Mariza
2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA, 70117
Mariza Menu
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Address :
2900 Chartres St
New Orleans, LA, 70117 - Phone (504) 598-5700
- Website https://marizaneworleans.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Trang N.
Oh my.... Where do I start.... First off my meal here tonight was amazing! Almost all the dishes we ordered were to die for!!! I'll just keep it short... We ordered the black linguine, short ribs ragout, potato gnocchi, duck ragout, yellowfin tuna carpaccio, and hanger steak. I would order everything Again minus the steak... We also order the Panna cotta and chocolate terrine for dessert! It was very delicious! Who knew olive oil, sea salt, and chocolAte make a good combination! I can't wait to bring my boyfriend here!
(5)Katie R.
Loved my first visit to Mariza last night. My boyfriend and I had 8pm tickets to a show at NOCCA, so this being a block away was an easy decision. I started with a Julia's Cup cocktail which was sweet and refreshing on this hot day. We split the burrata crostini, eggplant gnocchi and ricotta, basil, eggplant pizza special. The pizza and gnocchi were good, but the crostini was especially delicious. That crostini might be too much for one person - lots of cheese - so I recommend splitting it. I have a thing for sitting at the bar, I feel like you're guaranteed better service. The bartender was attentive and well informed on menu items. Also, it's a great spot for a date!
(5)Amanda F.
Mariza has a casual, lively atmosphere and great food. Even better, every time I get the check here I feel myself wanting to check it to make sure they did not leave something else- it is just a great value for fresh quality foods. I am a big big fan of burrata & this is my favorite burrata dish in the city. I also always get the crudo here- it changes seasonally but is always good! The fresh, homemade pastas also change throughout the year. I loved their butternut squash angeloni (spelling?) & duck pappardelle. The whole fresh is always great if you want something like. It is perfect to share with 2-3 people. The chocolate terrine is worth breaking any diet for. For out-of-towners, depending on where you are coming from... if you live in New York, San Fran, Chicago, Dallas, etc... restaurants like this are a dime a dozen. This restaurant is fantastic and a bit unique TO New Orleans. However, it is not uniquely New Orleans / Southern cuisine at all.
(5)Becca B.
My boyfriend and I ate at Mariza Saturday night and the experience was absolutely lovely from top to bottom. The atmosphere is slightly industrial but warmed with glowing candles and comfy service. We were pleasantly greeted and promptly sat by the host. Our servers name was Sara and she was super cute, informative, and delivered exceptional service. We ordered the Burrata Crostini and Tomatoes with basil pesto, shoots and sprouts. I could eat this appetizer every day for lunch and never tire of its perfection. The cheese was soft and fluffy atop a superbly crunchy crostini. The tomato was so red it was nearing purple and it burst with flavor. I am not always the biggest fan of pesto because it can be a little too herbacious but this pesto was light and amazingly complimentary. I ordered the short rib rigatoni pasta and it was delectable. The short rib gravy was top-notch and the rigatoni pasta was cooked just right. My boyfriend had the fish of the day which was redfish with a fennel salad and lemon vinaigrette. The fish was perfectly cooked and the salad was a perfect accompaniment to the fish. I enjoyed watching my boyfriend dive into that fish - he even ate the tail. I just kept looking over at him smirking because you could see his eyes glazed over in redfish heaven. The appetizer and entrees were so spectacular that we had to try dessert. We ordered the chocolate terrine with sea salt, olive oil and candied orange. This dessert was truly the most gorgeous blend of flavors. The chocolate terrine was soft yet fudge-like and the olive oil and sea salt were perfect additions. The candied orange was so beautiful because it was the thinnest slice of orange you have ever seen and then tasted like candied-orange-rindy deliciousness. We most definitely shall return!
(5)Sarah M.
So my husband and I had date night here a few nights ago. We ate at the bar and were so impressed. Our service was great and the feel of the restraunt was wonderful. The huge windows look out over the river, so sunset was the perfect time to dine there. Our favorites were the red snapper crudo and the lamb meatballs. But really, there wasn't anything we had that we didnt really enjoy. I think what we were most impressed with was that we had around 8 dishes, a bottle of wine and two rounds of cocktails for only $120! We will definitely be back!
(5)Cristy C.
I just discovered this place and I've already been there twice within one week! I really enjoy "wine bar" style places. This place has a beautiful interior decor design. Very pleasing to the eyes style lighting. The workers are super cool and friendly. The meat and cheese plate is something I look for around the city. I have a mental list of places that offer meat and cheese plates and I try to hit up one of these places when I dine alone. So far, I've brought two of my girlfriends here. Very much looking forward to bringing my husband.
(5)Kathleen H.
What a comfortable and welcoming place to relax and expand your belly with all the delicious food We sat at the bar on a Tuesday night and had dinner at the bar Anything they have as a special is amazing The burrata crostini is a need to eat and the sweetbreads risotto is the bomb
(5)Marielle S.
Continuing on my mission of eating at all of the restaurants on the NOLA Eater "38 Essential New Orleans Restaurants, January 2015"( nola.eater.com/maps/the-… ), for my next place to try, I chose Mariza. This is a restaurant I had not only never been to, but I hadn't even heard of it. Reading the reviews here on Yelp, made the place sound very promising, so I was excited to check it out. We stopped in pretty early- about 7, on a Saturday, and there was a 20 minute wait. No problem at all, as we weren't in any rush, so we decided to take a seat at the bar. I decided to sip on a nice glass of wine as I looked over the menu. First of all, I like that the menu isn't overwhelming. You get a nice selection of food without feeling inundated with choices. After we were seated, we decided to start with the cheese plate. This came with three delicious cheeses with some bread and some blueberry sauce, which was a nice touch. The cheese was delicious and not too rich (does that make sense?). For my entree, I decided to try the black linguine. I had always heard how fancy and fantastic black linguine is, so I felt quite posh ordering this dish. The linguine came topped with a yummy sauce and crawfish and shrimp. I decided to get the large bowl, because apparently, there is no shame in my game. The dish was amazing! It had a lot of flavor and was unique and unlike anything I had had before. I couldn't get over how much I loved it. The shrimp were nice and plump and the crawfish were juicy and cooked perfectly. I have to mention the atmosphere of this place. It's cozy, but not loud. It's pretty dark, which would make it an excellent spot for a romantic evening. I loved the whole vibe of the place and it felt more like a New York restaurant, than a New Orleans eatery. All in all, I loved it here and I would definitely return.
(5)Paige J.
Mariza is a place I've had bookmarked for a while, driven past many many times and just never took the time to stop in until this past wknd. Starving and wanting to try something new, we moseyed our way over to this fine little establishment and were seated immediately. The inside like other reviews stated gives you a warehouse, loft type feel. Very inviting and sleek. The bar is awesome in itself too. Getting to the menu, it's not your traditional Italian, but it does have a variety of dishes depending on your mood. Different kinds of pizza and pasta which all sounded great, along with other creative items if your feeling a little more adventurous. We started off with a 1/2 dozen of raw oysters which came with a variety of house made dipping sauces along with cocktails.I can't remember what my husband had, but I had some type of drink with prosecco which was pretty good. They have a full bar and an extensive wine list so if their house cocktails don't tickle your fancy, you'll be sure to find something else. For our entrees, I ordered the black linguini just because it sounded so stinking good and I had seen plenty of pics to tease me. My husband ordered the smoked duck breast pappardelle which came with duck prepared 3 different ways. I LOVED my linguini. I really could have ate two helpings because it was that good. Both of us agreed the duck was missing something. The pappardelle noodles were excellent but the duck itself, good but not great. Overall I would definitely return to Mariza. I'm looking forward to coming back and trying more of its deliciousness.
(4)Nikkie N.
I always try to visit this place on a Sunday. But just my luck, they're CLOSED on Sundays! Finally had a Saturday night off & was able to stop in & enjoy this little gem. We were immediately greeted & seated at a community table. I love community tables! It's a great way to meet new people. So, man friend and I ordered a bottle of white wine & ordered: Red Snapper Crudo w/ Cucumber salad & Pesto (12$). I felt like this dish was missing some acidity. Maybe a lemon wedge on the side would've been just right. Other than that, it was a good dish. Burrata, Tomatoes, Pesto, Sprouts, & Crostini (10$). In short, this is similar to a caprese. If I had put 1 & 1 together, I probably wouldn't have ordered it. It's an OK dish, but not really my kind of thing to eat. The burrata is definitely more fluffy than mozzarella. But there's just something about the blandness that I can't get over. Duck Ragout Pappardelle (10$). Comfort dish at it's finest! It reminded me of Campbell's Beef Stew soup. IDK if you like that, but I love it. So, I loved this dish! I imagine myself craving this on cold winter nights (if we ever get that in NOLA). Or when I'm fighting a cold. Shrimp&Crab Black Linguini (13$). Manfriend's favorite dish. If you've ever tried Domenica's Squid Ink dish, this is the better more creamier version of it. They did not play cheap w/ their crab & shrimp. Braised Lamb Belly w/ Polenta (18$). Good dish. Lamb wasn't gamey. It needed something for texture though. Quail & Pancetta on Wilted Greens (12$). My favorite dish! The wilted greens added acidity. The sauce on the quail gave it the right touch of sweetness & everything was cooked well.
