4. Restaurants

Mother’s Restaurant

401 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA, 70130
  • (504) 523-9656
  • Store is closed

Mother’s Restaurant Menu

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  • Teri S.

    Amazing Place. Very unassuming. I should mention I never heard of it, never was pre-hyped on it.I was just walking by on the way back to my hotel and it seemed old school and cool. I was hungry after spending the afternoon in the Treme and visiting the cemeteries. Lots of walking. I hit it just right as I went in exactly before the line started to form. I walked in, stood behind one person and ordered. I got a seat no problem. Behind me , a line formed all the way outside the door down the sidewalk.It seemed to move pretty fast though to me, and the tables around me turned over fairly quickly. This is an old fashioned joint that has been around since the 50's. It has that look and feel. It was packed and it was not fancy or anything. The place was buzzing with business. Yep, you are going to be leaning up against someone's table while you wait, your behind will hit thier back, and your purse will probably hit thier head. You probably won't get a table right away, you will be on top of people.The walls are covered in pictures of all the famous people , locals and military that have eaten there. Lots to look at. You order, pay and then you sit down and they bring it to you if you stay.When you see a big line you might consider taking it to go. Getting mad about not finding a seat when it is cram packed with a line out the door and down the street seems like a waste of energy. Cleanliness wise , Like I mentioned it is old fashioned and a bit dated, and it is just constant turnover, so I imagine there get to be straw wrappers etc., left on the tables that they don't get to, but my table was clean and I had condiments.There were people running around with brooms and rags the whole time I was there. I did sit a " used " table that was recently vacated and they came and wiped it within minutes, before the food came. For my particular order, I had fast service. They won't take tips... they are just nice people. Great prices for the quality. They served my bloody mary out of one of those old aerator machines, way cool. I got the soft-shell crab sandwich. I must say it was one of the best things I have ever eaten, period. Perfect. The bread was so soft and fresh and the crab was cooked perfect. Seasoned perfect. The slaw was great, nice and light, crisp. I know a line is no fun, but it was worth it. I can see how it could be a tourist trap, but it was 50/50 filled with locals and tourists. If you have a low tolerance for lines, crowded places or old school diner type atmospheres with fried and salty foods, you probably won't enjoy it. I didnt try the other food, but I didnt see any sour faces.

    (5)

  • Danielle G.

    This place was recommended by our cab driver and it was great (and right by our hotel, bonus). Expect long lines, but it goes fast. Ordering process is fast paced so be prepared. Food is exactly what you think of when you think NOLA. Famous Ferdi po'boy is so delicious and sopping with drippings ( ham, roast beef, debris and gravy). The crawfish etouffee was a bit fishy for my tastes and half of the crawfish looked raw, so I wouldn't order that again. The biscuits are AMAZING. So flaky and moist.

    (4)

  • Gerald H.

    The food was good. I ordered the 1/2 fried chicken plate. It takes 25-30 min to make fried chicken to order. The line was pretty short on the day I went. The food is good but I doubt I would wait 30 min in line to order a po-boy or fried chicken. The place looks small but there are lots of tables in the back rooms. The ordering is like cafeteria style. The chicken was good, the beans and rice was really good. I hope it rains again because the lines are shorter.

    (3)

  • YelpO O.

    Superman's Cape. What I was duped into thinking was a heralded staple of the city of New Orleans was actually a muddled, lazy mess. Unkempt, indifferent staff makes you feel like you're right back home at the DMV. The same glazed, comatosed demeanor - would have preferred an animatronic Chuck E. Cheese doll - at least those smile. $5 to the first customer who gets the checkout lady to look you in the eyes. But I was here for a sandwich, not to get my car out of the impound lot as the staff's conduct would have suggested. Well, it started out well enough - an armed police officer kindly told me to stand against a wall. As one does at all fine dining establishments. There I found a line of other duped patrons. A menu is flung at us with the same carelessness. We're being treated with the same delicateness the pigs on their menu were treated, so I suppose it's only fair. My order is taken abruptly, and I'm given a receipt and a cup of water. (The water lady was actually really sweet). I sit. I wait. 15 minutes. Only then does the frazzled waitress come to me with her eyes looking everywhere but into my own. "Can I have your ticket?" You mean my order hasn't even gone in yet? 20 minutes and four reminders later, she finally brings me my sandwich. Okay great - moment of truth. I can look past all the dilapidated social compasses. As long as the food is good. Because fuck it, you can give me a trash can lid as a plate and a tire iron as a fork, if the food is good I'm as tickled as a teenage girl's first bike ride. So throw it at me! Earn your incompetence! Earn your lack of basic hygiene and social currency! Make me not care that you don't care! Bring on the food! Bring on the sandwich! Pale, textureless, flavorless bread - as though Subway rolls had sex with a bag of Wonderbread, but much whiter and more boring. A trillion miles from the stapled New Orleans super crusty French bread that can be seen all over the city. But, at least the bread came served in a plate filled with a quarter inch of water for the bread to sit in. That's right, what was supposed to be a nice crusty roll, is just a Wonderbread waste product sitting in a pool of water. The bottom of the bread now completely soaked reminiscent of a freshly christened diaper. This was supposedly their "gravy". However, mine was simply clear tap water that a piece of meat may or may not have been in at some point. But, at least the meat was cold. Yes, nothing says warm Louisiana po boy like a cold Louisiana po boy. It was just awful as I sat there thinking of what canned microwaveable meal I'd be eating when I came home to supplement this travesty. Let it be known that this was my Second venture to this restaurant. The first, a similarly poor experience, I chalked it up to a bad day, bad timing, so I returned to give them a second chance. Silly rabbit. I guess I'm mad because this place had a name, but now it's just a name, whatever flavors and energy started this place years ago have long fled. It used to have story, a legend. But if you stick a piece of shit in Superman's cape, it's not going to fly. - YelpO

    (1)

  • Allegra N.

    The staff was rude and ignored us. The food we had for lunch was ok. Not bad but not good. Being ignored for a cell phone just doesn't make up for it. I don't give one star lightly.

    (1)

  • Kelly J.

    A hole in the wall diner. The food is decent but not for the price.

    (3)

  • Kristen C.

    NOLA's culinary scene keeps me alive and well. Mother's is a famous restaurant that even Beyonce loves..check her instagram photo at Mother's that they have added to their celebrity wall of Fame. Rumor has it that she shut down the place when she came. That's Bey! As my boyfriend and I walked the parade route, we our stomachs were ravished and we decided to walk an extra mile to try Mother's. As you walk in, you're handed a menu and told to stand in line to order. As you stand in line, you get an up close glance of all the food items that are all hot n ready to go, for instance red beans and rice. As you approach the counter, you place your order and receive your drink and your ticket to place on the table. The place is really small up front but there is additional seating in the back. We opted to sit in the back near the door so that we could still see some of the parades passing by. About 10 minutes later, our waitresss broughout out our food and my mouth immeditatley began to water. I ordered crawfish etoufee with an order of cabbage and red beans and rice. My plate was empty faster than it took to come out. Our waitress was gracious and continued to check on us after we finished our meal. Since we were there for Mardi Gras, we kept the party going and exited soon after finishing our meal but we both gave Beyonce a quick wave and told her that we would be back soon. :)

    (5)

  • Bill B.

    Entered Mothers just after 1PM on a Wednesday and the noon crowd had thinned out. We still had to wait in line for a few minutes however ever that gave us time to review the menu. Looked behind the counter where the food was being prepared and almost left. The floor was covered with spilled food. I ordered the 2/3 roast beef and I am not certain what I got. The po'boy came with several slices of thin sliced roast beef and then about an 1/2 inch of what appeared to be meat from a chuck roast. The they put some mustard and something else on the sandwich while drowning it is beef broth. That made for one soggy po'boy. My spouse had a turkey po'boy(2/3 size) which was stacked with real turkey, not eh compressed stuff you get many times. It too though had a lot of mustard and sauces on it but at least it was not soggy like my po'boy. Both sandwiches were hugh and we had no ideal how we could each them. We got though half Ok and then struggled with the remainder. In the meantime the restaurant kept filling with customers and there was even a line as we left. You order and pay for you meal at the end of the line. Drinks were also filled at that point. The meal was interesting and good at the same time. The po'boys are not cheap so expect to pay about $25 for two po'boys and two drinks. This place really needs a good cleaning. Notice we opted for the 2/3 size as the large po'boy is a very large meal.

    (4)

  • Robert G.

