to Lüke for dinner after getting in late. Good thing they are open late. First off the ambiance is great. Love the music and feel for the place. Now to the good part, the food. It was delicious. I had the steak and my boyfriend had the fish of the day which happened to be a black drum. Steak was perfectly cook. Textbook ribeye. It came with a side of shoestring fries which I really didn't care for. The black drum was delicious. Lightly breaded and served with a decadent sauce. Would definitely recommend this place to any tourist.
(4)S O.
The seafood gumbo was excellent. I tasted the crawfish gumbo my friend ordered and it was really good too. The flamencuchen was delicious. The fried oyster salad was very good. Loved how the oysters used in this salad were fresh and warm. My soft shell crab BLT was just alright. My friend's shrimp étouffée was very flavorful and he loved it. The seafood platter was great but it was unfortunate it came out after our entree arrived. The server was not very attentive. 4.5 stars for the food, 4 for the service.
(4)Jason R.
Brunch! The bar knows how to make a drink. The menu is chalked full of fun treats to boost your sundayfunday.
(4)Tim W.
We had the shrimp and grits which were very good. The crab soup was delicious but it was the French toast dish as dessert that was over the top. You will not go wrong with the French toast dish!!!!!!!
(5)Erin L.
The food here was good: I ordered the gumbo (small portion) and split the bread pudding for dessert (delicious). The service left something to be desired and had the potential to ruin our whole meal. Our main server abandoned us about 20 minutes in to give his attention to a bachelorette party and a loud argument about college football with some bar patrons but never found the time to put in our oyster and wine orders. Thankfully the second server took over, and he was great. I expected good service all around from a restaurant like this...
(2)Megan M.
Stumbled across this restaurant for lunch one day and decided to give it a shot. We ordered the stuffed oysters, daily special with jambalaya and cheese grits. The oysters and grits were amazing, the other dishes were so-so. Service is slow and there are definitely less expensive places in New Orleans with similar, if not better, food. This restaurant is good to stop in for an appetizer and a drink, then you might want to move on to somewhere else.
(4)Ashley Y.
We went to Felix, oceana grill, acme, royal house, and basically all the 4 star and above seafood places on yelp, but nothing compared to the oysters at Luke. Also if the other "specials of the day" are as good as the Monday fried chicken special, then GO FOR IT. We were amazed by how moist the chicken was and how it still managed to pack so much flavor. Portions are big and although it's a tad pricier than some other NOLA brunch places, it's well worth it!
(5)Letitia L.
Best meal we had in New Orleans. Started off with great bread and butter, and things only escalated from there. Our server was an enthusiastic young man with a jaunty walk and ("Now if y'all are asking about the bread pudding, It wouldn't be right if I didn't tell you there was another dessert I preferred better. It's a steamed chocolate, we got a machine that steam-cooks things, topped with a scoop of salted caramel ice-cream, drizzled with caramel sauce"). Goat Cheese stuffed Squash Blossoms: 4 stars This was recommended by our server. Soft tempura-fried squash flowers served with aromatic garnishes and a Georgia peach chutney. Jumbo Shrimp en Cocotte: 5 stars It's a small portion served in a little iron dish and cost $24... but is probably the best shrimp and grits in the country. Bread Pudding: 4.5 stars Heavenly spongy pudding topped with a fat scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and butter pecan caramel sauce in the saucer. It was so delicious, we ended up having this interaction: [Only a drib of bread pudding remained in our ramekin] Server: Let me get that out of your way... me: No!!! Server: Oh, okay! [backs away] Partner: Wow, you were really fierce. I think he was afraid for his life. me: No, I wasn't! I'm completely normal! [Five minutes later the dish is licked clean] Server: Can I take it away now? You're not gonna spoon-stab me or anything? -- my partner's highlight of the trip Just go eat here. It's fantastic.
(5)Sheri C.
I went here with friend in from out of town. They had three dozen oysters for happy hour plus half dozen clams. These little girls could EAT! I had the burger bc I couldn't decide what I should get. It was big and delicious. The oysters were also great. For dessert we had the bread pudding. OMG DELICIOUS. I was a little perturbed that I had to share with three others, but I wasn't really mad. The oysters are HUGE, hello! I was impressed with the setup, albeit a little crowded. The service was good, but it was busy. I would definitely come back here - during happy hour. Otherwise it could get a bit pricey. And I'm a lady with a budget. Well don john besh, well done.
(4)Sarah V.
This must be one of the best places for oysters in New Orleans. I went with a group during their happy hour and we tried fresh and fried oysters and both were exquisite. They even made some of the fried ones gluten free for us. The cocktails were delicious, simple traditional flavors that are half price at happy hour. Highly recommended!
(5)Sylvain B.
2.5 stars This place is clearly over rated. First, you wait. Tables are empty but you need to wait to be seated. so you wait 10 minutes and then you are sent in a remote location (last table of the most remote room). ok. Why not? ...as long as the food is good. So I went to Luke for happy hours and oyster specials yes BUT.. Oysters had definitely been frozen (and No. I do know about oysters: I am from Normandy, France, and lived 5 years in Arcachon as well, the homeland of oysters, so trust me, I know when an oyster has been frozen. You can try this at home: simply put lemon on the oyster: if it moves (it retracts naturally with the lemon acidity) it means it's alive, if it doesn't move well...good luck.) So, oyster were dry on top, previously frozen. 75 cents/per oyster: you get what you pay for. beer? very nice at 3.5$ during happy hours (7$ otherwise). 5$ fries? why not. but don't expect anything special. Honey brussel sprout: interesting, but so much honey that I couldn't eat them. I don't eat sweet. Honey seasoning should be more subtle and less sweet (maybe a vinegar reduction with a bit of honey?). You can perfume a dish with honey not literally dip your Brussels sprout in it! Place itself is classy, clean, nice service. Might update my review if I try more of their menu. 2.5 stars for happy hours deal.
(2)Vy T.
Came here for their HH, which is everyday! You get 75 cents oyster, and half off on drinks.. Need I say more? I made reservations, but it wasn't really busy. The restaurant is fairly large with a large space in the back for seating. I also got the bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was pretty sweet, but the best part were the nuts!! Overall, a great spot for good oysters at an amazing price!!
(4)Jude P.
Hat's in the air for ole Luke's!!! Classy, Cool, and just plain undeniably good. Let's just get this out the way now... to date, the best French 75 I've had... such a perfect balance and now I'm going to be thinking of it til my next fix. Another drink that has a 20yr balsamic vinaigrette in yet was great as well, matter of fact.. Props to the bartender who did a fantastic job... she killed it. The complimentary bread seemed just too plain, no score there but let's get on with the dish... the Roasted chicken entree... tender as hell and the potatoes were a perfect compliment. Although there were much chicken dishes, that's really the staple in Louisiana but this is a easy go back to and your stomach will appreciate you after. Easily seeking a return bout!
(4)Shuff M.
Possibly my fav rest ever. E v e r. Burger is an awesome burger but there are so many other awesome things. Haven't had a special that is not awesome. Go for brunch if you are there on Sunday. Crab omelet is different but really good. Oysters yes. Steak yes if they have one
(5)Kavita S.