(4)Joe D.
What great atmosphere and the food is great. We started out with Yellow tuna carpaccio and really I could have ordered 4 of this appetizer. Fresh fish with arugula, olives and parmesan. For entrees we had the braised lamb belly served over polenta and a tomato sauce base and Qual and pancetta which was my favorite. Quail was cooked perfectly and served with wilted greens, saba and red onions. Finishing with panna cotta was a great way to end the meal. We ordered a nice bottle of Lorinon Crianza which was a great pinot noir with this meal. Overall, great meal!
(4)John T.
BLUF: Really nice atmosphere with great service and clientele. Good times but average food. Went on a whim. I love the neighborhood and it is set in the back where you wouldnt expect a nice place like this to be. Inside is gorgeous. They were really busy so we went to the bar for what we thought was going to be an hour but ended up just being 30 min. Got my usual martini and it was good. For dinner we split a pizza and a pasta dish entre. Both were slightly above average but reasonably priced. We were still hungry so we each got a dessert. I dont remember what we go but that kinda speaks for itself; not every exciting. (still left hungry) Overall the place itself is really awesome. However, the food is only average.
(3)Ruth K.
Atmosphere: Modern and elegant. Located in the Bywater in a beautiful warehouse renovated into apartments. This restaurant has high ceilings and dim romantic lighting. Music is not too loud, but upbeat to create a nice vibe. The restaurant manager frequently works as a host to make sure your intro and experience at the restaurant is off to a good start. Great for a date. Service: I went by myself and sat at the bar because I was only there to satisfy one particular craving. The restaurant closes at 10 pm on Tuesdays, and I was sneaking in at 9:30 (no worries though, I was out the door at 10 on the dot; although many tables were still enjoying their dinning). The bartender was friendly and good to talk to. I had met him before on one of my craving visits. He kept my water filled and made me feel comfortable. Job well done. Food: Now to tell you what I was craving; the Burrata Crostini and Tomatoes!!!! So delicious, that sometimes I dream about it, other times I need to get myself out to that restaurant ASAP to eat one. It is exactly what it sounds like Burrata, drizzled with oil, on top of a crostini, on a bed of tomatoes, shoots and clover, accompanied by a basil pesto that draws a delicious design on the plate. I have tried their other food before and it is delicious, BUT the Burrata keeps me coming back in that door more than the average person. That is all I have to say about the food for now. You should definitely go to this restaurant and try out their menu though! Drinks: No drinks today. Water only policy during the week (the liver needs a break when you live in NOLA). They do make delicious signature cocktails though (pictured below). Although I do not recall the name of that particular cocktail, the bartender was kind enough to write down the ingredients for me and I have re-created it at home many times! Random: Tenants in the Rice Mill Lofts are prohibited from altering the building's original graffiti. If you live in the Rice Mill you get the beauty of masonry brick walls, complete with the graffiti that was there when it was taken over for conversion. A really cool look for your home!
(5)Alexandra C.
This restaurant is an unexpected gem. My friend and I were walking back down Chartes after swimming in the pool at The Country Club. The hot saltwater pool had made us sleepy and hungry, and while we had reservations someplace else, something about this place beckoned... Like a siren... We were seated without a reservation and our waitress was absolutely charming and helpful. We had the lamb meatballs, fish of the day and duck pasta. The lamb balls and duck pasta were exquisite and perfectly balanced, the fish was served with the head and ended up being a little too boney- but the fish itself was great. It could have been filleted. The atmosphere was lovely. All around a great experience and a place to come back to. Also, the prices were great for the quality of the food.
(5)Gaëlle R.
Went there twice in March, and will be back as soon as possible! I tried the tuna carpaccio (delicious), and the burrata (to die for!). But the best is their chocolate terrine; a sort of flourless chocolate cake sprinkled with sea salt and olive oil!
(5)Jorge Z.
We waited to be seated at the bar and we had the cocktail special of the night. We met the sous chef (very polite and friendly from Cuba) who suggested the best dishes. Modern atmosphere and cool dishes. Must try the chocolate cake with olive oil and salt.
(4)William L.
Everything that came to our table was delicious. My dining partner declared the squid pasta as the "best pasta dish I've ever had." The only complaint was that the portion, even in the larger side, left her wanting more, and she's not a big eater. Perhaps we are all too inured to a pound of pasta slumped in big bowl as "normal." I had a perfectly cooked huge pork chop cooked with a sauce featuring apple slices. I could have eaten a whole bowl of those apples as a side dish. Everything here is a la carte, and the portions with the exception of my pork hunk were small. (That's what she said--my dining partner, that is.) Do order from all the courses, if you're hungry; a single entree probably will leave you wanting. With that consideration, the overall cost is higher than you might expect just looking at the menu. I would budget about $35/person or more if you're drinking one of the excellent selection of wines. Mariza makes a ridiculously convenient meal choice before or following a show at NOCCA. You're actually closer to the restaurant than the school when you're in the NOCCA parking lot. There is an obvious attention to detail in the kitchen. The food is presented beautifully and the chef is putting forward some subtle and complex flavors. That same attention is apparent in the prompt and attentive service, and in the set up of the space itself. The ambiance is modern, but also comfortable, warm, and inviting. Five stars. most especially for the squid pasta dish cited "best ever" at the table.
(5)Niki M.
4 and a half stars for this one. I've been wanting to try Mariza for a really long time after hearing so many great things about it. Let me just say that the praise I had been hearing was spot on. Mariza has a great Bywater location on Chartres close to NOCAA. Speaking of NOCAA...the parking lot next to Mariza is for NOCAA. Don't park there. You will be towed. Lack of parking was my only complaint. I loved the atmosphere. Exposed brick and beams, low lighting, Edison light bulbs = beautiful. Now the food... For an appetizer, we split the Burrata crostini and tomatoes with basil pesto, shoots and sprouts. It was $8. OMG this was so delicious! Every bite was just bursting with flavor! This was our favorite dish of the night. For our entrees, we got the Fresh mozzarella pizza with fennel and arugula salad for $10. This was really good too! I REALLY wanted to try the bacon and anchovy pizza that came highly recommended by our server, but my friend was having none of that...and we were sharing everything. We also got the Hanger steak with pesto and bruschetta topped with olive tapenade for $16. It was cooked to absolute perfection at medium rare. I had to add a very tiny bit of salt. But again, it was delicious. For dessert we got the Chocolate Terrine with sea salt, candied blood orange for $6. While it was really good, I wasn't blown away. But then again, I'm not a huge sweets person, so desserts rarely wow me. I found the prices to be extremely reasonable for the quality of the food, and the portion sizes. Our total bill after tip was $57. We didn't drink. The only reason I'm going down to 4 stars, is service. I found our server to be nice, but a bit slow. We waited 15 minutes with empty dirty plates in front of us before our dessert order was taken. After dessert, we waited another 15 minutes for the check. I can't wait to go back to Mariza and try more of their menu...especially that anchovy and bacon pizza! I think Mariza is a great date place. Low lighting, not too noisy, but noisy enough that there are no uncomfortable silences, and reasonable prices.
(4)Nicki K.
Easily a favorite restaurant of ours. The duck confit is amazing. The red snapper appetizer is delicious. The lard white pizza is AMAZING. We take our out of town guests here as it is away from the tourist areas but absolutely delivers on flavor and ambiance. It's a win! Highly recommend
(5)Rana F.
I simply this place! Great atmosphere but it's quite dark. The staff are warm and friendly. I literally crave the fish that they offer there. That has to be on my top ten favorite New Orleans dishes list. They also have a great wine and cocktail list.
(5)Jennifer C.
This is by far one of the best meals my husband and I have had in New Orleans In a while and we just went to August two weeks ago. We tried: Burrata- one hundred percent recommend. Cheese was so soft and just amount of salty served w fresh tomato Short rib rigatoni- delicious , would order a large next time. Wish we had more bread to sop up the sauce. Was like a stew but with really good pasta Duck pappardelle - good but preferred the short rib Whole fish- snapper was fish of the day. AWESOME. Recommend. Delicious. And such a great price. Would be $35 in the quarter Duck confit- comes w one leg but a good size after all the other dishes. Perfectly done and paired with a very savory and sweet salad w a light vinegar être dressing. Loved it Watermelon sorbet- tasted like frozen slushy watermelon. So good. A big serving and only $5 Chocolate terrine- basically chocolate soft fudge topped with sea salt. Recommend getting both desserts and mixing All this plus a glass of wine and top shelf Martini was $103 with tax. Pretty amazing. And VERY GOOD. A lot of newer restaurants we try once an maybe don't go back. We will be back.