    This was my only dinner in NOLA and it was not going to be fine dining. I wanted grub and wasn't interested in sniffing a wine cork. The front desk at the hotel recommended it along with two or so other choices. Mother's sits right on wide, busy Poydras Street. At night, within a few blocks, parking could easily be found. The restaurant was sort of nondescript, but its reputation preceded it. I was able to glance at the menu at the door, where there was a police officer on hand. That was cool. He was cool. So, you have time to decide what to order before you go up to the counter and picking out a seat. As for picking out a seat, the ones at the perimeter were taken and, since the walls are covered in photos, I had the "privilege" of sitting under a photo of George W. and Laura Bush. I had the popular "Ferdi" po' boy. I also was tempted, and hungry, not having eaten for some eight hours, by the bread pudding, so I also ordered that. To this, I added a cup of decaf. The Mother's experience was great. The people behind the counter just do their job. The people who bring the food to you are characters and make you feel very welcome. Two of them gave me a "tour" of the photos. Perhaps this is what made it memorable. I'm going to take a star away because the prices are a little on the high side. This combination of what it essentially a large sub or a hoagie, bread pudding, and a cup of java cost more than the lunch buffet at Harrah's the next day. Still, do it! Mother's has to pay the rent for a place that sits right across the street from a W Hotel.

    (4)

  • Kari K.

    Oh my sweet 'lanta! This place is the bomb diggity! We traveled to New Orleans for a cruise and we were recommended this place for some New Orleans local food. Well that is what you are going to get! You walk in the tiny old school restaurant and are a bit taken back by the line, well let me tell you it moves very quickly. You order almost cafeteria style then they bring your plate to your table. The gumbo soup is awesome with rice and chicken sausage. Then for a course, if you want to feel uncomfortably full or split a plate with someone GET THE JAMBALAYA!!!! It's got a kick but it's soooo good. Speaking of kick- their blood Mary's are hard to get down unless you like spice like me!

    (5)

  • Altha W.

    Closer to good than great. I had the sampler: crawfish etoufee, red beans n rice, jambalaya, cabbage (instead of potatoe salad) and a side turnip greens...da dunkadonkdonk...heavy, wgat wad i thinking. ..rice, rice and rice. Greediness gone baf, lol. Everything was good nothing was mind blowing. i did finish the RBR and etoufee but jambalaya was gonna take me over the Foodie edge. Cabbage was fresh, not certain about tge greens but both favorful! i orderedbread pudding but it was never brought to the table so I had another favorite; pecan pie that is allegedly made inhouse...for 5.75 they should stick to their world famous ham.worth going but i wish i had been drunk or in "food save me hangover mode:" my Nawlins food experience is not going so great

    (3)

  • Regina P.

    The food is not what we expected. Also got ill after eating there. I wouldn't recommend this place.

    (1)

  • Ray B.

    Nothing but hype. This place must have a friend at the airport. I saw at least 3 groups of people from my flight end up here. The food was just ok, but come on people this is the big easy you have to do much better than this. I guess thats why they need that friend at the airport ;-)

    (1)

  • Thomas A.

    DEBRIS PO'BOY!!!!! Juicy, messy, delicious. Need i say more?

    (4)

  • Gina A.

    Food is ok, but biscuits were really good. The first table we sat at a male elderly waiter was SUPER rude, so we got up and moved to another table. Our new waitress was very pleasant and attentive. My son's waffles took a long time to come out, the rest of us were more than halfway done with our meal when he got it. I doubt I'd recommend this place.

    (3)

  • Rollie R.

    So visiting New Orleans we had to give mothers a try. Yes the line was long, but it was not a long wait to get in. Everyone was friendly, I had a few questions before I ordered and the staff answered those questions and was very polite the entire visit. We had the Ferdi, order of fries, grits, and bread pudding. Our meal was fantastic, the meats were tender and the debri they topped the sandwich with was incredible. It was a little messy but very tasty. The grits were creamy and smooth. The fries were okay, but they were crispy and hot when they came out. The best part was the bread pudding, great way to end our meal

    (5)

  • Mrs. W.

    This place came recommended. It's a different type of restaurant. We stood outside in line for 25 minutes, before we were moved inside to stand in another line for 15 minutes to order food at the cash register. We were handed our drinks and directed to find a table. The food was brought to our table, and was good. My Po Boy was on such hard bread that I didn't eat the bread at all. Salad was very good. French Fries weren't fresh. The STAFF is really what made the visit only 3-stars. Not one employee smiled or even acted happy to be there. They seemed annoyed by every customer that sat at a table. I was afraid to ask for a refill on tea because the waitress was so annoyed with everything/everyone. Waitresses were yelling at kitchen staff and just made this place less than desirable.

    (3)

  • Frank B.

    Mothers is Mother F@@KING GOOD and it shows!!!!!!! Don't let that line scare you off because it moves fast. Grab a menu and figure your game plan out prior to you getting to the point where you order It really helps ya out from looking like an idiot. If your with a few people order as many different things as you possibly can (You'll understand once you try the food) because these folks don't skip on portions and it ain't no California diet place either. I had red beans & rice and fried shrimp platter , there must have been a minimum 18 nice sized shrimp on my plate so I walked out stuffed. The bread pudding looked good, but honestly I was to stuffed to try it. Well worth the wait and would recommend it to anyone heading to NOLA!

    (5)

  • B L M.

    I came here ten years ago and knew that on this trip, I had to stop in again. Food is fantastic, the ham is amazing, and the staff is friendly. A great example of the super service and food you can get at a local business instead of the chains.

    (5)

  • John V.

    Best restaurant in NOLA for the money. I've had jambalaya all over the US and this is the best, hands-down. It isn't the most scenic place, it has a cafeteria feel to it. But the food is delicious and quick. Plenty of seating too.

    (5)

  • Mallory K.

    We stumbled upon Mother's shortly after arriving to New Orleans after a HORRID travel experience, and it was EXACTLY what we needed. The food was unbelievably delicious. My mom and I were only in NOLA for 3 days, but we managed to squeeze in 2 trips to Mother's before we left. The night before flying home, we decided we wouldn't be able to live with ourselves if we didn't try their fried chicken (even though it comes with a 30 min wait). It was worth it. If I ever find myself back in NOLA, this will be my FIRST stop!

    (5)

  • Lauren J.

    We went to mother's one morning to try out the famous restaurant. When we arrived, there was a line out front. Not to be discouraged, we stuck it out and were let in after about 10 minutes. Once inside, our expectations were shattered. The staff was extremely pushy and yelled at a few customers because they were in a walkway or sat at a table before ordering. Everything was very chaotic and clearly the place was filled with tourists so you'd expect the staff to be a bit nicer and more helpful. Instead, everyone was rolling their eyes and acting like you were wasting their time. After making it to the register and not receiving a single greeting, we ordered a shrimp po boy, creole shrimp omelet, cup of jambalaya and a cup of etouffee. ..totaling to $47!!! We went and sat a table and received our food shortly after. The jambalaya was decent, the etouffee fishy, a lackluster po boy and an absolutely disgusting and chewy omelette. We tried to choke down the food just to justify what we paid but we ended up leaving most of it and walking away because we didn't dare ask for for a to-go box and burden any of the staff.

    (1)

  • Maggie H.

    I went for dinner around 8 and there was a line stretching outside of the restaurant. The wait was about 35 minutes. Honestly, not really worth it. From all the suggestions, I was expecting some great food. Granted I've only tried one thing on the menu (the roast beef po boy). It was messy to eat and just average. A bit expensive for the quality of food (Paid $13 for my meal) Honestly, I like Arby's better. The other people on my party didn't think the food was all that great either. There are so many better restaurants in New Orleans. If you go, try the Debris. I regret not ordering it. The only person in or party who really loves the food ordered the debris poboy.

    (2)

  • Jon S.

    Mother's Restaurant is another must-stop when in NOLA. It is not a lot to look at inside or out, but don't let the old faded sign scare you - get on inside. A little closer to the hotels makes it easy to get to Mother's after you have slept in from a late night on Bourbon Street, but before going out to see the sights. I always get the Ferdi Special dressed, so that I can get a variety of flavors on my sandwich, but it is the beef debris that makes the sandwich. For those that don't know, debris is the little bits of beef that are left in the bottom of the pan after cooking the roast, although I think Mother's probably sells enough debris that they make sure there are extra little bits. The juicy beefiness that is contained within the debris is a celebration in your mouth! When you walk in the restaurant, you get in line, place you order, pay your bill, and wait for your drink. Once you get the drink, go choose a table anywhere in the restaurant. Put the receipt on the edge of the table and a server will come pick it up and bring your food to you when it is ready. Be prepared for this to be a bit of a wait when it is busy. Oh, and definitely add some of the pepper vinegar to the juice on your plate - it dials up the sandwich a notch when you dip in it.

    (5)

  • Emily D.