You won't find Lorelai Gilmore here, but you will find... 75 cent raw oysters! 5 stars for happy hour. Half off drink specials as well, but we came for the oysters. Ended up coming here all 3 days we were in NOLA, that's how good it was. The oysters are way cleaner than what you get at Acme, and just as fresh and delicious. We also tried the shrimp and grits ($21) and pancakes ($9) at breakfast. We added crab meat on the shrimp and grits, per our server's suggestion, which cost an extra $13. Both dishes were good, though the shrimp and grits were way too salty. I needed to follow each bite with a bite of syrup-doused pancakes to rid my mouth of the saltiness. The other item we tried, which I liked a lot, was the pâté of Louisiana rabbit and chicken liver. It was beautifully presented with crostini and 6 different condiments-- I thought the mustards went really well with it. We couldn't finish it and asked for it to go, and they kindly packed each of the remaining condiments along with the pâté and crostini, which I really appreciated. Service was excellent every time. Definitely come here for happy hour if you're in town!
(4)Kevin C.
Raw oysters: Happy hour oysters are from 3-6pm. You MUST get their oysters. For 75 cents each, they were fresh, clean, tender, juicy, everything you can ask for in raw oysters. In a course of 2 days, my gf and I ordered 3 dozen of them. And that's on top of all the food we ate at other places. I really love the ambiance of the restaurant too. It's super classy and clean. Shrimp and grits: salty! The waitress recommended putting crab meat on it which was a nice touch. (It's $13 extra btw). I really enjoyed mine but my gf thought it was too salty. It would've been nice to complement the saltiness with some bread or something. Overall the flavor profile was there. Pancakes: Decent pancakes. Not the best but wasn't terrible. Kinda pricey. ($9ish for like a stack of 5-6) Louisiana rabbit and chicken liver pate: came with an array of dipping sauce. The sour/saltiness of the pickled dipping sauce went well with the pate. Mint julep: Got it for happy hour (1/2 off). Too much bourbon. Ratio was off. Too much ice. Wasn't a fan. Tl;dr: Go for the happy hour oysters. 75 cents. So good.
(5)Anya C.
Seafood was fresh. Pork was really good, fish was fresh, chicken was juicy, pasta was a bit spicy but good. Wish they have more tea options for desert. Service was good too.
(4)Stacey C.
Came here for their Happy Hour. Oysters on the half shell- half of them were clean, half still had pieces of shell and sand Fried Oysters- smaller than we expected, but better than the raw oysters Pate- very rich and mousse like
(3)Virginia Y.
75 cents for oysters during happy hour? Well it's going to taste just like what it's charged for, 75 cents. I've eaten a lot of happy hour oysters in my life from varying cities.. DC, Boston, New York and this was by far the worst one but the cheapest one. I never thought you could screw up on food that's raw but clearly Luke has proven me wrong. There were broke shells in every slurp I took so my mouth was filled with raw oysters and shells each time I ate. The person who laid out the dish did a poor job, all the juices were gone. The oysters weren't laid properly so all the juice dripped out. One of the best things about raw oysters is the juice, it's what makes the crucial texture in raw oysters. I ended up having dried out oysters with bits of shell.. I decided to take a gamble with the fried oysters, not really that great either. It's just okay. I left wondering if it was fair for what I paid for, it was 75 cents a piece after all..
(2)Michele H.
The staff is friendly. Food is delicious. I had the shrimp and grits. Which was like nothing I've had before. The guys sitting at the bar next to me said the desserts were so good they would lick the plates clean if no one was looking. Sunday brunch that starts at 10 am as well as an early breakfast menu. I highly recommend having a meal here.
(5)Alex R.
Came here for dinner with my wife having high expectations for a John Besh restaurant and we were overall pretty pleased with our experience. We called to make a last minute reservation and they were able to accommodate us immediately. There is not very much parking besides street parking right outside of the restaurant, some meter parking or free street parking around the corner. We started with a couple appetizers: The Pate of Louisiana Rabbit & Chicken livers which was amazing!! We also enjoyed the crawfish Sharon, although it was nothing to write home about. My wife tried to order the crispy soft shell crab for an entree, however we were told they had run out and the server recommended she try the shrimp and grits as an alternative (it was very tasty and I actually enjoyed the grits which I'm usually not a big fan of), but still left us wondering if the soft shell crab would have been even better? I originally ordered the Washington parish roasted chicken... Not only did it come out cold but I found there to be a tremendous lack in flavor and I expressed my discontent with the dish to our server after a couple of bites (something I rarely do). I had it sent back and decided to go the safe route and ordered the Luke Burger because I had heard good things about it. The burger turned out to be delicious and very large in size (almost hard to take a bite out of) and amount of fries was very generous. For dessert we had the steamed chocolate with salted caramel ice cream which was heavenly (highly recommend you try it)! The staff was very attentive and friendly. We always had our water glasses filled to the top, and one of the servers assistants came by to change our white table top cloth (which was a little dirty from our appetizers and entrees) while we were waiting for our dessert. We told him that it was ok and that we were just going share a quick dessert and didn't want to dirty another table cloth, but he insisted that it would be his pleasure to change it for us. We were so impressed that we left him a tip for doing that. We will be back in the future, perhaps for happy hour oysters next time!
(4)Eissa S.
We had a great meal here, the happy hour oysters were awesome and the cocktails were beautifully proportioned with liquor. But the best part was the wait staff! We had Melanie and Abigail helping us and they were total sweethearts! Will definitely be back again when we're back on NOLA again.
(5)Angelyna C.
I went here for Brunch on a Saturday and there was no line thank God. The hostess which later on I found out was the manager greeted us with a hospitable smile and very welcoming attitude. We felt right at home. I orders the egg white frittata it was so yummy and the service was superb! They really know what they are doing there. I can't wait to go for dinner and try it out! Thank you for a unforgettable experience.
(5)June Y.
Made reservations for a Friday night and was promptly seated. Our group of 3 ordered the Baked P&J oysters (1/2 dozen) for appetizers due to popular recommendation. While I thought the oysters were tasty, it wasn't anything amazing. Not sure why the oysters come out green but the top layer is somewhat similar to a breaded crust. For my entree, I ordered the soft shell crab which was delicious. Perfectly portioned and seasoned. For dessert, we decided to share the bourbon bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and the steamed chocolate with salted caramel ice cream. Both desserts were yummy but I personally preferred the bread pudding- so flavorful and rich and quite possibly the best bread pudding I've ever had. Personally, I'm not too big of a fan of straight up chocolate cake but the "steamed" really piqued my interest so I gave it a shot. The consistency of the cake is unlike any normal chocolate cake. It's almost mousse like and less dense however the flavor was very much like fudge (which is way too sweet for my liking). The steamed chocolate did pair well with the salted caramel ice cream and I would recommend to chocolate lovers.
(4)Ed V.
Just had to try John Besh's place in NOLA. I am so glad I did as it was well worth the experience. We started out with a dozen of oysters on the half shell and they were so fresh and delightful. We then had the fried oyster and avocado salad which was very tasty. It had big chunks of bacon in addition to a very tasty dressing. For the main course I had the ribeye with Bearnaise sauce which was good to perfection. The Bearnaise sauce was amazing. The wife had the Cajun pasta with Gulf shrimp which I tried and it was very good. We made a reservation which was a good idea as they were very busy. the service was perfect - attentive but not to overbearing. They serve coke in little bottles which was a neat thing since we were in the South. A nice way to finish our 4 day trip to NOLA.
(4)Mac R.