(5)Lauren L.
I love Mariza! It's one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I've brought several different types of groups here on numerous occasions, and everyone is always impressed. To me, the ambience is very cozy and inviting, despite the industrial architecture. Some of my favorite menu items are the burratta, lamb meatballs, and black linguini. The only downside to me is that they don't take reservations, but we've never had to wait long for a table, so it's never been a problem.
(5)Alana L.
Our order: Burrata crostini and tomatoes with basil pesto, shoots and sprouts. This reminded me of a caprese salad. It was delicious. I had never before had burrata (a cheese) and am now a devoted fan! Arugula salad with pickled vegetables and goat milk ricotta, olives. Super flavors and as fresh as it gets! Black linquini, shrimp, crab with tomato, garlic, wine. WOW! We only got the small, but I suggest the large to share with friends. A fan favorite for sure! Chocolate Terrine ea salt, candied blood orange. Best dessert I've had in a long while and gluten free, too. It was a like a chocolate moose! I will return with new friends!
(4)Morgan F.
When I think Italian, I think of chianti bottles hanging from the walls, maroon linens and a robust chef with an apron and a mustache that he twirls while asking if the tub of spaghetti I'm currently stuffing my face with is "molte bene." So when Debbie S. suggested Mariza and I saw "Italian", I cringed at the thought of...carbs. EEK! Take that preconceived notion and chuck it out the window! A modern warehouse feel that you would expect more so in the CBD but with a simple clean menu that boasts extremely reasonable prices for dishes that would go for at least $7+ just a hop, skip and a jump into the Quarter. After taking in the "feel" and getting a sweet spot by one of the large windows, we ordered the Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio for an appetizer. Then I thoroughly enjoyed the perfectly-portioned Hanger Steak and Lil' Debbie had the Duck Leg Confit. Then...we couldn't help ourselves, 'cause we're both chocolate addicts, we splurged on the Chocolate Terrine. Aye me, ya'll...it was divine. Lastly, a pretty dish doesn't always make a tasty one. They nailed presentation AND exploded my taste buds. They do have a Pasta, pizza section for you Italian lovers but the subtle use of Italian ingredients in the other dishes has me questioning my stereotypical outlook on my heritage's cuisine (yes, 25% Italian so I can say some of these things). An appetizer, two entrees, dessert and a couple of cocktails will not break the bank here, and I suggest all dudes impress a girl by bringing her here. I hope my boyfriend reads my Yelp reviews... The only tiny thing I will say is the open, deserted parking lot in front of Mariza's is off limits. I believe NOCCA owns it, and Mariza hasn't woo'd them just yet to allow parking day or night in there so take the block and find a spot. 'Cause the tow man shows no mercy...not even for your leftovers.
(5)C C.
Wow. So nice to have a completely original meal in NOLA. Impeccable service, thanks Isaiah, incredible fresh food well served and the restaurant itself is not loud, and is very family friendly while still being trendy. Overall we loved it and will definitely go back.
(5)J F.
Strangely, I really enjoyed the grapefruit sorbet. It had drizzles of honey and didn't taste bitter at all. Lovely ending to a lovely meal. The portions were on the smaller side but the meal was tasty. The vegetable lasagna was packed with vegetables with little noodles. The burrata was delicious and creamy. The star of the show was the black linguine and shrimp. pasta was perfect, shrimp a tad bit overcooked. lovely meal for a special occasion.
(4)Don G.
Nice ambiance. Salads fresh and not overpowered with the cured meats that are added. Specked trout I had was freshest since I fished in Hopedale myself...
(4)Alexander G.
I don't hang out in this part of town much but maybe I should. Very cool setting in an industrial building, Delicious (the hanger steak ++). Not expensive. Interesting wine list. Great desserts. A bit of a big city vibe but definitely without the attitude.
(5)Joi B.
The food at this newish Italian bistro left me stunned. *Stunned* I tell you. I'm still thinking about it. And now I'm going to (potentially) convince you that you need to have dinner here and soon. The decor: modern, converted loft space. It's spacious, has perfect lighting with low-light Edison bulbs hanging from the ceiling, natural wood, brick and steel adornments and just enough decor to enhance the room without being too distracting. The space just really works! Unlike a lot of restaurants in New Orleans, they manage to keep it pretty quiet in there, despite the exposed kitchen and the fact that the dining room was pretty busy! The perfectly edited menu offers up a good amount of choices. Just enough so that you know the dishes are all specialties of the house. The Burrata/crostini salad... OK, one bite made me momentarily melt with food-induced madness. It is absolutely *PERFECT*. I hate caps in reviews, but I can't italicize and you gotta know. There's a mound of the magical, soft, salty creamy cheese atop crostini, graced by herbs and micro greens. This dish all but brought me to tears. It's a perfect amount to share, but make sure you share it with someone whom you adore or you may cut off their hand as they take their piece. I typically judge an Italian place by their pizza and Mariza's simple but DIEvine fresh mozzarella pizza shines! Reasonably priced at $10, I'd put it in the league of Domenica (and if you read my reviews of Domenica, you know of my love for their pizza). Although at first I was worried because the crust appeared thicker than I prefer, I was blown away by one bite because the crust is *delicious* and a victorious vessel for their fantastic sauce and just the right amount of fresh mozzarella. So, I love the food. Appreciate the decent and affordable selection of wine by the glass. Why not five stars? They are almost there. I can forgive the fact that it took almost an hour between app and dinner to arrive. I can forgive that our otherwise really nice waitress didn't come by to apologize for the long wait and left me with an empty wine glass for about half that wait time. I get that new restaurants have kinks to work out! I am noting it here because a simple, "sorry it's taking so long," would have been nice. It's the table situation that gives me pause. I will be honest and say I'm not a fan of tall, long tables that all but force communal dining (by the way, these tables are great for large groups). Definitely not ideal when you're there on a date (a family of three with a well-behaved child were seated next to us. Could have done without the insta-family thing). The big tables are so wide that you feel far away from the person across from you and you're forced to talk pretty loudly. The parents sitting next to us all but joined in on our conversation. There are tables for two, so next time I'll be sure and specify my preference for one of those when making a reservation. It's significant to mention, because otherwise this could be a pretty romantic setting with the low lighting and great acoustics.
(4)Nacy P.
This is one of my go to places to take guests in town. Not only is the food fantastic but the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I highly recommend the hanger steak with chimichurri though I'm also a huge fan of the gnocchi. I have never had a bad experience in the numerous times I've visited. You are missing out if you don't stop by.
(5)Sonia R.
I've been trying to make more of an effort to make it out to the Bywater and Mariza has been on my list of places to try for a while. The inside is very nice with a clean and simple style.. It reminded me of a modern and trendy loft with natural wood and dim lighting. Bar area was beautiful was well. It isn't the typical white table cloth, violin playing in the background italian place. It's like a modern italian place in a warehouse and fits in with the artsy feel of the Bywater. We ordered the red snapper crudo was an appetizer which was perfect. Perfect everything really. Perfect seasoning, perfect garnish and perfect pesto sauce. For my entree i ordered their short rib rigatoni which was also made to perfection. My only problem was it was too small. I did order the small portion but it was way too small.. like 4 noodles, a piece of beef and a mushroom. And I didn't think it was worth the price. Though the taste was excellent, the portion size is the reason for the 4/5 rating and not 5/5 rating. If I were to go back I'd probably try their pizza as those were flying out kitchen and seemed to be the popular thing to get. Quick note on the seating: they have these long communal tables. I do think they look nice and go with the design and feel of the place but it may be off putting to some. (Though my friend and I missed out on the fun of eating with complete strangers as we sat and ordered at the bar). Great if you are with a large group of people, probably not for an intimate date night.
(4)Michelle D.
Had a great time on our visit. My boyfriend and I split the burrata crostini, the short rib rigatoni and the braised lamb belly. It was the perfect amount of food to split after an afternoon of walking around the neighborhood. Lamb belly is a must order..delicious! We went early (6PM) and were instantly sat at a communal style table, which was fun. Would love to go back soon.
(5)Kevin M.
I have to say that this place blew my taste buds away. They don't do reservations which isn't a big deal since we just arrived and found a spot at the bar until our table was ready for us. I loved their menu and have nothing bad to say about our order. Our waitress was very friendly even though she disappeared for bit which can be understood when a restaurant is full. Definitely a place I am going to check out again!
(4)Cyn B.