    Great experience here!!! I know this is crazy, but we were looking everywhere for breakfast (like NOLA doesn't have any restaurants or anything) and we finally just decided to go here because a) it's on every NOLA must-do list b) it served breakfast and lunch c) we were interested in seeing if it lives up to its reputation. We got there around 11, and there was maybe a 10 minute wait. We were able to look at the menu, which was impressive. We walked in and waited in line to order. We took in the decor and people- the staff was friendly, the customers looked happy, and the food looked excellent. We basically had an order of each meal- my brother had the three pancakes with grits, my dad had the debris, and I had the ham dinner meal. The pancakes were huge and fluffy, and the maple syrup smelled so divine. The grits came with slabs of butter on the side. The grits had a nice texture, but needed hot sauce and butter. My dad said his debris was nothing special, even though it looked delicious- the roast beef juice was dripping down the sides and the bread was sopping up all the flavor. My ham dinner was a winner! The ham was just like they advertised: sweet, smokey, and tender. I had three sides with it: collard greens, green beans and tomatoes, and red beans and rice. It's obvious that ham is mother's specialty, because it was in EVERYTHING. Not that I'm complaining. But if you're Jewish, sorry. The green beans were sooooooooooo surprisingly good. The greens were like any other greens, and the red beans weren't anything special. Another surprise: the lemonade is amazing! If you're familiar with chick-fil-a lemonade, this is its hotter older sister. This place gets 3 stars because of the nice atmosphere, great food, and good experience- but we felt rushed and it had a tad bit too many tourists for my taste.

    (3)

  • L S.

    I absolutely love this place and I dine here every time I'm in New Orleans. Seafood platter with soft shell crab highly recommended. Red beans and rice is delicious. Greens and cabbage are so yummy!! I didn't care too much for the potato salad.

    (4)

  • Audrey A.

    Workers at the register were RUDE! It was our first time and we did not know the drink situation. Apparently it's all self serving and when we asked what do to, the lady mean mugged us and half way filled our water and left it on the tap and walked away leaving is to do it. I wouldn't have minded if she politely showed us instead of seeing it as an inconvenience of her time. I ordered the jumbalaya and my boyfriend ordered the shrimp po boy. The jumbalaya was normal not anything special The shrimp po boy was NOT deveined and the bread was hard I don't really understand the hype about this place? At least have nicer people working or add signs for the self serving drinks.

    (1)

  • Maria J.

    This place is underwhelming. The red beans and rice had no flavor, the ham was dry and tasted like it had been sitting around for a long time. Try someplace else. The food wasn't nasty, it just wasn't good.

    (2)

  • James S.

    This place is a must for anyone wanting to try New Orleans food the right way. Stand in line, wait your turn, and you will be rewarded. The jambalaya is amazing, and definitely try their signature sandwich, the Ferdie. Close enough to walk from the convention center and the French quarter. 5 stars, no problem.

    (5)

  • Julio P.

    It is a very interesting place. From the way the little brick building is set up, to the cashier which is like a machine. She is very efficient at taking the order and getting your drink to you. Then the lady that is tending to the tables is kind of like the soup Nazi from Seinfeld, but a has a very dry humor which I loved. She is sweet in her own way. The food was amazing. Full of flavor and well worth the wait in line. I definitely recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    Mother's is a very appropriate name for this restaurant: - You have no choice but to eat with a lot of annoying, loud people. - A sweet little woman takes your order and serves you. - The tables, chairs and silverware are no-frills and not quite clean. - You are free to sit wherever you want. - You don't leave any tips (really, they make it a point of saying not to). - You sometimes have to wait forever for that damn food to be ready. - They'll whip up almost anything you can think of. - They have a bunch of fresh homemade pies cooling on display. - Great home cooking, though some stuff is a little sloppy (that Famous Ferdi Special ($10.75) is delicious but the bread gets way too soggy under all that debris and gravy). Just like mother's, this place is delicious and welcoming and I wouldn't mind coming back regularly for a nice, hearty, home-cooked meal.

    (4)

  • Joshua M.

    Mm crawfish étouffée omelette was really good. The line went fast.. Highly recommend it.

    (4)

  • Steve H.

    Over rated, go once if you have not been, but then find somewhere else. Biscuits dry, eggs ok, and coffee was bad.

    (2)

  • Annie T.

    Had to try this restaurant based on tourist reviews & history. Party of four, two adults & two kids. We ordered an entree per pair with an extra cup of red beans & rice & crawfish étouffée. Kids split the crawfish étouffée. Adults split the famous Ferdi special (basically a huge serving of cold bread with three meats). Very dry and flavorless. So disappointing. Crawfish étouffée was okay, not bad but also not served hot enough. I've had way better. Red beans & rice were ordinary. Bill was $65.00. Overpriced! We should've listened to the locals passing by saying how crappy Mother's was & how it was just a tourist attraction. Tomorrow, I'm definitely eating some fried fish/shrimp from nearby street vendors. At least we took a cute picture outside the restaurant...... Happy eating from my picky palate

    (1)

  • Ches W.

    Came for breakfast. Sub-par omelets, barely edible. And what a weird way of queuing and taking orders! Apparently they have good po-boys, all we can say is *avoid this place for breakfast!* Should also say that normally we have a high tolerance for hole-in-the wall dive-y places, but this place was a real dump. I can't believe this place ever passes inspection.

    (1)

  • RENEE H.

    We were like kids in a candy store... This place with a common-looking dining area -- stole our hearts! The fried chicken breast melted in our mouths; they really mastered home-cooked food all the way around: meats, bread, and sides. We know where to come back to if we ever get opportunity to return to New Orleans.

    (4)

  • P P.

    Recommended by hotel concierge. Line looks long but moves well. More tables available in back room. Can't go wrong with the Ferdi. Staff helpful and understanding to visitors. Great for a quick meal and close to our hotel. Reasonable prices.

    (4)

  • Noah S.

    We liked it. I got a roast beef po'boy, some fries and she got biscuits and iced tea. Low prices and good service, very easy going and exactly what we wanted. A bit outside the bustle of Burboun st. which made it a nice place to say we have been in New Orleans.

    (4)

  • Jon O.

    First time in New Orleans and all the locals said to try Mother's. We decided to go late because we were told the line is out the door in the mornings. Jerry's Jambalaya was the best Jambalaya I have ever had in my life. The Ferdi was very good too (giant sized sandwich perfect for splitting). The eggs were pre made fake eggs and waffle was not the best but overall the food was good. Only downfalls is the restaurant was very messy, we bussed our own table, but the staff was polite. When thinking of New Orleans food it is exactly what I had a mental picture of. I would come back again especially for the Jambalaya!!!

    (3)

  • Scott B.

    Good food and friendly staff. No tips are taken. Liked the sides as well as the etouffee. Red beans were good, but underspiced/flat. Get the sausage. Mmmmm. Too bad they ran out of bread pudding, I was looking forward to that.

    (4)

  • Matt C.

    2.5 stars More like a fast food restaurant. Not awful; its edible and you can survive on it. But not a homerun either. The fried chicken was very, very dry.

    (3)

  • Jeremy K.

    Overrated po-boys, cool old building. If there's a big line certainly try something else nearby. There are tons of options in the area that are better.

    (2)

  • Chris T.

    For a place with such a big hype I expected a little more. Don't get me wrong, the sandwiches are great and the fact the pump them out the way they do impressed me. However, the place lacked the WOW factor I expected as it was highly recommended by a lot of people. I feel like you can get the same sandwich at a lot of other places without the wait. Overall Ill go again every time in town but won't keep such high expectations.

    (3)

  • Karl S.

    Came to check out the place with 1600+ reviews and were a little doubtful when we saw the line, but it went fast. Our group tried all the signature dishes and everything was excellent. The Biscuits with Black Ham and Eggs was my fave. The Debris Gravy is amazing. Our friends tried the Red Beans and Rice, they loved it. So is the Potato Salad. Overall a very cool place with Super Friendly staff. I would recommend.

    (5)

  • S A.

    Big let down. Plenty of better po boys out there. Got the fried shrimp po boy. Bread was soft and tasted like it came from the grocery store and not even toasted properly

    (1)

  • Calvin J.

    Went for Breakfast I wasn't Happy at all (just didn't do anything for me) but for some reason I went back later and purchase some Dinner. Talk about "TurnUp" now that's where I became Hooked, this place is Great on Lunch and Dinner foods and has a very good taste!

    (4)

  • Mike A.

    It has been years but the place had the same feel ans the same great food. I suggest the debris sandwich- excellent.

    (5)

  • Stella K.

    Horrible Service. There was no line when my husband and I entered. We were greeted by a female at the door who handed us a menu and told us to proceed to the counter. We arrived at the counter there was a female at the register who appeared to be playing on her phone or something near the register. Unfortunately, I couldn't see because the counter was higher. As we waited patiently to be greeted, another employee approached the counter. By this time, we had been standing at the counter unassisted for about three minutes. We continued to wait....and they both ignored us. Finally, I asked, "Can we place an order?" The woman rudely responded, "Yeah!" We ordered a ham sandwich to go. A few minutes later, I heard a woman call a number. I approached the counter and asked if it was a ham sandwich to go. Very rudely with attitude...she responded, "Yes!" The sandwich was nothing to write home about. Rude employees. We will never return! Date of visit was Sunday, February 8, 2015.