Thank you Lüke (and John Besh) for showing me what red beans & rice could and should be! We ordered a daily special of Tabasco Fried Chicken served with red beans & rice. The chicken was good but not the star of the dish. The red beans and rice packed so much flavor, superb seasoning & porky goodness that I will never think of them in quite the same way ever again!!! The oyster shuckers work very hard here & do a superb job! The $0.75 cent oysters during happy hour (3-6pm) are enormous, super sweet, tasty & served with a side of horseradish that will give you a head rush! We managed to eat a lot of those during our recent visit to New Orleans. And the Hopitoulas IPA on tap was also half off during happy hour. It's a great little spot to squeeze into for some delicious food, fresh oysters or a drink. It's not a large space and can get pretty packed.
(4)Gary R.
This is a happy hour review only. We came here a couple times with focus. No nonsense focus. We came for oysters. Fresh, giant, tender, succulent, $.75 oysters. And half price drinks. But you can get those a lot of places. But the oysters? They are spectacular. We didn't try them at Acme or Felix's. Saw no reason to do that! These are the kind you want to eat for hours on end. We ate till we were full. We started with a dozen each and then added more, as needed. Add a few drinks and you can leave here with a full belly and a huge smile. And that we did. The place is small and is off the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel but with a separate street entrance. There can be a wait during happy hour, which is from 3-6, so get here early. Service was ok, not great when we sat at a table. It was better when we were able to get a seat at the bar. If I lived here, I'd have my own seat at the bar like Norm on Cheers. I'm talking everyday kind of regular. Amazing.
(5)Prashant B.
My first ever review ever. Just never been blown away by such good food before! This place is incredible! Do note that I am a vegetarian, and finding veggie places in NOLA is no joke. So I just walked in here, hoping to get lucky. The initial menu selection was disappointing. Apart from a couple of salads, pretty much nothing for me. So I started with a French 75, and oh my! Deliciousness! Then I decide to try the Brussel Sprout salad, and am speechless at the moment. Can't believe how good this is... Must Must have. So excited to try more of NOLA cuisine.
(4)Rasheeda S.
I visit New Orleans often and had been trying to get into Lükes a few different times but they were always so busy. This time I lucked up and was seated right away. I was glad I came back the third time. The food is phenomenal, the atmosphere has an air of sophistication without being stuffy and the service is top notch. My waiter even made sure the kitchen charbroiled my oysters despite it not being on the menu. I was quite literally never told no. I can't wait to make this a stable of my trip every time I come.
(5)Calvin W.
Came here with a big group so we all ordered cocktails from happy hour. All great, except the well drinks.... but you get what you pay for. The cocktails were great though! Food was delicious and you can't really go wrong. We basically ordered one of everything. Service was nice and attentive. Atmosphere was modern but welcoming. Overall a very classy place that stood out during our whirlwind trip.
(5)David L.
If you're going to Luke you're probably going because you've either read good things, heard good things, or know it's a John Besh restaurant. Your reasoning doesn't matter. If you're looking for a good meal with a little nicer ambiance at a reasonable price Luke should be on your itinerary. On this trip to New Orleans they had hands down the best service out of the 11+ places I ate at. Water was always full. The hostess and manager were able to seat our large party all at one table even though we had originally had two separate groups. And the wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. What should you order at Luke? If there's one thing you should eat there and possibly get seconds of it's the Brussel sprouts! That is not a typo. Get the Brussel sprouts! Besides the alligator sausage at Parkway Tavern this is the one dish on this trip that really stood out. I want this recipe! Mr. Besh if you're reading this please message me your Brussel sprouts recipe! I also tasted the shrimp and grits and the pork schnitzel with some kind of amazing mushroom sauce. The shrimp and grits was really good. Would I order it again? Probably not. But that's because I already make a damn good shrimp and grits. The pork schnitzel on the hand is worth ordering multiples of. First of all there's enough pig on this plate to serve two hungry guys. While the pork is cooked perfectly and it fried to a golden brown, it's the sauce that's the star of the show. You could put this sauce on top of balut (fertilized duck egg) and I'd eat a dozen of them. I sampled a few other dishes here as well and everything was great. If possible sit in the back by the kitchen and watch the chefs work their magic or take a look at the framed menus from the past Luke has hanging around the walls. There really isn't one bad thing I can say about Luke. Thanks for a great last dinner In New Orleans.
(5)Aaron G.
We just had a delicious lunch here! Great prices, and very good food. It is right across the street from our hotel. I love that it's quiet, and the experience is fabulous!
(5)Noel R.
Came for a light late dinner with my wife. We're from out of town, and Luke is a nice break from the chaos of the Bourbon street area. Was not disappointed. Stuffed oysters were great, and the Luke salad was probably one of the best salads I've ever had. And the clincher, of course was the bread pudding! Great service too and ambience was terrific. Would recommend this to anyone wanting a quiet evening with great food!
(5)Lillian D.
This is only based on breakfast. The selection is limited. I was hoping they'd have beignets. In lieu of that, I got coffee, fruit, and bacon - sweet and salty. The coffee was great. The bacon and fruit were sad for $5 each. The bacon was scrawny. The few berries weren't sweet, and the melons were under ripe. As with the hotel itself, the staff were rather muted - not especially helpful or friendly. If it's raining outside and you're getting ready to leave, stay here for breakfast. Otherwise, go out.
(3)ChaChi S.
Visiting from out of town and my concierge recommended Luke for a close restaurant to my hotel that would give me a foodie taste of New Orleans. Mint julip = 2/10 - almost all bourbon. No flavor. Crispy brussel sprout - 11/10 - Devine! Shrimp and grits - 7/10 Bread pudding - 10/10 Service 8/10. Overall 38/50. May have been worthy of all five stars if not for the horrid mint julip.
(4)Mark S.
What a perfect way and meal to end our trip. One of several restaurants owned by Chef John Besh In New Orleans. From appetizer to entrees all the way to the end, dessert. For our appetizer we split the Crab Meat Maison, served with fresh herbs, touch of horseradish and country bread croutons. My choice of entree was the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp over Roasted Jalapeño Cheese Grits and Andouille/green onion sausage. I have never been a fan of grits before. They have always been kind of bland, this one knocked my socks off. The wife went with the Fresh Gulf Fish done Amandine Style. It was lightly battered with buttermilk and flour, then fried and topped with Almonds in a brown butter sauce. Served with new potatoes, green beans and roasted vegetables. Please, try to save room for dessert. Somehow we did. With two Cappuccinos we ordered Brendan's Bread Pudding. This is to die for! It is topped with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and is accompanied by a buttered pecan sauce. Also ordered the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Tart, made with bittersweet chocolate and topped with Coconut Sorbet. Put this place on your bucket list of restaurants in NOLA. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Frank B.
It's been a while since I've been to Lüke so I thought I'd give it a try for Coolinary lunch; the tantalizing appeal of "Tabasco Honey Fried Chicken" with a choice of soup was more then enough. Combined with a "lüke" warm roll for $18, it's a pretty solid deal. I opted for the cup of seafood gumbo as my soup; it was delicious, perfectly cooked melding the plentiful array of oysters and shrimp with some lagniappe of andouille and okra. When the chicken came out I was surprised how large of a portion it was; not overwhelming, the perfect size in fact, I just figured they would cut corners for Coolinary. Not only that, the chicken sat on an abundant delectable mound of red beans & rice! They were about the best damn RB&R I have every tasted; they smoke pork butt then let it cook down into the red beans. Not exactly an energy booster, but, they are frankly, to die for. The chicken was also cooked perfectly; the meat fell right off the bone and the batter was perfectly fried in both flavor and crispness. While I ate all the chicken I had about 2/3rds of my RB&R left. I'll happily enjoy those at a later juncture. The ticket time was 4 minutes for the gumbo and 12 minutes for my chicken; perfect for those on the go or the working business class! Final Thoughts: It really was worth it if you want to venture into the CBD on a work day. If you are in or working in the surround CBD area and on your lunch break, this is a MUST DO.