Shawn Cummings knock this modern Italian bistro out of the park! The place was packed so maitre'd added another seat for us at bar... quick thinking!! It's been a month since my visit, but the plates we shared was outstanding with one small exception the crispy pig ears were overcoked. They were way to hard to chew. The waistaff was attentive. Even with it being packed the noise level wasn't overwhelming. Half through our meal some of the cast of AHS came in for dinner. Typical NOLA fashion no one made a huge deal of it which I know most 'stars' appreciate this. Our 'stars' are our chefs. Chef Ian is definitely a star!! In the past few years several places have open in this area which was greatly needed. Mariza is a wonderful addition.
(4)Rosa S.
Black linguine with shrimp and crawfish was out of this world. I tasted my friends dishes, and everything was fabulous. The service was a little slow, but we didn't mind because it was friendly and a nice ambience. I will be back to try some other dishes!
(5)Jonathan N.
I wanted to take a date to a cool, trendy Bywater restaurant. Where did I turn to find such a place? Yelp, of course. Mariza was exactly the kind of place I was looking for. It was bustling pretty well on this Friday night so we had to start at the bar while waiting for a table. Date had a glass of wine while I had one of their specialty martinis. It was tasty and powerful, especially on my empty stomach. :) Though we were told it would take 45 minutes to be seated, it was really more like 20 and we ended up at a great table right by the window with lots of privacy. Now, on to the food. To start, we got the cheese plate. Yum. Cheese is delicious. Then we got the green taglietelle, which was tasty. The short ribs rigatoni was even better since the meat was super tender. We also had a tuna special that was really good. It was like a tare tare kind of thing with some great flavor and freshness. The service was fine and the prices were reasonable. It was fun to venture into the Bywater and discover this spot. I'd go back again, though there are so many interesting places to try that doubling up almost seems silly. For Mariza, I'd be open to it.
(4)Sean R.
Been wanting to try this place for ages, definitely worth the wait. One of the best experiences I've had in a while at a restaurant all around. Service was excellent, Gareth was awesome and very helpful with selections and even went out of his way to make a specialty drink for my fiancé to try as an option at our wedding reception in two weeks. Food was amazing, everything looked amazing. We had the black pasta, rigatoni and duck confit, even the pig eat and anchovi salad was delicious. Don't miss this place! Highly recommended and we will be back!
(5)Brock L.
Great (fairly) new spot in the Bywater. I really enjoyed our dinner here. Nice menu, something for everyone. I had the sweetbread risotto - well prepared. Staff was friendly. Prices were reasonable. Great place for a dinner - adequate seating for even larger groups. Fun spot, good vibe, great food.
(4)Brandon J.
Food was delicious! Ate the duck confit and thoroughly enjoyed it. My only qualm was the disappointing cheese plate. All in all, this Italian fusion restaurant is well worth the visit.
(3)Tee S.
Not consistently good.
(1)Sandra P.
Very cool location. Friendly and attentive servers. I dined with a group of co-workers and was very pleased. Fresh oysters to start with lamb belly for my entree and I was very impressed. My co-worker raved about the fish and she's hard to impress. Cocktails were good too. No hipster attitude just good food in a stylish setting.
(5)Nick C.
All that and a Bag of Douche Unacceptable service. In a city with so many superior dining options, I recommend avoiding this restaurant. Valentine's Day, 2014. My party and I were in high spirits and very excited to dine, having heard such wonderful things about the kitchen here. And then. . . she showed up. Our forlorn waitress, who appeared to be nursing a broken heart this evening (and I'll add, perhaps not unrelated, sporting a distractingly hairy facial mole) trudged up to our table to mumble the specials of the day. What's that? A whole fish? Do tell. . . According to this gem of the New Orleans dining scene, incredibly, this evening Mariza was serving a whole red snapper! My curiosity was peaked! And pray, how many pounds was this whole fish? Again, incredibly, Mariza had, according to our honestly-confused server, secured several one and two pound whole red snappers fresh from the local market that day. I laughed out loud. And, at this point our evening took a turn. My skepticism/incredulity was barely kept in check as our waitress stumbled through the rest of Mariza's specials for the evening. One special in particular sounded delightful though so I, oh the humanity, attempted to order it. It was to be a sashimi grade tuna tar tar served on a crostini if memory serves. I asked whether it would be too much trouble to have that special served as an appetizer for the table. I was surprised to discover. . . it was too much trouble! Our server informed the table that Mariza will not accommodate appetizers and that the the table had to order its entire meal at once. At this, our server departed to let us process this idiosyncrasy of Mariza's and decide everything that we wanted to eat that night. Fifteen minutes later, she returned to take our order. I asked whether we could order the tuna crostini for the table and then have her return to the table shortly after it arrived as we would likely want more food after whetting our appetites. At this, I was given an ice-cold glare and informed, curtly, that Mariza's kitchen lacked the ability to process more than one order per table per evening. I laughed, trying to make the best of an awkward experience, and at this our server turned her back to the table and tromped off to the kitchen. Some fifteen minutes later a kitchen worker brought the tuna crostini to the table. Success! I'd cracked the code. We had an appetizer! Another fifteen minutes later, our disgruntled waitress slogged back up to the table. The table put in its order and as she was about to plod back to the kitchen, I asked whether the table could get a bread service. She quipped that there was bread under the tuna of my tuna crostini. She had me there! As she walked from the table, my party and I shared wide-eyed smiles at the debacle our dining experience had become. I must add, the crostini was excellent and a short time later, a salad course was delivered to table. Unfortunately, instead of placing the dishes in front of her customers--my party--our server dropped them on the table from a few inches above the table's surface. As she left, out of a sense of camaraderie more than anything else, having worked in the restaurant industry for a time myself, I excused myself from the table to speak with the manager. I asked whether the manager Mr. Nick Moon, would mind apologizing to the table as my guests were upset. As I approached Mr. Moon, it appears that our server noticed me from the kitchen, as she stormed up to dispute my account of the events. Mr. Moon did not ask her to step away as he was talking to a customer, but instead allowed her to berate me in front of the restaurant--explaining that Mariza doesn't offer appetizers nor bread service, and basically, who the hell did I think I was? I smiled asked our server, politely, to step away so that I could speak with the manager about her deplorable service, and was then given a talking to by Mr. Moon. Mr. Moon explained that our server was correct, and that we could leave the restaurant if we weren't happy with the experience. At this, I walked back to the table and asked my party if they wouldn't mind leaving the restaurant. When asked why, I recounted the conversation with Mariza's manager. My table was confused, it seemed antithetical to a fine dining experience, but thankfully a short time after I'd begun my story, Mr. Moon followed me to the table to confirm the worst of what I'd conveyed. To sum up his diatribe, Mr. Moon explained that we were not his guests, and that he did not appreciate our attempts to obtain appetizers or bread service. My friends at this point asked for the check. So again, in conclusion, in such a great city, with so many fine restaurants, I'd recommend avoiding Mariza. The food we had was excellent, as is to be expected at this price point, but the service was so deplorable as to all but zap any enjoyment one might derive from it.
(1)Nelly B.
I really like this place, I have been a few times with friends and cannot complain! The raw bar/menu is perfect I've tried it all. It's loud, perfect for groups and has large and small plate options. I recommend the larger if you want meal, the smaller plates will leave you hungry even with an appetizer.
(4)Mike F.
Yes, yes, yes. Go go go. It was delicious, completely reasonably priced, all the flavors are interesting and meld well and the space is lovely. For a restaurant with high ceilings and a concrete floor, they do a nice job of sound deadening. It feels lively without being raucous. What did we have...amazingly fresh Buratta on a crostini with a perfectly ripe sweet tomato.... Chanterelles with crispy duck skin and peas. Damn. And I'm not that fond of mushrooms! Let's see, nice fresh Oysters with a nice mignotte, Duck Papardelle with smoked duck pieces and a crostini with pate on it. YES. SO nice. the richness of the pate and the very light tomato sauce. And the most unusual item, Pepperoni Soup. I know that sounds weird, but it was lovely. Kalamata olives and little pork meatballs in a spicy broth. It was really nice. Finally the Hanger Steak. Delicious. Perfectly cooked and AMAZING. On top of another crostini (all delicious and garlicky) with tapenade and drizzled with delicious pesto. It sounds like an odd combination, but it TOTALLY works. All of that and two cocktails and the bill was $93. We live not far away and will definitely be going back. We sat at the bar and ended up striking up a conversation with the people who came in part way through our meal and were sitting next to us. Oh yeah, and the no smartphones thing. Yes, please.
(5)Rachael F.
Way too salty. Large table all agreed. Server was not friendly - atmosphere & host were redeeming qualities.
(2)Jason C.