    (1)

  • Brittney M.

    Debris, pancakes, and the DELIGHTFUL biscuits were the highlights of our meal. The ordering process kind of reminds me of a cafeteria style and it was quick to order and receive your food. Good cheap eat for when you are craving breakfast.

    (4)

  • Anastacia S.

    The only reason I am giving this a higher rating is because my shrimp po'boy was decent. It was ok for lunch. Not a place that I would make any effort to stop by. Why would you when there are so many other amazing places nearby. The ordering staff are great, however, the staff that brings your food out are rude. There was a younger woman cleaning tables and bringing food out to guests. She had a frown nonstop, and would often give attitude to guests. When we were waiting for a table to be cleaned, in order to sit down, she asked us to try to share a table with another family--just so she wouldn't have to clean the table. I'm all about yapping to some strangers and finding entertainment in the day, but only when it's welcomed. This lady was just lazy and unprofessional. She slammed plates on the table, and huffed and puffed if you asked for anything additional (e.g., syrup for your pancake). The fried chicken is just ok, and is not worth the 30 minute wait. The buttermilk biscuit is mouth watering...and I could eat a whole pan of em. Also, the overall price is pretty high figuring the place, lack of quality of food, and unwelcoming atmosphere. I recommend going elsewhere.

    (2)

  • Andrea R.

    Don't be deterred by a long line. This is a cafeteria style restaurant and the food is worth the wait!! My étouffée was the best I've ever had, and I love crawfish étouffée. My husband ordered breakfast food for dinner and they don't skimp! It was all amazing. The people were nice and I can see why it is doing so well! Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Martin D.

    The best breakfast made on earth. Grits, debris and eggs sunny side up. The place is rustic but you gotta love it.

    (4)

  • Michael F.

    Really good food best in New Orleans, you really got to go check it out. I ordered a chicken jumbalaya and gumbo bot were awesome and stepped out to take a breather and decided to go back and try the fried catfish which was awesome.

    (5)

  • Sara L.

    I wish I could give this place a better review. It was not terrible, but it wasn't memorable. This was the first place we went during our trip to NOLA. I had the seafood gumbo and there was 1 1/2 shrimp and maybe 3 small oysters in it. My husband enjoyed his Turkey Ferdi but wished it had more cabbage and pickles... It left a bit to be desired. My brother had the Ferdi and it was pretty good. My mom did say she "liked" her oyster po' boy. But all in all, I'd skip it.

    (2)

  • Peter S.

    If you think you have experienced all the culinary magic that New Orleans has to offer without eating at Mother's, you have cheated yourself. The staff are one of the MOST friendly group of people. If your mom was Creole, she would make this food and make it right, just as the namesake states. We ordered both the seafood platter, with greens and red beans and rice, and large crawfish étouffée to share between the two of us (was recommended by a sweet lady behind the counter). Enough food with the most amazing flavors. *** A little side note, when I ordered at the register, I thought I had ordered a large étouffée. What was served was a regular, so I promptly spoke to the server about what we purchased vs. what was delivered. Without question he brought out a large étouffée. He THEN brought out the itemized receipt which did not reflect that a large étouffée had been ordered. This place is a class act. Best believe, we are tipping way above 20% AND writing an amazing review..

    (5)

  • Shane L.

    We came here on a Friday evening, and there was plenty tables available in the two dining rooms inside. We found most restaurants in New Orleans put too much salt in the dishes, but this is one of the handful places that has perfect seasoning to our palates. Both crawfish étouffée and fried chicken were amazingly delicious as well as the side dishes! Our waiter was also extremely attentive and friendly.

    (5)

  • Mickey H.

    Line was well out the door for a great reason. Tried the Ferdi Special, very delicious. Got to learn about the origin of the po' boy, interesting read on the menu while you're waiting in line. Seemed like a tourist spot and a little pricey for what you get but I'll be back next time I'm in the area, the food was delicious.

    (4)

  • Mark K.

    Ah, Mother's. Our regular stop for a few days.... First time was the night we got to town, late enough that not much was open. The hotel clerk told us about a few places open late, and we scurried to the nearest, Mother's. We ordered the special red beans and rice, which came with several sides and a meat. In my case, debris, which sounds bad but tastes great. It's the shreds and scraps of roast beef that fall off; in other words, the best part. Among the sides, the greens were the best. We're both collard fans, but these turnip greens (heavily laden with meat) were excellent. The other sides were decent. On return trips we tried jambalaya (good,) sausage poboy (darn good,) and sweet potato pie (oh yeah...) And more debris and greens. A nice intro to New Orleans, and a wide variety of local dishes. Seems to be a good mix of tourists and locals here. I bet we'll be back, someday.

    (4)

  • George P.

    Pretty amazing gumbo, jambalaya, and etoufee. Amazing po boys and fast service.

    (5)

  • B R.

    In 2013 the wife and I took our anniversary trip to New Orleans. We saw this restaurant on tv and just had to try it. We went by for breakfast. The biscuits were great. Service was ok. Just a good ole old school cafeteria style restaurant.

    (4)

  • Willie S.

    Heard a ton about this place. Hospitality is A+ but I had the seafood gumbo it was ok. Not enough kick. I was expecting crab, shrimp and oysters I got no crab and two small shrimp. Not sure the hype about this place. No go if you decide to come down here don't bother.

    (2)

  • KImberly B.

    If you don't like pot roast don't get the Debris. For me not a fab. The biscuits were great good service and friendly staff.

    (2)

  • Megan K.

    Last time I was in NOLA, I didn't make it here, but I'm sure glad I did this time. I had the Ferdi Special, my dining mate had the Turkey Ferdi, both were amazing! Both Ferdi's are a perfect complement of flavors and textures. The salty pickles, crunchy cabbage, amazing melt in your mouth ham, perfectly roasted beef(or turkey), and the star of the show, the debris, all come together and explode with flavor. Whatever you get at Mother's make sure it has the debris! Although there was a line when we got there, the employees worked efficiently to get people in and the line moving. A tip...know what you want before you get to the counter to order.

    (4)

  • Kwame S.

    We ate there for lunch food was Decent ... 1st Poboy was great !!! I had the shrimp & Oyster one ... Never order the roast beef Poboy Dry & Terrible... Got the experience... Not worth the money ... Two Poboys & a 1 Diet coke $37.00 ... Very over price ...

    (3)

  • Arkham R.

    Mediocre food. Pushy host. Disinterested cashiers and servers. Dingy lighting. This is one of those "institutions" that does not live up to any reputation it may have earned in the past.

    (2)

  • Melissa H.

    I visited New Orleans for the first time this spring. A high school classmate of mine now lives in the city, so I went to her for suggestions on where to go. I wanted to see more than just Bourbon Street. She suggested Mother's, among other things. This place is great. The portions are quite large, and I'm a girl who can EAT. My group of three ordered three different po' boys and some jambalaya. Everyone was pleased with their food, and sad that we couldn't finish all of it!

    (4)

  • Blake G.

    I go here for the breakfast so good, try grits and debris in gravy the place has been around for years There will be a long line but it goes fast and staff very helpful recommending something for your first time, never a bad time here Also try a Bloody Mary for breakfast good for hangovers

    (4)

  • Rolean L.

    Man the food, service, price, everything was great!! Their po-boys are the best!!!!!! It's just a bit intimidating when you walk in thou..

    (4)

  • Pejman A.

    This place is amazing..by far the best..it even beats Gladys restaurant...Great prices big portions just love it!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Mo M.

    Great New Orleans style comfort food. If you have to choose one thing, go for the gumbo file! Ignore the loud divey room and concentrate on the good food. Cafeteria service, but friendly staff.

    (4)

  • Quasona C.

    We got here right before they were closing and I ordered a red beans plate with potato salad. The portions are humongous and affordable. Mother's is one of the restaurants that make me miss living in the south!

    (4)

  • Earl H.

    World's best ham huh? I've had ham from buffets that blow the World's best away... With that said, no disrespect but Mothers is just an average place to eat. I tried the ham, it was dry and lacked flavor. We also ordered grits with the roast beef debris and a biscuit with debris.. Thankfully the debris was pretty good, nothing mind blowing but good... Service was great, place itself was clean and inviting... The food that day just wasn't worth all the hype...

    (3)

  • Grace L.

    So we were told about the amazing Debris Sandwich so we had to hit Mother's up before our departure. Although the Debris Sandwich was good, I'm not a sandwich person so ti didn't ring home for me. Neither did the Crawfish Etoufee (which is what I ordered). It was good, and there was distinct crawfish flavoring in the whole dish served with 2 sides of your choice. The greens were good, but nothing exciting. What won the cake for me was their pancakes, which we got a side order of and everyone tasted. It was some of the fluffiest and delectable pancakes ever. Methinks I am now a breakfast person!

    (4)

  • Heather K.