(5)Kevin N.
Come for happy hour $0.75 oysters and half off cocktails! I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you can. We walked in and was told the wait for a table was going to take almost an hour and a half. Regardless, we put our name down and prayed for some bar seating to open up as those were first come first serve. We ended up finding some standing room at the end of the bar where we ended up ordering some drinks while we waited. I tried a sazerac and the french 75. The French 75 I particularly enjoyed and would definitely recommend to anyone. The girlfriend's mint julep was also quite refreshing and delicious. Their drinks are quite strong as I was pretty tipsy by the time we got seated at a table (probably 45 minutes after we put our names down, which was well before their estimated time). We had heard good things about the burger so we ordered one to share (which came served with fries) along with 2 dozen oysters. The burger was phenomenal! My opinion may be a bit biased due to my partially inebriated state :P but this was probably one of the most well-cooked burgers I've had in my life. The meat was moist, tender, flavorful, and the best part, it was huge! The fries were addicting, I think we ended up ordering another batch. Oysters were delicious and fresh, I enjoyed them more here than at Acme. Definitely a place I would recommend for anyone visiting to check out.
(5)Kelvin C.
The happy hour here is ridiculous (3-6pm) . Totally ridonkelous. $0.75 cent oysters, $1.25 fried oysters, and half off drinks. That means $5 old fashions, sazeracs, mint juleps (too sweet for my taste), and other libations. Great deal. Quality of the raw oysters was only slightly below acme's but at $0.75 a pop, it's basically a steal. The fried oysters were also really good. Hopefully you get lucky and find bar seating as it is first come first serve. 5 stars!
(5)Yuqing L.
The last meal I had in New Orleans was here. We ordered crawfish biscuit, jumbo shrimp, and crawfish omelette. I LOVE the omelette. It is healthy - with asparagus and homemade salad on the side, and tasty - crawfish in the omelette tastes awesome together with asparagus. The fried potatoes were too salty for me but I don't like fries anyway, so that's ok. In general, foods I had here are not way better than other restaurants. However, it is very popular and hard to make a reservation. If you call at noon for the same day seat, you'll possibly have to reserve for a 4pm time slot. If you walk in, there is very few chance to get seated in a short time. So make sure to reserve seats if you want to come.
(4)Dixi S.
While my husband dined on four dozen happy hour oysters (yes, 48!), I enjoyed a glass of wine. Amazing happy hour prices, no vegan food options. I had two glasses, he had 2-3 cocktails, and like I said , 48 oysters- bill total under $80!
(4)Brittany L.
I wanted to come here for brunch but the timing didnt work out. Despite not showing any reservations on open table I called and was able to get a table for 9 2 hours prior to dinner! PARKING: We took the street car here and it was about a 5 or so minute walk from the stop. I think you can get validated parking at the Hilton but it seems expensive. ATMOSPHERE: It's inside the Hilton but you dont have to go into the HIlton to get into the restaurant as it has it's own entrance. You'll see the "Luke" sign when you are walking in. There are places to sit in the very front, in the middle, and then if you go totally in the back there are more tables even further up. It has that ind of New England trendy vibe to it. Definitely a "nicer" restaurant, but casual enough you dont have to dress up to come inside. FOOD: They give you long "breadstick" type loaves of bread to eat with creamy butter. Our only gripe was that he gave us 3 sticks for 9 of us so we had to constantly ask for more. It was good though - very warm and crusty but soft on the inside. BRUSSEL SPROUTS - very tasty. Has some mint in it making it taste sort of like vietnamese food and there are some peppers so it could be spicy but this was a perfect side dish to have some veggies. SHRIMP N GRITS - I think the name is something else on the menu but this was SO good. Definitely worth sharing with someone. They put a delicious broth/sauce over the grits with some cheese and shrimp. The shrimp were fresh and the sauce totally gives the grits an amazing taste. Very flavorful. SHRIMP AND CAVATELLI ETOUFFE - I think I spelled it right! This is a past dish, cavatelli is almost like gnocchi because it is a potato-y type of pasta that is oval shaped. The sauce was good (almost like pan roast) and the shrimps were tasty too. This and the shrimp and grits would be my go to choices. My friends also got the seafood sampler for $24 which looked very fresh and good if you like oysters, shrimp, clams/muscles etc. BREAD PUDDING - small enough for 1 person who likes this and big enough to share in a group if everyone wants a small bite. It wasnt runny and the ice cream on top was refreshing. Overall - good if you want a more trendy/nice atmosphere without spending a ton of money. I thought the food here was better than some of the other restaurants we tried like Acme oyster house.
(4)Sebrina B.
Seriously, I really should not even be writing this review. I went to a John Besh restaurant and ordered a burger. TO MY DEFENSE (sorry I had to shout over all over your booos). To my defense it was 1) a work meeting and my expense account is slim so I had to pass on the $25 Grilled Mahi that I wanted and 2) the party I was meeting with actually recommended the burger and 3) it was DELICIOUS. Seriously huge bun and huge burger. I ordered it well which is sometimes not a very good decision but it was still a good moist burger. High quality meat professionally cooked. I actually ate the burger, (well half of it) with no condiments. Also a testament to the tastiness. The shoestring fries were decent as well and over flowing from the little holder. I personally prefer steak fries and less salt. but I still did manage to eat them all over the remainder of the work day. Service, meh; ambiance, meh; parking, don't get me started. However, I attribute all of those things to being in the CBD during lunch hour. If any of those would have been above average, it probably would have been a 5 star for me. Not my favorite Besh place but still decent. Definitely a place I would take a visiting family member if they were staying in the quarter and treating.
(4)Kathryn R.
Typical New Orleans fare. Delicious. Great service and laid back atmosphere. It is located right next to the Hilton which makes it easy for out of towners to try. I went here the night before a bachelorette party officially started with the bride and MOH and honestly it was the best meal of the trip. We started out with the oysters (picked by the waiter) which were fresh, clean and crisp. We tried several different types (west vs. east vs. local) and they were all delish. To accompany that we got the french fries - crispy on the outside and skinny - my favorite. To continue below these were the items we chose and the order we went with. Wine - Rose Shared EVERYTHING First Course: Oysters & French Fries Second Course: Crispy Brussels Sprouts & Heirloom Tomato Salad (can't go wrong with fresh tomato's and burrata) Entree: Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp "en Cocotte" (creamy and fresh typical NOLA) Dessert: Steamed Chocolate (very heavy - MOH loved - I felt like i could take one bite) & Bourbon Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée (not usually a fan but the top was torched to perfection) Thursday night. 3 girls. Shared everything. Set the trip off on the right foot. Thanks John Besh.
(5)Nancy B.