I went Friday night for dinner after watching the fireworks in the Bywater. This was my second trip and it didn't skip a beat. Ordered and split: Red Snapper Crudo- best app though it was cut thinner then I prefer Tuna Carpaccio- great salty bite with a olives and shaved parm Salumi plate of the day. Too hard for me to remember what we had. Kind of late in the night. We ordered the large portion which was plenty and a fair value. Special Eggplant pizza- I would skip pizzas going forward. Not their strength. IMO Short ribs rigatoni- frickin excellent dish. Must order! Super rich flavors that make you want to clean the plate. Braised lamb belly- Not sure I have had Lamb belly before but I really enjoyed this dish. The polenta it was sereved with was extra creamy. The belly was tender and flavorful. Green tagliatelle guanciale- like the other pastas full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The guanciale melts like butta. The short rib and lamb belly are 2 great dishes anyone would enjoy. Mariza has solitified their spot in the top tier pasta houses in NOLA. Try them soon!
(4)Matilde A.
Usually I don't give 5 stars to a place I visit often, because when you become a regular you see the weaknesses....but the drinks, the food , the service ..all are excellent. Yesterday one of us ordered the cheese plate (no restaurant I've visited has served a good cheese plate) and Mariza is as well barely ok...but the burrata, the duck ragout, the sweetbread risotto. ..all excellent. And their chocolate dessert is to die. Plus they serve good coffee...not espresso. ...but good.
(5)Robert B.
It had been a horrible week, really horrible. But I did have a visit to Mariza to look forward to. It turned out to be as good as expected. I'll start with the space itself, a really well done contempo looking place. I was lucky enough to snag a nice two top by the window away from the middle part of the room which is really crowded and noisy. The scene was cool too, a great confabulation of interesting people. One plus was there were a lot of really beautiful women dressed very nicely. My dining companion fit right in. We ordered drinks first, a special sangria with pureed peaches. It was good, but a little sweet for me so the DC finished mine (she is all about peaches). I switched to wine and had a great white Bordeaux and a red Barbera phenomally priced at $7. For food we tasted the tuna carpaccio, goat ricotta bruschetta with caponata, and 2 pastas- duck ragout with tagliatelle and short rib rigatoni. It was all delicious, but we both agreed the pastas were outstanding. The DC liked the short rib a little better, I preferred the duck, but it was a close race. The difference-maker for me were the slices of smoked duck breast on top of the ragout. When I go back, it'll be hard not to re-order those pastas. They were that good. But I do want to try the pizzas which looked awesome. The prices were very reasonable especially given the quality of the food. And parking is easy too. Can't wait until my next visit.
(5)Rene D.
This is a review where I'd like separate stars for different aspects of the experience. Food - 4 stars Service - 3.5 stars Ambiance - 4 stars It's a no-reservations place and since everyone wants to eat dinner at 8PM, we were the sassy cosmopolitan crew with a 9PM seating. Tall tables, which I hate for an entire meal. Sure, we could have waited, but then it would have been the 10PM seating. Our server was lovely, but since the kitchen was stil slammed, it seemed we waited for items longer than usual. Small plates? Small Plates. Nothing is shareable, unless you're eating with people who pretend not to eat. Two slices on the red snapper crudo appetizer? Really? I had the larger portion of one of the pastas, which seemed like the small portion of one of the pastas. Our cocktails tasted good, but were served incorrectly - a Salty Dog is on the rocks. I didn't get the martini glass, unless we were supposed to drink them faster (while cold), so were run up our tab... Look, the food tasted great and the lighting is stellar for those seeking romance. It's certainly not a break-up place; the acoustics are poor,so you'd have to scream, "It's not you, it's me" for all to hear. I'll go back when I'm not hungry.
(4)Robert C.
Great Meal and the best duck and oysters EVER!. The waitress was incredible and very attentive to our demanding table. Only suggestion - provide bread with the meal. THANK YOU MARIZA for a truly great experience.
(4)Cody H.
Cool place. The decor is nice and the service is very good. For me the food was good, but not great. I was expecting exceptional, but only received good. There was nothing wrong with the food, I think my expectations were very, very high which contributed to me not being impressed. I had the hanger steak and it was very good, the second time it came out. First time it came it the steak was room temperature. The waiter was very quick to bring it back and warm it up. Overall it was a nice experience, but I don' think we will go back.
(3)Laila B.
I visited Mariza a few weeks ago but didn't eat since my trendy friends wanted to eat dinner at 9:30. I ate dinner at 6 like an old lady and met them for drinks. Anyway, I had one of their specialty cocktails (the Bywater something or other), which was too sweet, and one bite of my friend's hanger steak, which was incredible. I thought so much about that one bite that I jumped when my husband suggested Mariza for our Saturday night dinner date. We were lucky enough to get seated without a wait so that was a plus. To start, we shared an appetizer special; herbed ricotta-stuffed ravioli with chanterelles . OK, the sauce was divine and so was the filling, the one extremely small dab of it anyway. As someone who used to make fresh pasta at a restaurant, I wasn't impressed with the pasta either. It tasted like it was held in water perhaps? We also shared the yellowfin tuna carpaccio with arugula and parm. No complaints! I had that oh-so-delectable steak and it was everything I remembered and more. Served draped over grilled bread with olive tapenade and drizzled with pesto. Perfect. Husband's duck confit was also a hit. Their beer menu is kind of limited but I had a very nice and inexpensive pinot noir, which I find can so often be hit or miss. Our entrees were good-sized and very reasonably priced, both $15 or $16. So I can't really complain about price except when I compare my $16 steak with a $12 ravioli appetizer (2 ravioli, extremely meagerly filled). Oh well, 2 apps, 2 entrees and 2 drinks per person for ~$80 is still really reasonable. Next time I'm getting the burrata crostini and lamb belly. Or the goat ricotta with kale and the short ribs rigatoni. And MUST leave room for the chocolate terrine with olive oil and sea salt. I have to have that.
(4)Alicia T.
Seriously, go here. Best meal I've had in a long time and it surprised me. Got the oysters which came with a mignonette that was amazingly chock full of fresh horseradish. Then I got two specials: tuna nicoise deconstructed on bruschetta and a beet and herb pasta. Dear lord. Everything about both dishes was spot on. The tuna had the perfect amount of olive oil and the pasta was cooked properly and so creative. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)Michael E.
Meh...it was ok, but expensive. Very small plates for the price. Our salad had way too much olive oil on it, but the cured meat was right on. I tried the quail and panchetta and the wife tried the short ribs rigatoni. Those dishes, plus two glasses of wine, was around $60.00. And again the plates were very small, kinda tapas like, so they were not meant to be main course dishes. The price would have been acceptable if the food had been right on, but it wasn't, so I left feeling like I had been taken. The flavors were just not there. Cool decor however, with the Edison light bulbs, wood, and brick...but that defines just about 50% of new spaces these days. All in all, probably won't go back.
(2)Lyric K.
Excellent! Thanks be for friends who LIve in NOLA and take you to amazing places. Off the quarter, but worth the cab fare. Goat cheese and eggplant brushetta is light and yet has a robust flavor, a great starter. Their version of a caprese salad has mozzarella so wonderfully fresh it melts on your tongue. The quail and pancetta entree is seasoned beautifully with a mild tang, cooked perfect a bit crunchy on the outside and so so tender inside. The gnocchi and green peas with bacon and gorgonzola sauce is the stuff of gods. Drinks are a good pour and a bit intense. Need something off the quarter to chill out? Mariza is a great choice!
(5)Lindsay R.
I broke the rules. When you first walk in, you'll be greeted by a sign that says NO SMARTPHONES. I sneaked my phone out and slyly checked in, but I have no pictures of this fantastic dining experience. It's too bad. Everything was certainly pretty. This is a modern take on Italian dining. The space is very warehouse cool, with heavy wood farm tables, including some communal dining tables, low lights, and high exposed ceilings. It's It definitely blends into the background without begging your attention, and sets the stage for all eyes to be on the food. It's on trend, but not stuffy. It's super sexy farmhouse chic. It's a little bit loud, maybe from all those people shouting at each other across the big communal tables, or maybe because the cocktails are so good, or maybe it's just the space. Mariza doesn't take reservations. When we arrived about 8pm on a Thursday, they had only the communal dining tables available, and my more experienced hosts made the point that they can be a little harder hear everyone, so we waited about 20-30 minutes at the bar for an open table. The bartender was providing great service and mixing fantastic cocktails, so it was a great way to start the night. They had a speciality cocktail for the evening called a Pom de Leon, featuring pomegranate liqueur. It was chilly, fruity, and refreshing after a hot and humid day walking around New Orleans. When we moved to the table, we started with the red snapper crudo from the raw bar to continue the trend of chilled and refreshing. It was the prefect way to start the meal. The subtle cucumber and mint cooly highlighted the natural snapper flavor without overwhelming it. My taste buds were primed and ready when my hangar steak showed up. I'd heard excellent things about the hangar steak from Morgan F (actually, about the crudo, too - this is why you go with a local), and she did not lie. It was so tender that it fell apart. It was rich and meaty without being a monster of a dish. Quality over quantity always. I switched to red wine during dinner, and the two flavors balanced each other perfectly for an intense and vibrant flavor explosion. The steak comes with a trifecta of ohmygodyes enhancements in the way of pesto, tapenade, and bruschetta. Is there any other way to do contemporary Italian? The dish was salty, meaty, herby, and vivid in a perfect balance. I couldn't finish all of my food, but I kept wanting to shovel it in because each bite was so wonderful. I'm glad I paused my vacuum eating action because a) this isn't Golden Corral or anything and b) there's a gorgeous dessert menu. We split the night's dessert special which was a blueberry thyme tart. The juicy blueberries were emphasized by the fresh thyme, which topped a velvety, sweet custard filling. The tart crust was a little too crisp for a fork alone, and when I went to try to take pieces off, they often broke noisily and messily, making it a little difficult to share. A slightly more fork-tender crust would've made everything perfect, but as is, it was still incredibly delicious. The night I went, the service could've been a little better, but it's my understanding our waitress was under the weather, and the food was so good that I almost didn't notice. Mariza is highly recommended as cool group hangout or an intimate date.