    Yum. The long, wet Mardi Gras line moved pretty steadily through this place. Not sure if this is how it always works but on busy days you order first, sit & then they bring your food to you. Boyfriend tried their famous po'boy & said it was the best one he had our entire trip. I had the crawfish etouffee & it was DELICIOUS! Very savory. So much crawfish - each bite had 2 or 3 little chunks. From what I recall pricing was OK but serving sizes seemed generous.

    (4)

  • Nadia B.

    I highly recommend Mother's to anyone with taste buds. I ordered the John G Po' Boy. I was not disappointed and enjoyed every bite. The bread pudding (with the sauce on the side) was also very good, although it was too sweet for my mother. The John G Po'Boy was SOOOO GOOOOD. It had the best baked ham I ever tasted (to date), roast beef, the original debris (which tasted like my mom's pot roast) and shredded cabbage, sliced pickles, mayo, creole and yellow mustards, and au jus gravy. I know it sounds like a lot, but the flavors mixed perfectly. I wish NJ had a Mother's Restaurant with the same exact menu and execution. Whenever, I find myself in New Orleans, I will always make sure I make my way to Mother's.

    (5)

  • Kim M.

    We were so looking forward to dining here and ended up disappointed and underwhelmed. Food was just meh...eggs were undercooked and cold and over breakfast was priced. The service was horrible and server was extremely rude and not accommodating at all. Not worth the $30 spent here...never again.

    (2)

  • Alissa H.

    Being from out of town and really looking for some New Orleans flavor this was the perfect place to get a authentic Shrimp Po Boy. I would go back there everytime I was back in New Orleans!

    (5)

  • Morgan F.

    You 2/3rds roast beef po'boy is really good, moist and just right, in terms of roast beef. And the staff that cleans up was courteous. Tons of indoor space. And somehow I made it on a day where there was only, maybe 15 people in line. But, it's hard for me, as a local, to justify being corralled into a line like herded cattle, and scolded when I stand in this line by staff carrying pans of food. There is a polite way to say things loudly even if you're carrying hot food. That might be a schtick, but it's off-putting when so many restaurants in the Quarter work on being congenial to both tourists and locals. $40 bucks for two Bloody Mary's and 2 2/3 dressed roast beef poboys is redonkulous. Their roast beef poboys are good, and 2/3rds is the perfect amount for me, but for the amount we paid, I'm usually leaving with half my overstuffed poboy, a pleasant service experience, and some change. For some people, this is a cool experience, and that's great. If you enjoy the company of a line, okay with a little 'tude, AND solid po'boys at a higher price (and don't necessarily like leftovers), then Mother's may be perfect for you. I'm not a fan of waiting for a po'boy in New Orleans, when there are so many amazing places around town, that I'll get a hefty to-go box to take home and nosh on later.

    (2)

  • Art C.

    A must-go in New Orleans! Brave the tourists, order a po boy, and sit down to enjoy. The food will be totally worth it. Dwellen was our server. He was personable, kind and very helpful. It was over a great experience for this Atlanatan. And I know good food!

    (5)

  • Bob P.

    Im givingvthis a 5er as its historical. The chicken was good, the red bean rice was ok, thr cokkard greens..first time for me and i now know why. Its giing back in time. ...and its worth the stop

    (5)

  • Kendyl C.

    I had a shrimp po boy, seafood gumbo, and potato salad. It was good I liked their po boy better than Huck Finns which I dined at as well. The po boy had more shrimp than I knew what to do with,they used cabbage instead of lettuce (which I really liked) and no tomatoes. The potato salad was yummy. It was more like mashed potato salad as far as the consistency; no lumps of potato, but it was still yummy. The seafood gumbo was good, but I wish it had more rice. I found there was never enough rice with these dishes lol. Overall the food was great and the service was excellent as well. Apparently you can't tip?? Any who, I enjoyed the food and would go again

    (4)

  • Elizabeth A.

    Really great food and quality for the price. I came around 9 pm during the week and found a short line outside. The wait was maybe 10 minutes before placing my order of catfish, cabbage (they are out of collard greens), and red beans and rice. The food was delicious and nicely prepared! I was happy with my choice to eat off the beaten path. The dining area has a back room with plenty of tables when the front of the house is full. The wait staff is friendly and prompt.

    (4)

  • Charisma D.

    My team and I came here for breakfast before heading to work at the convention center. The food was pretty good. One of my coworkers ordered the Po Boy Omelet and was raving about how good it was. I ordered a veggie omelet with grits and a biscuit, which were all really good as well. Not one person in my group stated they didn't like the meals, but I've personally had amazing breakfast from other restaurants which is why they only got 3 stars.

    (3)

  • Suzi B.

    First time in New Orleans and not disappointed with our meals here. You can tip if you like and the staff is friendly, they just need a little time to warmup.

    (4)

  • Michelene E.

    Next order please..... Mothers is a straight up PONZI scheme!!! The long lines make you feel like your time is worth the investment but it's NOT. You are actually serving time. The food is disgraceful for an establishment with so much history. Mother's is like the Kim Kardashian of restaurants. Famous for absolutely NO reason. "i ain't saying she a gold digga...."

    (1)

  • Jillian R.

    Mother's is a New Orleans institution of sorts, but I don't think that gives them a right to so grossly overcharge for their food. Their poboys are wayy too expensive and don't even come with a side. I haven't tried their famous ham or roast beef, either of which may be worth the trip. The shrimp poboy was just ok, and it would never be in my top 5 recommendations for friends visiting the city.

    (3)

  • Daib S.

    The food served was simple and delicious. No fuzz, no tip allowed, very friendly staff. We had Jambalaya, green beans & grits. Out of those I liked the Jambalaya best. The beans had a little too much garlic.

    (4)

  • Lindsey M.

    We had the crawfish étouffée and fried chicken bd it was absolutely fantastic! I had to be pulled away from the table because i was so full but could not stop eating. I recommend this place to everyone!

    (5)

  • Dara B.

    Authentic southern breakfast. The restaurant is known for their meats - ham, roast beef & debris (meat which falls off into the juices during the cooking process). They have eggs and grits and meats as well as po boys all day. No reservations so be prepared to wait. The line sometimes is down the block. Once inside you wait in line, place your order and pay and the food is brought to your table when it's ready. Don't go for the ambience ... ;-)

    (3)

  • Tim C.

    Growing up in South Louisiana, I've always seen the line at this place. After 24 years of living here, I finally decided to give it a shot. I want to preface this review by saying I rarely like to leave bad reviews on restaurants I've only eaten at one time. Every restaurant can have a bad day. However, after talking to some friends and reading some of the reviews online, I feel like my complaints are more a regular thing than an anomaly. Being a Monday morning, I wasn't expecting there to be a line, but there was. I'm okay with that. We waited 2.5 hours in Denver at a place called Snooze, but the food and the service made me forget the wait. I can wait for a good dining experience. So a 45 min wait in the cold wasn't that bad. However, when we walked into the place, we were immediately yelled at by a rude kitchen worker for standing in the wrong place. I had to bite my tongue because she was going to be touching my food, and we had been waiting way too long to get kicked out 5 feet from the register. When we got to the register, the worker was impatient and didn't give us anytime to ask questions about the menu. Her attitude was as if we were bothering her by asking questions. The girl serving the drinks had an expression on her face like she would rather be doing anything else other than what she was doing. My girlfriend was so rushed that she ended up settling for something she wasn't really excited about ordering. Having said all of that, I am a very patient and forgiving person. I can put up with all of that if the food is to die for. But sadly, it wasn't. I got the red beans with a side of cabbage and collard greens. The food was very bland. I had to cover it in salt and pepper and hot sauce to allow me to enjoy it. Their "famous" ham, wasn't even in the top 10 of baked ham I've had in south Louisiana. My girlfriend's jambalaya was just not very good either. Maybe I've been spoiled by really good Cajun food, growing up here. And maybe tourists from out of town would enjoy this because they don't know any better. But for someone who enjoys good food coupled with a good dining experience, this was just one big disappointment. It was such a bad experience that I was tempted to tell everyone in line to not waste their time and go somewhere else. There was a sign on the wall that said no tipping. And that probably sums up the root of the problem. The workers are likely underpaid and under appreciated. I would rather leave a big fat tip and enjoy my experience than not have to tip and suffer through such a lack luster eating experience. Will probably never return to eat here.

    (2)

  • Nathan R.

    I got the ham plate with sides here and boy was the ham yummy. The red beans and rice were just ehh tho. Fiorellas still the king on them! Roast beef po boy was good and filling for the wife. The pecan pie was omg delicious. Great service here and friendly folks all around

    (4)

  • Rennette F.