Luke is a restaurant I'd come back to over and over again. And then I'd come back again, cause omg I looooove it. It is just the right amount of fancy (a brasserie) with an amazing happy hour... 75 cent oysters ( that are HUGE) and half price cocktails and wine 3-6 daily. The oysters are some of the best I have ever had... Huge and briney.... And the cocktails are among the best in the city. I had a French 75... And now I am ordering a mint julep to go, cause I gotta say I don't know when I'm gonna find another amazing mint julep... And I am making my way through the best of the best of the city!! Run here for their happy hour... Ahhhh... Even if it is not happy hour... You will be thrilled. Word. Oh and a big shout out to Terrione... What a sweetie!!
(5)Sara G.
First of all: the oysters were so effing good, they made me dizzy. The raw ones were so soft and tender that it felt like an element somewhere between liquid and solid. I can't even. The baked P&J oysters stuffed with blue crab and shrimp were some of the best cooked oysters I've ever had. Their French 75 was so perfectly sweet and frothy without too much of a lemon bite. Best I've ever had. And the service was so good that I came back a second day in a row when I'm only here for 4 days total! Vusi was our server and he was AMAZING!! Run, don't walk. Get to Lüke now!
(5)Jason L.
Wow, do not miss the Grilled Oysters with crabmeat and shrimp. The Jalapeño Grits with shrimp is a must. The 17.00 burger was good but stick to the seafood. I will definitely be back ...
(4)Tuyet P.
I swear every time that I've come here my palette has always left extremely happy and tummy full. the mister and I have been having some trouble amidst our paradise so a nice stroll downtown in the CBD to a late brunch was extremely needed. the lovely hostess was very accommodating allowing us to sit in the corner away from a more crowded area, I don't like sitting that close to people ... esp when I'm that hungry. the service was great as well. in lieu of happy hour we got the half cocktails. I ordered the French 75 which was a nice frothy cocktail and the mister the champagne cocktail with the rosemary and peach vodka I think? we both agreed the French 75 was the better choice all thanks to server's suggestion. for starters we ordered a dozen raw oysters bc it was happy hour, .75 cents an oyster, fried oysters 1.75 for one to start off with. the fried oysters? phenomenal. raw oysters were a nice size too. for entrees I had the assortment de charcuterie which came with an assortment of hog's head cheese, rabbit and chicken liver pâté, pickled melon pieces and more! it was all too delicious! I think the board became a massacre almost bc we did a killing on it. the mister ordered the grilled ribeye. which was cooked to perfection! had customers breaking their necks like "oh.. my.. God. Becky, look... at.. her.. steak" and I'm just like "yeeea.. I know -cuts off piece and plops in mouth-. we just couldn't finish all of charcuterie and the ribeye though so we "doggy-bagged" it. LOL I'll say though ... I've never once left this place unhappy. from the service to the food.... well executed. I prefer Sundays to come here... no parking meters, no school or work to rush off to afterwards,.... and if Mother Nature allows it the good weather when you stroll through the CBD to get to and fro here. it was def the best Sunday brunch I've had in a good while.
(5)Nicole A.
Went to check out the hype... it was pretty good. We went for breakfast on a Monday. Found out the "Brunch" menu is served only on weekends Disappointed. Food was tasty but had a limited menu for weekday breakfast. Had NO Sausage and Gravy which is a southern staple! Service was excellent!!! Staff was fast, patient, courteous and accommodating! Would go back because of that. Overall ...would go back but for dinner or brunch on a weekend. 4 stars because of menu items, limited space and priced higher than food served.
(4)Aditya C.
I ordered the crispy fried chicken on a biscuit with the honey sauce- it was perfect and to the point.
(5)Grace B.
Great atmosphere, AMAZING happy hour specials, and top-notch service. We were a party of 7 and the restaurant was super accommodating even when we were 20 minutes late to our reservation during happy hour! The happy hour specials are half off drinks and $0.75 oysters which were what we were coming here for. The drinks were cute and refreshing and the oysters were fresh. The server also came by to make sure we were doing okay and was very prompt about attending to our needs. Unfortunately, I didn't end up getting food here but got a taste of the soup which was amazing and the food coming out of the kitchen all looked really good. Definitely one of my top places to come back to next time I'm in New Orleans.
(5)Denzyl A.
Very classy find more toward the downtown area of the French Quarters. The staff were absolutely perfect. Our waitress was very kind to talk to and made sure we had everything our stomachs desired. The manager even took her time to check-in and converse with us, and that was really appreciated. I had the opportunity to enjoy the croquet Madame which allotted me delicious bite after delicious bite. My friend had the frittata which was beautifully light and fluffy. The decor was very nice as well and we got to sit in front of the glass kitchen window where we watched the chefs work their magic on the stove. Think of magicians with the grace of a fairy godmother but still the ferocity of Harry Potter. Definitely recommend this to anybody in the area
(4)Sulisa C.
This is a cute little restaurant/bar within a hotel. We came here for the Saturday from (11am - 4pm). Service: - We were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess - We didn't have to wait long to be seated - the service was a slow (perhaps they're understaffed?) Food: - Delicious seafood gumbo - it's a rich dish with a variety of seafood, the rue was not too thick but not too viscous, flavorful, but I would give it 4/5 stars because it was smaller than I expected it to be - Baked oysters - I usually don't eat oysters, but these were AMAZING! It was coated with a pesto coat and the "taste of the sea" was not overpowering 5/5 stars - Jalapeno grits - it's a signature side in the south, but jalapenos?!?! Brilliant! The jalapenos added a nice kick to the cheesy grits and my taste buds were rather pleased 4/5 stars - Croque Monsieur (without an egg) and Croque Madame (with an organic egg on top) - grilled chisesi ham & emmenthaler cheese sandwich with house-made fries - it was a little too heavy of a sandwich, so it's good for sharing, they're generous with the portions 3/5 stars Ambiance: -casual setting - there are tables as well as bar seating - it has a creole decor theme (especially at the bar)
(4)Daniel C.
We came on a Friday night without a reservation, but we were still promptly seated. Our waitress was sweet and super helpful. Their raw oysters are very good and are just $0.75 during happy hour-- we caught the tail end of it because we arrived at 5:45p. All three dozen were clean, fresh, and super tasty. We also tried their other raw oysters and all were perfect. Unlike what you'd see at other raw oyster places (i.e. across the street at Trenasse), the oysters were actually CLEAN on the outside and NOT covered with mud and grime on the shell. The rabbit and chicken liver pate was served with crispy croutons and was actually really delightful. The crispy brussels sprouts were wonderful. Not quite as good as the brussels sprouts from Uchiko in Austin, but still my second favorite preparation ever. The one negative was the mojito my wife ordered which was 90% sugar. Would love to go here again. I only wish they had fried oysters as well.
(5)Javier D.
How do I begin. The.75 cent oysters during happy hour; the out of this world seafood gumbo; the best red beans and rice; the fried boneless Chicken. Everything was first rate delicious food. My first time at a John Besh restaurant and worth all the accolades.
(5)Andrea M.
My friend went here for the oysters. They used to be $0.50 during happy hour, but I guess that was awhile back. Now it's $0.75. They weren't really big either. But then again, if you're coming during happy hour, they won't serve the better choices since it would be gone fast. We were here mainly for oysters, but my friend did order a side of fries. They were pretty good. Nothing too too special. They were thin and warm when it came out to us. There was also the complimentary bread that came out. I am unsure why there was no plate provided with it as it just sat causally on the tabletop. Lol. The service was attentive. The restaurant's atmosphere was one of a dimly lit bar scene. I guess this place is good for drinks and oysters during happy hour.