(5)Dan A.
Excellent food! Service was great as well- Lauren was wonderful. It took them a little while to seat our party of eight, so be warned. The pizzas are great, split one for a perfect appetizer. Sweetbread risotto was excellent, butternut squash soup special was as well. The chocolate terrine is the one you want- does anyone really like panna cotta that much? The portions are a bit small, but the prices are good. The quail was tasty but my friend only got a few bites off it. Definitely check it out
(5)Katherine L.
Strawberry Panna cotta? Yes please, I hope this doesn't disappear from the menu. Black linguini with shrimp and crab meat? It was good, but nothing to rave about. However, the lamb meatballs, fried polenta, and duck ragout papardelle were the bomb. But do you know what was better? The thing I mentioned above, the Strawberry Panna cotta was perfection. The service I experienced was great, and we were seated immediately when we stepped in. The decor was also cool, it was industrial, moody, and romantic, with trip hop jams playing. They had a corner where it was private with a larger table and large church type seats set against the walls. I also really liked the tall and long middle tables that if you don't mind, you can easily sit at and share with another couple or group of people. Next time, I'm going to order the Hanger Steak and the Whole Fish of the day. I can't wait. The only difficulty is with parking. It can get pretty packed, and make sure you don't park in the lot, that's for the apartment and you will be towed.
(4)Annie D.
First, the place is beautiful with brick and romantic-esque mood lighting, so it's a great place to take a date because everyone looks super-attractive under these conditions. My husband and I went on a Friday night and was seated promptly, the wait-staff super-friendly and knowledgeable. I started out with a drink-special - a grapefruit gin-fizz, which was bright and lovely. For the first course I ordered a ravioli special, which I devoured, it was so good ... it consisted of homemade pasta, meat and gorgonzola cheese in a creamy sauce ... and my husband had the pepperoni soup, which he really enjoyed. Next I had the fried polenta and he had the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin (which he loved). I'm a bit obsessed with grits and/or polenta and am always looking for the perfect dish of starchy, creamy-goodness ... and this polenta was amaze-balls. A nice crispy-fried exterior and soft creaminess inside, made even better with the tomato-based sauce that comes with it and a soft pile of freshly grated cheese on top. It's seriously good stuff. And for dessert we had the chocolate terrine, which had a little sprinkle of sea salt to really bring out the flavor of the dark chocolate. I would order it again for dessert in a second. Though they had a strawberry panna cotta that sounded amazing too. Sigh ... I guess I'll just have to go back. I really honestly have nothing bad to say about this place, which is a surprise because it's pretty much brand-spanking new. And I can't say enough how excited I am to have a nice Italian joint with homemade pasta and gnocci pop up in my hood. I'm seriously looking forward to returning and trying new things but I'm not sure if I can tear myself away from that fried polenta. Damn, that was good.
(5)Kim L.
I eat here all the time and love everything from the friendly staff to the gorgeous atmosphere. There can be a bit of a wait to be seated at times, but it's a testament to how good the food is. Definitely try the burrata and the short ribs rigatoni.
(5)Becky H.
I went here on a Friday night, and though it was packed we got seated in 5 minutes! The space is fantastic and our waitress was beyond helpful. Ordered: goat cheese bruschetta, red snapper crudo, mozzerella pizza, lardo pizza, and the chocolate dessert. The only thing that wasn't totally amazing was the goat cheese bruschetta, but probably because once you have one bite of the snapper crudo the bar gets raised super high. The crudo was excellent, everyone must order this! Also, the lardo pizza was delicious! It's not described that well on the menu, but definitely order it because the pickled peppers with the buttery bacon-like lardo and white sauce is super decadent, but not too rich. Mozzarella pizza was great as well. Obviously the chocolate dessert was yummy with sea salt and olive oil, it was the perfect end to a great dinner!
(4)Nicole E.
Sit at the bar, go with a date, order the goat ricotta bruschetta, a little pasta, and a nice bottle of wine...nuff said.
(5)Sarah W.
Great food, ambiance, and wine and cocktail list. The pepperoni soup is a must try and their pizza may be my favorite in town. Their menu is made for sharing and their prices are extremely reasonable!
(5)Louis P.
We went for the first time on a Sturday evening and it was a little crowded an noisy.. but that is to be expected. We were seated at our table with out to long of a wait at the bar. The food was great!... We started with a cheese board and an order of Bruschetta.. both were wonderful... my first entre was the black linguni with shrimp and crab... I have to say that five months ago we took a trip to Sicily.. and if I had closed my eyes while eating Marisia's linguni, I could have sworn that I was still in that resturant on the beach in southern Sicily! My second was pizza, but by then I was too stuffed to enjoy the whole pizza.. Over all a great experiance.... and one that makes me long for another trip to Italy. I only give one star less than five for the crowd and the noise, but what can you expect from a popular new place like Mariza!
(4)Randy S.
So back in NOLA for the football weekend and finally had a chance to hit up Mariza. A very nice spot in Bywater next to NOCCA. Don't know if this next act was a sign of things to come, but after parking walking up to the restaurant, I opened a door that was actually a closet full of cleaning supplies and not the restaurant's entrance. Oops! My friend Teche and I were able to be seated with no problem, I like eating at the bar, so there we sat. We did observe that we both really liked the interior, the wall dividing the kitchen and bar area (along the side with windows looking into parking lot) really needed some art of something on it instead of a trash can visible to everyone and stains on the wall from employees throwing trash into the can! Food menu looked good, We got a salumi plate and we were going to split the lamb belly entree. It is kinda hard to screw up a meat plate. And thus, it was not bad. I guess we expected better from the lamb belly. While it was very tender, the preparation (with polenta and tomato sauce) lacked seasoning. Twas rather plain in my opinion. And we both thought, lamb belly is NOT pork belly... Though I hope to be back and try out other dishes and have a better experience, but this first time there was not so impressive.
(3)Nancy C.
Can get really loud, bricks and drinking boosts the noise...good for larger groups drinking and yelling. Meats and cheese tray for five was varied and tasty: $30 it should be. Waitress refused to ask the kitchen to cut our pizza into five parts, said the kitchen would get upset, they were busy but she would bring me a knife and I could do it. Pizza was tasty, good crust. I got the lastporkchop of the night (at 6:15pm hmmm but I bit.)...good but I have had better. Prices reasonable but nothing on plate but TREMAIN...I had five little slices of apples with my chop. Sonny said his pasta overlooked and he did not like the red gravy...he has the best taste of us all soiput faith in his observations. I would not say no if someone else was paying but at close to $200 for five with just one cocktail and one glass I am snoot there.
(3)Valerie W.
Came here with a group of friends. The food (or at least what we had of it) was delicious. Unfortunately the service was so terrible we left before our entrees arrived. The server had a bad attitude from the beginning. It was at the end of a shift on Valentine's day- so forgivable. However, when we brought it to the managers attention he was defensive and rude. I worked as a front of house manager for a year and a half and dealt with some rude customers. I didn't even think we were being unreasonable (asking to order some appetizers before our entrees). However, rather than trying to smooth things over, the manager was defensive and tried to make us pay for food we hadn't even received. No matter how good the food is, it isn't worth the horrible service.
(1)K F.
i really doubted and underestimated before eating, now I'm addicted. Strongly recommend the tuna carpaccio, breasola, steak, and best pizza in town.
(5)Jeff S.