    Had to make one more stop at Mother's before heading back to Florida and it was a slightly different than our marvelous first expirence. Luckily there wasn't a line on the Monday we went in. I ordered the quarter fried chicken, potatoes salad and red beans and rice. My sister ordered an omelet w/o cheese and grits. The first reason i decided to give Mother's less than 5 stars is because of the service. We couldn't find a clean table in two of the 3 dining rooms. When we tried to grab a table in the 3rd dining room a rude server snapped and said the dinning room was close although there were several people seated in there. We said to her that there aren't any clean tables, she didn't reply just walked away. We went to find a manager to seat us, he didn't acknowledge our request just walked away. After a few minutes we finally found a CLEAN table, to sit and get a server to grab our food. The chicken didn't taste good at all. I now understand why no one ever recommended the fried chicken. The potato salad was okay but the red beans and rice were phenominal. My sister loved her omelet and grits.

    (3)

  • Sara T.

    It's delicious.... It's definitely in touristy heaven but delicious and worth the wait. To avoid the line try coming early in the morning.

    (4)

  • Rob K.

    No visit to NO is complete without a Po'Boy at Mother's. Worth a bit of a wait, the line moves quickly, and the place is famous with good reason. Don't miss!

    (5)

  • Roy G.

    Mother's has ok poboys. As a local they are to touristy for me so rarely go. The lines aren't worth the wait. But if you here from out of town its a good introduction to Cajun food.

    (3)

  • Chelsea G.

    This place is dark, grungy and crowded.. with a line that wraps around the building during the lunch rush. But that's part of the appeal. You don't visit Mother's for the frills, you visit for the best traditional creole food in the city. Known for their famed Honey Baked Ham, I suggest ordering it in the po' boy "Ferdis", which is ham, roast beef, debris and gravy. Get a side of Red Beans or Jambalaya while you are moving down the assembly line... and of course one of their delightful Bloody Marys. Visit my website for full review on itineraries and where to eat in New Orleans (as well as many other cities!)

    (3)

  • Lia M.

    Tourist trap! The food is AWEFUL!!! Not basing just giving my honest opinion. The food was bland and not worth the visit or the money. There are so many other restaurants in the area that will provide you the authentic Nola cuisine you want.

    (1)

  • M Scott R.

    I went to Mother's just to say I did. The locals said don't go, and they were right. The line to get in was down the sidewalk, although they were pretty efficient at taking your order while you wait. Unfortunately, the food was OK. Not bad, but just OK. Doubt if I go back, especially if there is a line.

    (2)

  • Lisa W.

    Cafeteria style, nothing fancy but the turnip greens are delicious with big hunks of ham. The crawfish ettoufe and fried oysters were good but I was underwhelmed by the jambalaya.

    (3)

  • David M.

    Unless you are in love with grits for breakfast, you are better off skipping this place and going to Ruby Slipper a few blocks away. Over half the breakfast plate is covered in grits. Smoked sausage was good, but it's overpriced for what you get

    (1)

  • Joe B.

    Food and service was outstanding. The mgmt has a perfectly executed method of delivery, impressive to witness. I've been going to New Orleans for decades and never once I stopped here. Anthony Bourdain recommend it, his opinions really matter.

    (4)

  • Jay W.

    Great grilled Shrimp po Boy, red beans and rice off the chain.Red beans and rice had a ton of meat in it.

    (5)

  • Vineet S.

    Mothers is one of the oldest spots in Nola serving some authentic food. They have been around for a very long time. After reading about it's heritage and food we decided to check this place for our lunch. We were lucky that we did not run into a line coming out the door which is normally the scenario at Mother's. There was a small line inside which moved quickly. They have enough room for seating in the front and big dining room in the back. I ordered the shrimp creole with grits and my friends had the jambalaya. The good was OK , nothing exceptional. Shrimps were cooked perfectly but they lacked some seasoning and flavors. Stop here because of the heritage but in terms of food there a lot of good options as compared to Mother's.

    (3)

  • Kate K.

    MMmmmm mmmmm mmmm...this is some southern delicousness. Don't be intimidated by the long line, they seat in patterns. I went for breakfast and ordered the special breakfast...okay, the biscuit was outrageous but the specialty jelly made it a HOMERUN! The rest of my breakfast mean was great, the bread pudding was incredible. My favorite part of the experience were the unbelievably GENUINELY sweet and kind service staff when they took my order. There were so many people behind us, and they didn't rush us, but were incredibly efficient and sweet. So, we found a seat-had our receipt exposed and a waitress came over and took the receipt and introduced herself. Come here for the food-it's YUMMY! But come back for the southern hospitality. Oh...and be prepared to roll out, as it is incredibly filling!

    (4)

  • Laura J.

    I admit we were a little concerned about this place based on appearance alone. It is a true hole-in-the-wall kind of place. You basically order at the register and then sit down at any available table. Someone then comes and gets your tickets. Service was slow, but that seems common in New Orleans as far as I can tell. i ordered the roast beef Po Boy and it was amazing. The roast beef was so tender and flavorful that my husband had to have half of my sandwich. It came with beef au jus on the bottom of the plate. Get the roast beef. My husband ordered a grilled chicken Po Boy and that was as good as could be expected but wasn't anything special. I would love to try the breakfast.

    (5)

  • Kevin L.

    Ok sandwiches. Excellent bread pudding. Dirty restaurant. In sum, the recognition precedes reality.

    (3)

  • Katherine Z.

    Poboy with beefs is fresh, and this restaurant can cost less money to have a big amount~ highly recommended when you are in business district.

    (4)

  • Kevin T.

    On a recent trip to New Orleans, I was staying in the quarter and I'm not going to lie, one of the prospects I was most excited for was the short walk from my hotel to Mother's. In fact, it took all of an hour before I found myself at the home of the Ferdi. The menu begins with a definition of debris, the drippings and ends of the beef whilst cooking, which are then piled back on. The menu you get while standing in a long, but rather quick queue that runs along an old, charming brick number in the CBD. I had come with friends who had never been to New Orleans -- Mother's is a decent introduction to how things work a little differently here. Everyone is nice, a little rough around the edges and well-versed in getting people in and out, an efficiency that comes with the practice of having a line out the door every day. There's no tipping, which at first we'll seem a little strange, until you realize service is provided by an army of servers each bringing out whatever is ready, when it's ready. The place is huge -- the hold up is getting orders ordered and orders out, not seating. You can wander around and find room after room of four tops in this old brick building. Eventually your meal shows up in parts and if you're like most other people, you've ordered the Ferdi ($12), a po' boy made of ham, roast beef and that aforementioned debris, or some variety of it. Mother's was fairly well known amongst the group that others had, without discussion with the rest of the group, added it to their own personal to-do lists for the weekend. I had a very fond memory of it from my last visit, which must have been a few years before. Sadly, I was a little letdown. The sandwich is good, though a little skimpily filled. Mother's has become a bit of an assembly line and I don't think the end product lived up to my memory of it or the expectations of others in the group. This coming from someone who finds the old, worn environment and occasionally curt service as just part of New Orleans.

    (3)

  • Michelle S.

    I thought this place was good, but I'm glad that I didn't have to wait in a long line to dine here. If that was the case, I would have been annoyed. It's kind of a casual/ dive place with decent home-cooked, authentic food. The service isn't very good. I told the lady at the front counter that it was my first time at Mother's and I'm pretty sure she didn't care. It's really hard to get a smile out of anybody there. By the time I went to sit down there were no clean tables. I asked if I could have a table cleaned and I'm really not sure the waitress cleaned it. She pick up that rag off of the table, but that was it. The group behind me also asked if they could have a towel to wipe down their table . . . It was just kind of gross. The food was pretty good, but I have had had cajun food just as good, for the same price, with better service and a cleaner establishment. In my opinion, this is just one of those places to check off the NOLA bucket list. I may or may not come back, but I won't go out of my way to eat here.

    (3)

  • Frank H.

    Start off with the positive... The biscuit was good. The waffle was really good... That's it. The staff is rude, they don't bring out the correct order or full order. The grits were the most bland grits I've ever had. There are sooooo many better places. This is the definition of "the tourist trap." I love New Orleans and this is not a place to go.

    (2)

  • Darrell K.

    If you come to New Orleans, you must eat Cajun food. There are so many great places here, you cannot visit all of them and most of them, you will love. So why this place? First of all, when they open, the sun is shining bright and is extremely hot if you stood outside. Why is this important? Because the line is a mile long and the wait is equally long. You will suffer from the heat. However, don't walk away. Stand in it. You will not regret it. Plus, standing in line will allow you to meet new people. When you finally get inside, you will think this place is a dump. Well, because it is. Some of the best places I've eaten were in dives. It sure feels like Disney. You stand in a long line, finally get inside and stand in another line. Grab a menu and study it. You will have time. When you finally get up to the register, order your food. They will give you a receipt and then it's off to find yourself a table. Good luck with that too. The place is small, but hold a pretty good size crowd. When you sit down, a waitress will pick up your receipt, get your drinks and eventually deliver your food. They have many varieties of the Po Boy, but get yourself an oyster or seafood one. They are heaven. Best ones I've ever had. We also ordered some gumbo and jambalaya as well and holy crap, they were awesome. Explosive taste and exceptionally delicious. Food was cheap and much better than the high end restaurants on Bourbon Street that I ate (although they were good too). I must have stood in line for over an hour and after I ate, I realize it was worth the wait twice as long. Don't be discourage with the long lines; I think you'll agree that it's one of the best in the city. It's a can't miss, must do, period.