(3)Anna B.
Everything about this place is great! Upon the waitress' suggestion, we all ordered the Shrimp and Grits and had the pleasant surprise of crab on top. It was the bomb. Like seriously, best first meal in New Orleans. Service was great, ambiance was great, food was great. Highly recommend this place!
(5)Frank L.
More of a 3.75. Seating is mad crowded. Happy hour prices especially for oysters and drinks are really good. It was bout $.65 per oyster. Without happy hour still not bad at $1.25ish. Definitely anything cheaper you can find in NY or Cali lol. I didnt get to try anything else. The fried oysters were just ok. Get there for happy hour on time. Even if ur seated, if u dont put in the order before happy hour ends you dont get the happy hour price....and im talkin even a seconds/minute off...the waitress tried to put it in and it was too late so had to pay full price.
(3)Jenny W.
When I was looking for dinner options in NO and came across Luke, I got excited in learning it was a John Besh restaurant! I am a big Top Chef junkie so I was really happy to have the chance to dine here while visiting NO for a day. Even better, it's a casual French restaurant (hubby likes casual, and I like French!). The service here is friendly and efficient. I wish the complimentary bread was warmer though. We started with a cup of the crab bisque, baked oysters, and the Flamenkuchen. Crab bisque was to die for. I especially loved the little kick it had. Bake oysters were also incredible. The Flamenkuchen, while highly recommended by other Yelpers, we thought it was okay. The flavor was nice but if the onion was warmer or closer to room temp, it would have been better. It was on the cooler side. For entree, we split the Steak Frites. We weren't given steak knives, not sure if we were supposed to or not, but we didn't even need them. The steak was so tender and juicy that it could be cut with a butter knife :) Because we split the steak, they gave us each an order/side of fries. It was too much! but so wonderful at the same time. We also had a side of the jalapeno grits. Amazing! So creamy and delicious. Probably means it's so bad for you :) For dessert, we split the bread pudding. I was so stuffed by now I couldn't finish, but hubby happily downed the rest on my behalf.
(4)G P.
The food, ambiance, and service here is great. We had the burger and fried oyster salad. There was enough to share between the both of us, with room for their absolutely delicious bread pudding!
(4)Cami P.
Ribeye Steak was awesome! Shrimp & grits yummy & so was dessert. Service could be better, but still ok, I have patience
(4)Eric J.
Crab omelette, jalapeño Grits, and Crispy Brussel sprouts are out of this world! I highly recommend this spot!
(5)Jamie F.
All bachelorette parties should include a boozy brunch... at Lüke, of course! All I can say is, I am so glad my MOH did her yelp research and picked this awesome restaurant (*special shout out to her*). Food and drinks were very memorable. My faves were the stuffed oysters and crispy brussel sprouts - seriously must-get! I also really liked the stuffed french toast. Usually when the menu says stuffed french toast, it really means a french toast sandwich. At Lüke, it was INJECTED WITH NUTELLA! The soft shell crab BLT was also delightful and came with plenty of frites. For drinks, just one glass of the French 75 was enough to put this girl in an even happier mood ;) Service was very professional - constant water refills, napkin folding, plate changing between courses, etc... although a smile from the server wouldn't hurt. Most of us grouped into pairs so we could share multiple dishes, and the kitchen split half portions for us! Since we were in a private room (another brownie point), I can't comment on the overall ambiance. From what I remember when first entering the space, it had a chic bistro vibe. In the end, we walked out feeling full, tipsy, and fabulous!
(5)Gunhee P.
It was on the pricier side for us (~$30 per person), but food was delicious along with great service
(5)Naji S.
A highly rated and much reviewed restaurant always catches my eye on Yelp...I arrived with great expectations! I was greeted with a very full restaurant, a nice hostess and vibrant energy. I was seated in a little corner and a nice table where I can watch the restaurant. I was brought water by one gentleman, who I'm not sure was my actual server (but immediately asked if I wanted something other than water to drink) and then it was followed up by a visit from who I assume was my waitress to take my order. I liked her kind, attentive attitude to start. Simple meal: $17.50 Burger (wrapped in lettuce). Fries came out skinny, COLD, and too salty. Asked the male server for a replacement and 3 minutes later, with burger half finished, fries replaced. Burger was average at best. Not flavorful, not special. Dessert: pavlova. A wonderful Australian fave I hadn't ever seen on a menu. I was excited, until I took my first bite... The already sweet pavlova was drenched in a very sweet fruit compote. Totally ruining the concept. Pavlova needs tart fruits, not over-sweetened sweet ones. Coffee: ordered with the Pavlova, came when the pavlova was half done. I never saw the female waitress again until she picked up the check with my form of payment that the had been dropped off. Maybe my table of one disappointed them? I would give this place a try again, but nothing about it was outstanding... Perhaps the 2000+ reviews are from tourists who are used to eating from fast food chains and other mediocre places.
(3)Christopher M.
THE FORCE IS STRONG IN THIS ONE Great atmosphere. Doesn't feel like a tourist trap.
(4)John T.
BLUF: Great food and service. Fancy atmosphere and gorgeous dinning area. Great happy hour. Make a reservation. Get a sazerac. Went there on a sunday early dinner. Made reservations and glad I did cuz it filled up shortly past 6. Got there just in time for the happy hour deals. Half off oysters which were huge and amazing. Half off cocktails; the sazerac was one of the better ones I have had in the city (not too sweet). Waiter was great. No complaints. Atmosphere was intimate yet still a full house. The actual restaurant was huge with super high ceilings. Very nice place. I got the shrimp and grits. They were jalapeno cheese grits and jumbo shrimp with a brown gravy. It was amazing. Not a huge portion though so I suggest getting appetizers or dessert too. My lady got the squash crepes (maybe?) and she really liked it. Bro-in-law got fish cuz he couldnt eat anymore fried foods that weekend (sissy). He liked his too. All the portions were a little small. i know that is a very "american" and crass observation/opinion cuz size doesn't matter...but too bad; I like to be in pain after dinner especially when spending $30 an entree. A true foodie would not note this but i am not a professional, I just want to eat. Overall the place is great. Def recommend going to knock if off your list and get some great food. I don't think I would become a regular.
(4)Justin H.
Amazing food. Had the Shrimp and Grits. Best I've had in New Orleans! I think it was our servers first day, or they were just short staffed that they had to pull someone from the back, but the service was just mediocre. I'll give 4 stars based off the food.
(4)Jessica W.
Good location but not great food for breakfast I went to Luke based on great reviews of it for dinner. I didn't experience great food for breakfast, however. I ordered a standard breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and a biscuit. The food was very bland, and the biscuit didn't come with jam or butter until I asked for it. Otherwise the service was rapid, and the waiter was nice. If you're looking for a good breakfast, try elsewhere.
(1)Margaret R.
+ strong drinks + happy hour from 3-6pm; half off drinks and 75 cent oysters +/- oysters were okay but I definitely had sweeter ones + new waiter made up for the former waiter's slow service - slow service (waiter didn't put in our order until 20 minutes
(3)howard b.
This was the second time my wife and I ha e had brunch there. Both times were killer! First they have a very nice staff, good atmosphere and the food and drink are great. We suggest the Bloody Mary's, rabbit and chicken liver pate, the raw oysters, and the hamburger, all outstanding! Great way to start a Sunday
(5)Jess Y.