Started out a great Red Snapper Crudo pre-appetizer that was really really good. Sushi, you're dead to me. Crudo, lets go to the prom or at least make out in the back seat. Fair priced wine, we went with the second least expensive so i didnt appear like a unsophisticated rube, and it was good too, but then my friend saw that there was effen rigatoni on the menu and we were effen thrilled. I love to eat effen rigatoni but more than that i love to say 'effen rigatoni'; reminds me of my childhood, or a movie I once saw...can't remember which. Last time I had the gnochi, it was my favorite, but I had to have the effen rigatoni, which the waiter gladly brought us. Effen rigatoni, for real. I was enjoying myself so effen much I don't remember even eating the effen rigatoni, but when the effen manager checked on us to see how we were effen doing my face full of tagliatelli told the story (tagliatelli does not taste better while cursing, I have no idea why) For dessert, we had the panna cotta, perfect end. I think we cursed when we ordered it, but its kind of fuzzy. Another waitress came by and decrumbed out table and made sure we were effen happy. We were. Whole effen deal was cheaper than it should have been, we went to leave as we were one of the last tables left and felt bad we couldn't say goodnight to the manager cause he was such an effen nice guy, but as we got outside, he caught up with us and wished us a pleasant effen evening...he didn't need to, he already delivered. One of my favorite meals in a while, thanks to the whole effen crew.
(5)G M.
This is a nice place and follows the trend of restaurants in hotels and apartment buildings,but these are tiny tiny portions and its pretty pricey for that.Every oyster bar in the quarter has better quality cheaper oysters. I agree with the other diner that thought the fish should be deboned so you don't feel like you just bit into a pin cushion. I have gone twice because we live close by but I have to say for the money and the portions there are far to many other places to try in this city. Won't be going back anytime soon. If you you must go try the hanger steak its better than average.
(3)Jon B.
Everything we tried was exceptional... We had the seafood with linguini and Lardo Pizza which is probably the best non-sourdough crust in town. Also the Lamb Belly with Polenta and Whole Lane Snapper were awesome. Some of the best dishes in town...
(5)Courtie D.
Service - A, Atmosphere - A, Parking - B Burrata crostini and tomatoes - A, Salame & Gorgonzola salad - B, Steak special of the evening - A, Blueberry Sorbet with a sugar cookie - B. For being open just over six months, this place seems to have its' game down. The environment is completely comfortable and the prices are reasonable. Solid quality ingredients and presentation. We went on a weeknight fairly early so there wasn't a wait...but if there had been, it would have been worth it.
(4)Man In The Shadow S.
Worth the drive! Or however you commute. Everything is fresh and delicious, I recommend sharing, as you really do want to try as much as you can in one sitting. The restaurant is beautiful and sets right on the water off the Mississippi, the wine list is excellent, the cocktails are well made, the raw bar is a must, just come here, I'm pointing you in the right direction. Me and my girlfriend literally have to request off Tuesday evening from our jobs just so we can come and eat here.
(5)Aaron G.
Started out with a Nebiolo... Damilano. It went very well with the Salumi and Burrata. I had so much fun mixing and matching the different combinations. Each bite was better than the next. We then got the black linguini and lamb meatballs. I would do anything to eat those damn meatballs for every meal. There the best. I mean I can't wait to eat them again. Now I will go home and make love.
(5)Seth B.
Really great spot on the ground floor of a very cool building in the bywater area. This sleek and modern Italian joint has a lot of innovative pasta dishes along with a cool wine list. The owner shucks oysters himself and seems to really be involved with the entire operation. The hipster and diverse crowd makes me think I am eating in Brooklyn and not NOLA yet it remains elegant and sophisticated. I really think this place is a rising star in the New Orleans food scene and is doing a lot of great things!
(4)C K.
Let's start with the good. Really beautiful space. Loved the exposed brick and the sleek, sophisticated feel throughout. Located under the equally sleek Rice Mill Lofts (I so wanted to live here but had to find a place before they were finished building..) You forget for a second that you're in New Orleans. Kitchen and raw bar opens to the crowd so you can see them working their magic. The servers were very friendly. One of my friends didn't like his cocktail so they brought him a martini instead, and they insisted it be free of charge. The menu was mouth watering. Everything looked delicious, and we tried a little bit of it all... the oysters and the yellowfin tuna carpaccio. Gulf oysters are.. meh. The tuna was fine, simple. Unfortunately we waited nearly an hour for any food to come out and half way through the raw items, the rest of the food was placed in front of us all at once. Next up, goat ricotta bruschetta, I enjoyed this and recommend it! Wish it was a little bit of a larger portion though.. it is literally a singular bruschetta. Followed by... black linguini with shrimp and crab, which was pretty good, and duck ragout papardelle with liver mousse, only so so. The problem was that we ordered large portions of everything, but even split between three people meant only one or, at max, two bites each. There you have it, a smattering from across the menu, but nothing I would ever go back for. Still, it's a beautiful restaurant and worth checking out.
(3)Elijah C.
Another great addition to the downtown/bywater restaurant scene. Came tonight and was treated to several very tasty dishes served up in a really classy but comfortable environment. I had the short rib pasta. It was great. I wanted to slurp up the remaining juice ramen style but felt it might raise an eyebrow. Friend's veggie salad was great as well as our yellowfin carpaccio. We got to sample a couple tasty bits of the cheese and meat plate offerings (meat's cured by the owner I was told). Everything was awesome and I can't wait to go try everything I saw being served up, (hanger steak is next!) The only weird part of the place is you have to walk down this very long ramp to get back to your car/bike/sidewalk.. Not a deal breaker by any means though. Oh, very affordable for the level of food/service. Wouldn't be surprised if they hike the prices up in the future.. ;(
(5)Peter E.
This place is wonderful! We were in a relatively large party (8) and were seated right away. The cheese plate was good. But, the entree and salad were even better. I had the arugula salad. Very good. Braised lambs belly for the entree. The portions are not so big that you are overwhelmed. And priced quite well. I highly recommend this place. One tip: there's ample parking next door. It is not for the restaurant and, unfortunately is not well marked as such. Be prepared to park on the street and walk. It's worth it.
(4)Jenae C.
I like this place. The food was good, but not outstanding. Nice choices and the food's freshness, preparation and display was all nice. I did go when it was really busy. This is not a quite place. It is really noisy. I think mainly because of the building design. The staff was friendly enough, but could have been a little more attentive. And we were sitting at the bar. Overall, it was a good experience, but it is down my list of restaurants to dine in New Orleans. There are just too many that are so outstanding in this city for me to rush back here.
(3)Kira L.
My disclaimer is two-fold: 1. Mariza just recently opened, so they need some time to work out the kinks. 2. My expectations were hella-high as I've been waiting about a year for this place to open up! That said, I was overall disappointed. The feel of Mariza is great. It's not-too-big, not-too-small. There are a few small tables as well as several larger high-tops for a more communal-type dining. We had a group of six, so were seated at one end of a larger high-top. The service, though occasionally spotty as the restaurant filled up was friendly. Our server was able to recommend several dishes and was pretty spot -on about the amount of food needed to feed six who were sharing. We started with a dozen raw oysters (excellent!) and then moved onto the large charcuterie plate. The majority of the cured meats were flavorful, but a few were really lacking in taste and need a healthy helping of creole mustard to make them worth a bite. Big shout-out to the Boudin balls though! Wow they were great. As for the entrees, this was where it was really mixed bag. The steak my boyfriend and one of our friends had was excellent and came with a great tapenade. Another friend had the lamb belly which was also delicious. Myself and another friend each had the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin which for both of us, was nothing short of a massive disappointment. To start off, neither of our dishes were cooked thoroughly. My friend's was almost completely raw and had to be sent back for more cooking. The half of mine that I started on was edible, but when I made it to the second half, similar to my friend's, it was thoroughly cooked, but at that point I was too disappointed by the lack of flavor to want to eat anymore. The bacon wrapping the tenderloin was also lackluster...it was overcooked and simply didn't have that juicy, smoky bacon-y flavor I truly love. So overall, I'd say give it a few weeks and then try again. The bar (raw & alcoholic) is excellent and I'm a huge fan of anything Bywater and/or local, so I'm definitely rooting for Mariza to pull it together! Not to mention the pricing is incredibly reasonable!
(3)Emerson A.
I was very excited about this new restaurant. We were there around 7:00 Pm place was busy. We were greeted by a man that looked like he slept on the clothes he was wearing all wrinkle not shaven not like a hosted should look like!! We were seated by the window and we ordered a Bottle of wine.. our waiter was very friendly and explain the special very nicely.. We had an appetizer wich was very nice (Goat cheese) my wife food was very good but mine was horrible. I had the Red Snapper wich came to the table Raw way under cooked plate was send back. And waiter said that the cheff was sorry but because place was busy he did not realize Fish was not cooked. Chef never came out to try to said sorry or anything. There was no intention of doing something for me the customer. The reason I went to this restaurant is because their claim of fame is that they worked at Lilette but not even close to the type of service you get on Lilette.
(2)Andrew G.
Great flavors at great prices! Duck confit that makes you want to cry tears of joy. Whole fish is as good as I've had. "Right side of the tracks" is a delicious cocktail that will kick you in the ass if you have 2 or 3 or 4! Service is friendly and attentive. Atmosphere is modern without being sterile. Only suggestions I can think of are: figure out a deal with NOCCA or Rice Mill for parking, and the hydraulic door mechanisms on the bathrooms close painfully slowly when you need to go! Alas, a great new addition from the wonderful folks behind Iris restaurant.