    (5)

  • Lavi W.

    We came here as a group for a alumni reunion dinner, so I didn't have a chance to actually order food from them. The food served was ok. I was not very impressed.

    (3)

  • Phuong N.

    The line moved quick, the food was good, but the service wasn't that great. When I arrived the line was out the door and down the block a little but after about ten minutes a lot of movement occurred and I was able to get inside. The food was good but not amazing. I was recommended the shrimp po boy by my friend and that's what I ordered. The bread was a little tough but at least it was a sizable sandwich. The "service" was poor compared to the friendly treatment I have received at places nearby. I felt very rushed and I totally understand that they were busy but there were many employees just standing around and all I wanted was to ask about where to get a cup of water. It ended up being self served but the person behind the counter looked at me like I was stupid when I asked. Overall I enjoyed eating here. It's good but nothing amazing.

    (3)

  • Lisa C.

    It was ok, our food was good, nothing special, seemed a bit expensive for what you actually receive. We enjoyed our dinner, atmosphere is definitely lacking, the staff were friendly.

    (3)

  • Tonja F.

    The long lines were misleading when it comes to this place. We did't wait in line long before being presented with menus at the door and allowed inside. The inside was old school-cafeteria style ordering counter. Order, pay and find a seat. Food was brought out pretty quickly. We expected the food to be amazing but it was just as good as some of the other local spots around town. Again a, the long lines were misleading, making us think the food would be well worth the wait...not necessarily. Don't think we will be returning but not because we didn't like the food. It's kind of a "been there-done that" moment. We will recommend it to others if they are planning a trip New Orleans.

    (3)

  • Alexandra M.

    Ditto to the comment that Mother's is like the Kim Kardashian of restaurants. My friend and I were fooled by the long lines and how popular on the "Top 10" lists this restaurant is. People were so unfriendly (I'm not from the South so I wasn't even expecting Southern hospitality) and we felt so rushed when ordering. Customers were expected to know their orders by the time they reached the counter, and this is the worst for first-timers like my friend and I who wanted to explore our options, get recommendations, and inquire about substituting options. This is the wrong place to do that. We got the chicken po boy, shrimp po boy, jambalaya, étouffée, bread pudding, and many more. We really went all out on this one, only to be completely disappointed! The savory dishes were either bland or too salty. I remember the shrimp po boy being a little burned and the étouffée too watery. The bread pudding was the worst we had in all of NOLA. They may have monopoly on po boy in NOLA, but I've had much better po boys even on the West Coast. Mind you, Mother's is not as cheap as it looks (and should be). There's also a no tipping policy, which is probably why it's so bad. This place is such a poor representation of NOLA, Cajun and Creole food, and the Southern hospitality. I hope NOLA visitors won't be fooled like my friend and I were - avoid this place at all costs. This is the only NOLA restaurant I'm giving a one star.

    (1)

  • George C.

    Don't believe the hype... Came in for dinner and was told to arrive early because you might have to wait on line for a little while. I guess we timed it right because we didn't wait at all! I ordered the famous Fergie Sandwich. It came with turkey, ham and some other pulled beef that I didn't really eat. The sandwich was HUGE and it came with a side of red beans and rice which was really good. The sandwich itself can feed 2 people but to me it was just an average sandwich. I felt like the bread was blah and the sandwich lacked flavor. Definitely not worth waiting in line for. I tried some of the fried chicken and it was pretty good. The biscuit wasn't bad either. It's a cafeteria style dining room. Order at the counter, take a number and go sit down. The staff was nice but they seemed to be slacking off on this slow night. Overall this place is just a dive. It has that "sticky" feel to it. I know it's a local hot spot but I wasn't impressed.

    (2)

  • Brian L.

    Had the shrimp creole omelette grits and biscuit and washed it down with a bloodymarry

    (4)

  • Monee G.

    Honestly people who give this place 5 stars have must of never ate at a 5 star restaurant before. Everyday there is a long line way out the door, me and my family are originally from Los Angeles/New York and decided to try it out. Not only is there a long line outside but another once you reach the inside. The staff was quite rude, bad customer service and no social skills. The prices are outrageous and most dishes come with no sides and you have to order them seperate. A shrimp PO boy with no sides and an omelette with grits and 2 sodas came to $32.17. You pay first and then find a seat amongst all the un-bussed, dirty tables, with flys all over the place, take your ticket receipt out and wait. Normally your food should come out together but our food came out seperate which is terrible, they brought the omelette then the biscuit then the syrup so on and so forth. ALL your food should come out at once!! Now the portions are pretty big but nonetheless depends on your appetite, I ordered a shrimp Po boy, there is no reason why I would run to a Popeyes before ever ordering one from this location, by far the biggest disappointment yet. The bread was very hard and chewy I couldn't just bite into it I had to rip at it, not very flavorful and they did not take the vein of shit out of the shrimp that is very disgusting!!!! As soon as I saw there was shit still in my shrimp I lost my appetite and my aunt shared her pancakes with me, those weren't half bad, the biscuits were so doughy however I could form it into different shapes. I would never recommend this spot and will stick to IHOP.

    (2)

  • Ginger G.

    Second time here and YUM! I got the red beans and rice and it was delicious. The boyfriend got the seafood platter and it was delicious too! It's a soul food kind of place so don't expect something nice. There are Signs everywhere that say no tipping allowed but then the workers tell you "the signs are old we can accept tips" so it's kind of weird, but the food is worth it! Delicious bloody Mary's too!

    (5)

  • Sharron H.

    I've been hearing, reading and have saw the outrageous lines at this restaurant so since me and my husband was in town on business we decided to drop in. We was expecting a long line but when we got there the line was only inside and we ordered fairly quickly. Hint: go on a Sunday round 11:00 and you may get lucky. It was so much to choose from since we wanted a lil variety we ordered shrimp po boy, eutofee and gumbo. I must say it was all good the Po Boy was the best and the eutofee and gumbo could have been a lil hotter. So don't expect piping hot food. We will definitely be back to try 3 or 4 more other items!!!!

    (4)

  • helen c.

    Even this the services was not all there I'll still give them 5 stars for having the best PO BOY ever! I was visiting from Los Angeles over a month ago and being a yelper, I yelped everything just to be sure not to miss anything. And thanks to yelp we discovered one of the famous restaurant in NOLA and we got lucky because there was no line outside when we got there and within minutes there was a line out the door! I would've waited anyway and I will recommend you to wait as well that's how good this place was. Oh and I ordered The Famous Ferdis special. Thank you Mothers you're one of the reasons why I will be back to NOLA

    (5)

  • Nadine F.

    Come here for the bread! We came here based on recommendation from a friend. The line was a block long but I was determined to eat here. I thought we would be in line for over an hour but the line moved quickly and only ended up being about a 25 minute wait. You order at the counter and seat yourself but a server will bring your food to your table. Despite the huge crowd, there are plenty of tables in the back room so there was no trouble finding a seat. I was told you must have a debris sandwich but I don't usually eat beef so I went for the turkey Ferdi which came with Turkey and roast beef debris. The turkey was very good, roasted sliced turkey that reminded me of thanksgiving left overs. The debris was juicy of course and had good flavor but I felt it needed a little salt. The bread the sandwich came on is really what made the meal. Soft, Fresh, delish French bread. Great sandwich and the huge portion makes it worth the price. I only ate half of it and I was very full. My entire party was glad we waited in line.

    (4)

  • Jennifer R.

    While at a conference in NOLA a few weeks ago, my friends wanted to eat here as they are known for their ham and some other southern dishes. Being from the South, I wasn't interested in Southern food but was on a quest for everything OYSTER! My friends all enjoyed their ham and such and I enjoyed my fried oysters to a fair degree. Nothing unusually special in terms of my oysters but my friends really enjoyed their ham plates. Great portion sizes. Casual dining. Our service was a bit below average and slow, but they are quite busy here. We actually had to wait in line outside the restaurant and also once we got inside, we had to wait in another line. You order at the counter and then sit down and wait for your order. It's a very popular place and my friends really loved their ham and southern sides.

    (3)

  • Maggie O.

    There was a really long line outside that turned out to be worth it. When our food came out, it was so great, I forgot about the rushed cafeteria-like ordering process. Our server, Alfred, was awesome. He was quick with our last minute order tweaks and even made sure we got to our next destination without getting lost. Definitely going back next time I'm in Nola.

    (5)

  • Lindsay L.