Luke probably wins as my favorite oyster happy hour. My friends and I frequently come in for oysters, appetizers and half price wine. I've tried pretty much every oyster happy hour in the city, and Luke has the consistently freshest tasting oysters around with other delicious raw bar offerings on the menu as well. I'm wondering if that's why they upped their price per oyster to 75 cents? I have tried some of their entrees, but I've found that I enjoy trying a bunch of the smaller items/appetizers more. The crispy brussel sprouts, flamenkuche, and the pate are amazing! Their cocktail selection is good too, but their wine menu is where it's at. I just can't pass up the Simmonet Febvre they've had on the menu this summer. I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time. I've found it to be unnecessary a few times over the summer, but during the high season, I usually have trouble getting even a table for two right away if I just walk in. I've always had great service when I come in. This isn't the kind of place where you rush to get in and out, so even when food is slow to arrive, I don't really notice.
(5)Brenda L.
Had my first mint julep here and I discovered that I am not a fan. It was too sweet & strong for me. I tried the mussels and fries dish which came with a ton of mussels. They didn't skimp on quantity at all. Since I was visiting from Denver, a landlocked seafood less state, I was ready for any quantity of seafood. I also tried the croque madame (no egg = croque Monsieur) which was ginormous & presented on a cutting board. I tried the seafood gumbo which was really expensive but tasty. The potion could have been larger. Interior of this place is really nice with subway tiles and classic wood panels. The servers wear white coats & were very helpful and attentive. The majority of the patrons were business people. This place is walking distance from the French quarters.
(3)Brittany L.
SO disappointed after seeing all the good reviews! Came here for breakfast while visiting NOLA and was very let down. The biscuits were really dry and heavy, and even the eggs tasted off. Wouldn't recommend to anyone, at least not for breakfast.
(2)Major J.
Great food and excellent happy hour. Need to make a reservation but worth trying this restaurant for their seafood and Cajun food. I thought they had the best gumbo and jalapeño grits. The size was a perfect portion. I'm going back for their burger which looked great and almost everyone ordered it. Customer service was good . Couldn't really tell who my server was but it seemed like everybody helped each other out in the restaurant so flagging down a random server didn't really matter they were happy to assist you.
(5)Stephanie M.
Happy hour Came in not once, but twice during our four day NOLA vacay. Happy hour is daily from 3-6 and features $0.75 oysters, half off cocktails, and $3 draft beers. Yes, please, and thank you very much. Ambiance: classy, gastropub feel Service: friendly and professional, as expected for an establishment of this caliber Drinks: full bar, with a handful of craft beers on tap. The river bend cocktail was my favorite: vodka, blueberry smash, basil, ginger ale. The mint julep was mostly bourbon with a dash of mint Oysters on the half shell: okay, okay, so this is all we got while here... Plump, sweet, fresh and delicious. Watch out for the horseradish, they make it fresh and it is oh-so-potent!! Take what you would normally use on an oyster, and use a third for the same amount of flavor. The cocktail sauce is a tangy sweet house blend. Would I recommend? Of course!
(5)Deanna L.
Last "supper" in New Orleans - Tuesday before heading to the airport, we grabbed Lunch at Lukes - John Bash' restaurant in the central business district. We glad we did. While I have the worst time choosing dishes in NOLA that are meat -free and somewhat healthy, John's lunch menu was great. We started with fresh oysters, which were as fresh as they come and pretty huge in size. In fact, the fresh seafood bar is on display and its an impressive sight as you as you walk into the door. We loved the Louisiana shrimp with jasmine rice - just to make sure to get extra rice to soak up all that goodness. That's what soulful, southern cooking is all about to me - flavors and comforts, not grease and pork. Service was ahh, whatever, there seemed to be a general nonchalant attitude. Nothing terrible, no rudeness, just that sort of ahh, whatever, they didn't clear the oysters plate when the rest of the plates came. When I wanted more rice, I couldn't get the waiter's attention, even though there was only another table. Perhaps it's the high afternoon heat that generally puts everyone in a sleepy haze. The food was excellent and the lunch was the best value we have experienced in New Orleans.
(4)Cindy L.
Happy hour 3-6pm for 50 cent oysters. And indeedy, it's a happy day for my boyfriend and I. We immediately ordered three dozen oysters plus cocktails without wreaking havoc on our wallets! This is the GO TO spot if you love oysters and cocktails for a steal. Lüke, we will be back!
(5)Tracy W.
Great late night place ,you get lost in it. Food service this quality just expect a little bit more .
(3)Philip V.
Once voted as a top 10 chef in America, Chef John Besh sets the benchmark for fine dining in New Orleans. His best work is on display at Lüke's. ----The Food---- Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp En Cocotte ($24.00)- This dish is one of the more heavy, yet satisfying ones I had in NOLA. It has roasted jalapeño cheese grits, andouille & green onion sausages, with the juiciest, fresh shrimp I've had. The seasonings and spices will give your taste buds a punch, leaving them in a daze and wanting more. The grits were light and creamy balancing out the heavy sauce. Superb. I just wish the portions matched the prices, as this dish isn't enough to fill me up. Croque Madame ($16.50)- Grilled ham & cheese sandwich with house-made fries and a fried egg on top. Paying this much for a simple grilled ham, egg, and cheese sandwich is a crime. While it's great tasting in its own right, I couldn't get over how I may have been able to make this in my own kitchen. A knife and fork will be needed as you enjoy this classic sandwich. The house made fries were crispy and well done--they were amazing to eat with the gravy in the dish above. Brendan's Bread Pudding ($8.00)- One look and taste of Chef Besh's top selling dessert and you'll understand the love and warmth he has for his son, of which it is named after. It's a small dish with vanilla bean ice cream & hot buttered pecan sauce covering a spongey, warm bread. Definitely the most memorable dessert in NOLA. ---- Conclusion: It's difficult to justify the prices when the portions are so small, even if the flavors of each dish were unique. It'd be understandable if service AND atmosphere were amazing, but service needs improvement. Right down to the host, server, and person I called to get the bread pudding to-go seemed impatient and had attitude. I enjoyed the atmosphere though. Extra Notes: -Accepts credit card -I feel service could use improvement -Decor has a romantic, classy touch -Restrooms are clean
(4)Elizabeth G.
Listen, I am now a Besh fan for life. We went for happy hour and 75¢ oysters and ended up staying and having some of the best food all trip. Fantastic place, lots of fun!
(5)Â¥ W.
Unlike many others that has the love for Cajun flavors, I am one of those few that's not a fan. On my third day in Nola, Luke is the only restaurant that has left my stomach at ease. My group and I each ordered a different item on the menu so we can all share. All were recommendations from the bartender. Totally surpassed the names of the entrees but got the pics to show!
(5)Hannah B.
This place would no doubt get 5 stars from me if the service had been just a little bit faster. The food was amazing. We got the Flammen...uh the onion tarte thing, and the Etoufee with crab. So good I could cry. The servers recommendations were awesome. (But we often sat with empty drinks for too long.)
(4)Eileen S.
Great spot. Love the shrimp And grits and the shrimp étouffée. Very tasty and fresh. This place is definitely worth a try. They also have happy hour from 4 to 6. The old fashioned is also a good choice. Service was good and friendly.
(3)Jiemin X.
We had shrimps and grits, omelet with local crab. Both of them were sooooo good!!!!! Especially the shrimps and grits, tastes like heaven!
(5)Annie G.