(4)Alessia F.
Last night I finally tried this restaurant in the neighborhood and I definitely have waited too long to do so! It was delicious and the prices are really goo for the quality and portions. My friend and I shared the pickled vegetable salad wich was good, but probably the least favorite thing I tried. I then had the red snapper crudo that I can't stop thinking about, it was sooooo good! My friend had the burrata and crostini and she liked a lot. I couldn't try it because of a gluten intolerance, but I was born and raised in Italy and I can tell you that looked exactly like what I'm used to eat over there and it is delicious. As an entree I ordered the lamb belly over polenta with tomato sauce and it was heavenly.M y friend had the hanger steak and she loved it. We also ordered dessert, my panna cotta was good, but not fat enough compared to what I make and what I'm used to in Italy, my friend dessert was the chocolate terrine and it was really good. The service was fast and attentive, and the price was very reasonable. They don't take reservations, but the wait wasn't too long even if they were very busy last night.
(5)Jamie R.
Unfortunately I thought this new hot spot was over hyped. Was really expecting something great but my short rib pasta was just ok. I was expecting red sauce. My husband had the risotto and he thought it was very basic nothing great. Needless to say I will not go again. But prices were decent.
(2)Aaron N.
This place is amazing. It is off the beaten path a little and is a nice walk from the French Quarter. The restaurant itself is very nice looking and modern. The food was perfectly proportioned and very creative. I had the burrata for my starter and had the duck ragu for dinner. For desertI had the chocolate thing that I can't recall the name of but it was great. I can't stop saying nice things about this place. It is also close to Franklin Ave where you can listen to really good live music. It's a must go!!
(5)Amanda M.
The black linguini with shrimp was delish!!! So flavorful. That being said the service left a lot to be desired. Our waiter actually blamed a friend we were dining with for the wrong entree that he received. We all heard what he ordered and when he calmly and politely pointed out that the dish wasn't what he ordered the waiter got defensive. It was really awkward and uncomfortable.
(2)Sylvia L.
This place is OK but it is nothing to write home about/or drive out to the Bywater for. The yellowfish tuna carpaccio was a tad fishy and my whole fried redfish was lacking seasoning. However, the short rib rigatoni, goat ricotta bruschetta and chocolate terrine were very good, but in New Orleans you can get those things at other restaurants ALONG with a satisfying entree. The food at Mariza leaves a lot more to be desired but the service made up for the disappointment and made the experience much more enjoyable.
(3)Lilly D.
Great service and the food was delicious. The raw veggie salad was incredible. Doesn't sound like much, but it was beautiful and fresh. The duck risotto with duck cracklin was amazing. Cute place.
(4)Laney P.
I have to say, I love Mariza! I went with one friend. I got the eggplant roasted pepper gnocchi, and I did not like it. My friend got the special, which was butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce. She kindly switched with me since she loved mine! The Burrata was DELICIOUS - one of the best I've ever had. My friend got the bresoala salad. It was a really nice size, and delicious. We also got the chocolate terrine - IT'S A MUST. Despite not caring for the gnocchi, everything else was impeccable. Our waiter was really, really nice but took forever. They definitely need more wait staff, seeing as they were COMPLETELY packed and I only saw a few waiters. Definitely not enough.
(4)Kat M.
Great service and lovely space, but this is not Italian food--it's new American tapas. Rome by way of Eataly. Portions are too small for the price (we are far away from NYC, after all). No respectable Italian restaurant would serve any type of bird on a bed of greens--the bird is its own plate. Raw veggie salad was underdressed, and, again, not remotely Italian. Manco il nome! Love the staff and hope the food makes up its mind.
(2)Sammy S.
The food is just OK. Pretty interior and nice staff though. The oysters were very fresh BUT they do not serve them with horseradish like I'm used to. Instead they bring a sweet red dipping sauce and a vinaigrette.
(3)Michelle T.
I am Mariza's biggest fan. The first time I went, I was so impressed that I vowed to our waiter that he would begin to see me regularly, which started immediately the next weekend. It is my go-to eat out restaurant whether I'm alone, with girlfriends, or on a date. The food, ambiance, and service are stellar. This is why I am so shocked that there is NO publication anywhere that the restaurant is closed for the entire month of August. I am totally used to this happening in NOLA during the summer, however whether via website, facebook, twitter, or last case voicemail -- I really expect to be able to have some sort of heads up. Not only have I been sorely disappointed upon arrival, I have also recommended to first timers to go by and come to find out -- you guys are closed! :( Maybe consider before next summer's vacation. Can't wait for my next chocolate terrine.
(4)Dan J.
Everything I tried was good. One of the main dishes at our table was really more appetizer sized, but there was plenty to go around anyway. Peperoni soup - that's just crazy - but it was so good! I will definitely go again.
(4)alex k.
Beautiful space. Pleasant atmosphere. Horribly run. We waited for a meat and cheese appetizer plate for over an hour. And had to remind them three (three!) times we had ordered it. Finally, I'm assuming he was the manager, came over to speak with us. No apology, nothing to offer us, and seemed annoyed we would even question his restaurant. Will never be back. Save your time and money. As locals, we can tell you there are a lot of great restaurants in this city that also have great service. This aint it.
(1)Arwen P.
Great crudo and the fresh oysters were succulent and had a very interesting delicious sherry dip. Every entree was outstanding and memorable, rib eye, ravioli, confit, gnocchi- all fantastic! The desserts also stood out. Pricing on the wines and cocktails are also very reasonable. Cheers to the Chef! And also great service, so cheers to the waitstaff and bar. My only complaints are that the acoustics amplify all the sound and could be greatly improved, and the AC was blowing directly on our table even though it was 55 degrees outside.
(5)Bill M.
We are in New Orleans visiting our daughter. As usual we are avoiding the tourist traps in the Quarter and hanging in her neighborhoods. She lives in the St Roch and was a longtime resident of the funky Bywater hood. Last night she said we needed to dine at Mariza, a Bywater restaurant that we had not visited before. We were glad we did, the service, food and ambience were really good. Our waiter, Isaiah, was friendly in a real way, not that patronizing "friendliness" that I usually find offensive. The pace of the meal was just right. The food was excellent although the menu was a bit limited. The theme was more or less Italian. My wife enjoyed her short ribs with rigatoni; my duck with pappardelle was tasty; and my daughter said her salad with cured meat was good but she wasn't crazy about the black linguini with crab and shrimp. The room reminded me of San Francisco in the '70's, sand blasted brick walls, exposed ductwork, etc (but no ferns!). Somehow the acoustics were fine. The room was crowded but not very noisy. We will be back, Mariza is cool.
(5)Darrin B.
Great restaurant. Highly recommend. We had the pepperoni soup, gnocchi and short rib rigatoni. Fantastic! Cool atmosphere too
(4)Domenic C.
Simple well executed food. most new restaurants in this neighborhood are trying to hard with weird combinations that sometimes are good but all to often are just weird. Great to finally have a chef in the hood who can put together some classic flavors in new ways that just taste great. Price, ambiance and drinks are great. Ride your bike there if you can or better yet walk. Just be careful not to park at nocca or you could get towed.
(5)margaret H.
Very excited about the opening of this restaurant by the people behind Iris, one of my favorites in the FQ. On opening weekend, they had it together - food, service and decor was great. I found the quality at Mariza to match expectations of the chef with an exciting menu at a downtown price point, diversifying the Bywater's growing offerings to include contemporary Italian eats. We tried a cheese plate and some homemade pastas, prepared and presented simply but with imaginative ingredient combinations, sophistication and style. The panna cotta was my favorite. It was creamy, delicately flavored and topped with the freshest strawberries, just like this dessert is supposed to be (and that often falls flat at other restaurants). And a bonus, the designers paid attention to the acoustics - you can hear your dinner conversation! I expect it will become the newest destination restaurant in the Bywater and a regular spot for the neighbors.
(5)Michael D.
Mariza is a close as New Orleans gets to A16 (San Francisco) with it's simple but elevated presentation of Italian inspired cuisine prepared with flair and finesse. The first time I dined there, I took a seat at the bar and took in the handsomely appointed dining room and open air kitchen. The converted industrial space suits the restaurant beautifully. I was able to observe the kitchen and how each dish was prepared with elegant precision and hand-kissed with just the right touch of seasoning or a brushstroke of pesto perhaps. In this kitchen, otherwise tired dishes like bruscetta, tomato and cheese salads, and even meatballs are prepared with the hearth and passion of a home kitchen but also presented with artistic grace and attention to detail. Savory salumi, unctuous cheese, impeccable produce, and terrific flavor combinations punctuate each offering. I'd give the place 9 out of 10, with the only glitches being minor technical service issues. A great new restaurant!
(4)