Got a little wild with the girlfriends at Luke during their Sunday happy hour. Between the four of us, we started with two dozen oysters (50 cents each). Thirty minutes later, we ordered another two dozen oysters. So fresh and delicious! Meanwhile, we treated ourselves to a multitude of cocktails including the silver saint and mint julep. Our server was awesome and kept the drinks coming - which were all half price during the happy hour (3pm to 6pm every day). It was pouring rain that afternoon, so we ended up staying for more than two hours. Way after 6pm (end of happy hour), the staff continued to let us have the happy hour prices. We ended with the bread pudding which was perfect! Definitely a great experience at Luke, which was recommended to us by multiple friends.
(4)Karen L.
I came to Lüke for dinner late one night and really enjoyed my meal! It may have been because I had really low expectations after reading several negative reviews about the service here. My sister called ahead to see if there was a wait and the person said that the restaurant was busy and that they had reservations coming in throughout the night. My sister checked OpenTable though and was able to make a reservation for four a few minutes after she called. We walked into the restaurant and there were several empty tables so we were confused. While we were waiting to be seated, a couple at the table next to the area we were waiting in left without ordering so I got worried. I was debating whether or not to go to a different restaurant when our table became available. I would recommend sitting in the back near the kitchen if possible because I loved the atmosphere! It felt like an entirely different restaurant back there. The kitchen is entirely surrounded by glass so you can watch the chefs prepare your food. Our server was friendly and attentive. We started off our meal with Flamenkuche, Baked Oysters and complimentary Garlic Bread. My mom and I shared the Shrimp and Grits and Steak Frites. I loved everything!
(5)Natalie D.
Best meal in NOLA! ! First the service was spectacular starting with the hostess when we called to get the only remaining reservation on 12/26. The Happy Hour Specials are the best in the City. We started with fresh oysters, fried oysters and build shrimp with several rounds of drinks The seafood was soooooo fresh! Back to the service two words: KYLE & KENNY! They were so cute and friendly, they gave us just enough attention and made fantastic recommendations. Tip: get a table in the back to watch the kitchen! On the rest of the meal... we has the crab bisque which was fantastic. The bread was fresh with a really great butter. The shrimp and grits were out of this world! The Roasted Veggies Were Amazing# The wild boar ragout was the the best pasta dish I have ever tasted. Luke is my new favorite restaurant of all time. Tip: make a reservation and go now!!!
(5)L N.
Luke is okay. The food was too fishy for my liking. We ordered the blue crab salad (returned it) gumbo, and jambalaya. The customer service was really good although we did not know who our sole server was, we had at least 4 people come to our table. The bread pudding was the bomb!
(3)Rose I.
This place is just yummy. The atmosphere and décor is upscale and trendy too. I had a cup of shrimp gumbo (sans sausage) and it was perfect for a rainy day! Also had the bread pudding which was basically heaven on earth. Definitely recommend going here when you are in Nawlins! Enjoy!
(5)Toni J.
Brussels sprouts and bread pudding ... Is how you stole my heart! Here's a few juke tips to keep in mind before you arrive: 1. You need a reservation (at least on the weekends). The hostesses were not taking any walk ins. 2. The menu changes often, so do g come with your heart set on anything... Even their menu online is boy current. 3. Try to get a table in the back room so you can watch the kitchen work their magic. What I ordered: 1. Old fashioned: 4 stars because they use the good luxardo cherries. Beware they use Jim Beam if you don't ask for something else. 2. Crispy Brussels sprouts with cheese and awesome sauce: 5 stars hands down best sprouts I've ever had 3. Juke salad: 4 stars: tip you can order 1/2 sizes on the salads. Awesome house made buttermilk dressing and yummy yellow beets! 4. Squash crepes: 2 stars ... I sent it back it was not flavors I enjoyed.. Heavy sage and thanksgiving stuffing taste. 5. Jalapeño cheesy grits: 5 stars ... Best grits ever! 6. Pecan bread pudding: 5 stars. We were drooling over this in the window do the chef sent one out for us... It was as amazing as it looked. Despite sending my entree back, we had a great meal. The service and food was spot on. Thanks Juke!
(4)Melissa M.
In planning my NOLA trip, making reservations, in advance, for dinner was the first thing I wanted to get out of way. When I was doing research on Yelp, Luke came up when I filtered for "Most Reviewed" and it was a no-brainer that I should plan a dinner here for my girls and I. I was able to make reservations for 4 at 8 PM on a Sunday with no problems on OpenTable. We had no problems walking here from our hotel which was a block over from Bourbon St. We arrived and the place was packed, both the front room and towards the back in the separate room which is where they sat us. We were lucky enough to be seated right next to the kitchen, where they had clear, glass windows and we could see all the chefs working hard preparing all the meals. Everything on the menu looked good, but I ended up ordering the Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp "en Cocotte" ($24) which was comprised of Roasted Jalapeno Cheese Grits and Andouille & Green Onion Sausages. Seeing that the grits had Jalapeno cheese, I was worried because my spice tolerance is very low, but when I asked the waiter, he confirmed that the dish wasn't spicy and that the Jalapeno cheese just gave the grits flavor. I'm glad I listened to him and went ahead with ordering that. The food took a little while to come out but we understood because the place was really busy and you could see them working non-stop in the kitchen. The Shrimp & Grits were sooooo good. The Jalapeno cheese added another level to the dish and it complemented the hearty, flavorful sauce that the Shrimp were swimming in. I'd never had grits because and I kept forgetting they were actually grits because the sauce was all over them. Thickness-wise, in my opinion, they were probably similar to mashed potatoes but definitely grainier but I didn't mind them and I'm glad that my first experience to Southern grits was in this beautiful dish. I forget what my friends ordered but all I remember is everyone loving their dish. They all seemed to enjoy mine as well. Also for all of you Gluten-free folks, the waiters will tell you what could be made GF so you don't need to rule this restaurant out if you'll be eating with someone with Celiac disease. Even though we were stuffed, there's always room for dessert so at the recommendation of our waiter's we ordered the Steamed Chocolate to share and it was heavenly! I'd definitely recommend Luke if you want a nice dinner!
(4)Tony W.
I was in New Orleans for four days and this was by far the best meal I had while I was in town. The Jumbo Louisiana Shrimp 'en cocotte' was out of this world. It's a bit heavy for a lunch dish, so skip breakfast if you want this. Service was perfectly non-existent except when taking orders and bringing food, which is exactly what you want during a business meeting. Food came out very quickly as well, so they're used to accommodating business lunches. I don't have much more to add that the 1,200 reviews haven't already covered, so go give it a shot!
(5)Mary L.
My first Yelp review and I think this place is worthy to be my first! Haha :) First of all, we came during HH and they had 75 cent oysters and half off on fried oysters. Also half off on wine, beer, cocktails - great deals! We tried the raw and fried oysters; usually I'm not a fan of fried oysters but they were good! Our waitress was attentive and helpful, service was wonderful. I wish I had remembered her name, she was sweet! I've never been interested in trying grits, I even asked our waitress what grits were and she had me interested enough to split an entree with my friend. And those shrimp and grits were amazing! We're from Texas so we would definitely recommend this place~
(5)Alex A.
So disappointed! I was so happy that we got last minute reservation but tge service was so bad. We could not find our waiter most of the time. Luckily the appetizer and my entrée rescue the score. The oysters were good but the soft shell crab blt was so much better.
(3)