    This restaurant is featured on Adam Richman's show "Man vs. Food" on the Food Network. I'm a fan of Adam Richman so I wanted to check this place out. I travel to eat, so I was a bit disappointed by Mother's. You stand in line and order at the counter, and the waiters bring you your food. The service is great with extremely animated servers! I ordered the shrimp poboy and seafood etouffee. Both dishes were lukewarm, not the freshest of ingredients, and just very bland. I would skip out on Mother's if you have a limited amount of time and meals in NOLA.

    (2)

  • Ramona H.

    My family and I had split opinions about this restaurant, but it's on the list of places to visit in New Orleans, and for that I recommend everyone try it for themselves. I am not a huge sub sandwich person and these are the first Po' Boys I've ever enjoyed. The Ferdi has baked ham, roast beef and "debri" which is the roast beef that falls off into the gravy while being slow cooked. So everything is tender and saucy. Though left with the impression the sandwich would be in au jus, it had the texture of a dipped sandwich (soggy with some crispness on the outside) and an additional gravy that tasted like Russian sauce as used in a rueben which may be why I loved it. I thought all of the flavors and textures complimented one another. My brother thought it was too soggy. The other recommended sandwich - half oyster half shrimp tasted like any Po' boy, so if subs are your thing, this is a good place to try out for a New Orleans twist. The bread pudding was great. P.S. There is no shortage of carbs at Mother's.

    (4)

  • John F.

    Walked in and ordered the Fregi special po boy. Service was quick and friendly, especially on a Saturday night. The food was ok, not as fantastic as described by others. Better than most places though and it has history since 1938. Of course if you want true cajun/creole food you must leave the tourist area. I did love the potato salad!

    (3)

  • Patricia O.

    Service was terrible. Mixed up orders, and to be honest food was not great. Nothing to write home about. There are better brunch places that have better service and better tasting food.

    (1)

  • Daniel S.

    Gets a lot of cred on the travel shows and such but it isn't anything particularly special. A fine Nola breakfast but not a place I'm visiting again.

    (2)

  • Roger J.

    Is this a tourist trap? What a disappointment. Ordered the Ferdi special. Top of the bread roll was dry and the bottom half was soggy. Dry roast beef. The "debris" was flavorless. I'm starting to wonder what's so special about food in this town.

    (2)

  • Christine R.

    Portions are huge. I recommend splitting with another person. And, the service is really fast so if you are still hungry there is no problem with ordering again. Mothers isn't fancy but the food was good and the service was excellent. We'll go back.

    (4)

  • Lisa C.

    If you are expecting fine dining, I would pass by Mother's. If you are looking for throw down, down and dirty, this is your place. My friend had the Ferdie Special which she loves with a side of greens that she raved over. I had two poached eggs, a side of grits and a pan of fried oysters. Oysters were delish but a bit pricey. We ended our meal with bread pudding which was fantastic and very home made. Would highly recommend for a good breakfast!

    (4)

  • Wouter V.

    I had a great lunch here today. I went with the seafood gumbo with a side of red beans and rice, and was very happy with what I received. The gumbo was very flavorful, the roux was great and it was a great and surprisingly light soup. The red beans were equally great: again, very flavorful and hearty, with nice big chunks of meat and sausage. My lunch mate had the crawfish étouffée (yum) with a side of turnip greens (amazingly not bitter at all, so good), and was very happy as well. Again, simple ingredients, but great flavors. This is not refined, creative, Michelin star quality food. This is delicious, hearty, New Orleans style home cooking. If you go into Mother's with the expectation of finding just that, you won't be disappointed. Yes, they have an interesting system of serving customers, but when I was there it worked well and ran like a well-oiled machine. I'm sure things can get a little hectic sometimes and service might suffer, but these eccentricities are part of the experience and are but small issues when you consider how tasty the food is.

    (4)

  • Laura R.

    It was very good! The chicken was very moist and the red beans and rice delish. Service was excellent!

    (4)

  • Stephanie Y.

    I mean it's Mother's, you gotta go. With that, I find my palate a bit more upscale. :: Whoaaaa, check me out and my food snobbery :: Granted I didn't have a seafoof po'boy, but I found the crawfish omelette and the famous Ferdi special po'boys extremely simple. I found the whole experience pretty simple: You wait in line, you order, you find a table. The woman servicing our table overheard us gasp when we saw those delicious biscuits come out, she brought out two more. So sweet. Those biscuits and the homemade raspberry jam were the standouts of the entire meal and just phenomenal. The omelette was mostly egg and light on that delicious crawfish etouffe/gravy. The man's Ferdi was a simple roastbeef/ham sandwich. A solid meal, but nothing life changing. I do have to say the meat & egg biscuit looked mighty fine. Overall, I'm happy I checked it off the list, but I won't be returning when I make the return to NOLA.

    (3)

  • Alex M.

    Food was ok. I had the Ferdi Po'Boy. Very expensive for quality and everyone was extremely rude. It felt like a Marine Corps mess hall. There was no wait when we dined. I cannot fathom why so many people wait in the heat all day to eat here.

    (3)

  • Ally G.

    If you're in New Orleans you need to visit this local spot! They're famous for their baked ham and other New Orleans classics Iike jumbalaya, fried chicken, and po boys! The red beans and rice are also great, the line can get pretty crazy, so get there early for lunch or dinner!

    (4)

  • Mande B.

    Get there early as the lines build up! I ordered the john g po boy and it was very good! Food was delivered fast and the bloody Mary's were tasty! This is sorta like the Seinfeld soup kitchen so you better know what you want before you get to the register!

    (4)

  • Isocephaly B.

    Glad I went just for the experience; seems like this place is some kind of institution. Bottom line: it's overpriced. If it were half the cost, I'd maybe go again. The catfish on my po' boy was very good, but the bread was all dried out and there wasn't enough lettuce, etc... My friend got the fried oyster po' boy, and it had that slightly fishy taste that bespeaks less-than-super-fresh seafood. Also the fries were meh; actually worse than McDonald's Went for Saturday lunch and hit the rush right around 12:30; the line was down the street, but it moves fast. We ordered within ten minutes. However, that's a little deceptive, b/c then there's an additional 10-15 min. wait for for the food. $22+ lunch of mediocre sandwich, fries, and iced tea--ordered at the counter and consumed in what would politely be called a grungy, chaotic environment--seems inflated. On the other hand, the gumbo etc. looked very tasty - so maybe that would be worth it?

    (2)

  • David B.

    My wife and I had Breakfast here this morning. Having never been here, we entered and were told to go forward and to the right. We learned that they don't seat you, nor does a waiter come and take your order. You just walk up to the register and tell them what you want and pay. They hand you your cup of coffee and you walk yourself and your coffee to any table you want. We did that and found a table. After swatting the flies away, we sat and waited for our order. I asked for a Ham and Cheese Omelet and my wife asked for Egg White with Vegetable Omelet. I noticed that the walls were dirty, along with the floors. I was sitting to where I could see into the Kitchen and it was also dirty, dirtier than what one would expect. Still swatting many flies, I began to eat my Omelet. It was bland. The coffee was also bland, but that wasn't the worst of it. We sat at one table. A black couple sat at the next table. We had the same black waiter. He would never look at us or speak to us, but he was bubbly friendly to the black couple. I said thank you every time he came to the table to do something, but no response. We were even snubbed when it came to coffee refills, but the black couple's cups stayed full. This type of treatment made us feel less than, and it didn't stop with just our waiter. We asked a female black waitress for more coffee and she kept walking around with both hands on her pockets. The attitude from employees here was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. We would never go back.

    (1)

  • Brett W.

    I got the original Ferdi which was amazing! The restaurant doesn't look so big but it has a back room with more seating. Mother's has been around for decades, so it isn't the most attractive inside or outside. The staff were very friendly. Mother's is a must when in NOLA.

    (4)

  • Lori C.

    Service sucks. There are plenty of other great southern food restaurants around that offer a better atmosphere and better customer service

    (1)

  • Curtis W.

    Good food Jambalya was great. Gumbo was average

    (3)

  • Eric J.

    OMG OMG OMG! So good we went twice in a day! The jambalaya is the best I've ever had ...... I found the recipe in a article on the wall. There's often a line out the door, trust me it's worth it. The bloody Mary's are crazy good. Everything we had there was awesome! Fried chicken, po'boys, and jambalaya! Only downside, no fried chicken or jambalaya before 11am

    (4)

  • Evan M.

    I don't even really like ham, but the John G (basically a Ferdi but with turkey) was DAMN good. I had to come back for a second!

    (5)

  • Iknow F.

    If it wasn't for the fried chicken this place would be a TOURIST TRAP ! The fredi just plain sucked ! I can't believe you some people on here is raving about this garbage sandwich ...... I ordered everything and the fried chicken was the only thing edible and really good ! Staff was super nice and friendly The one manager was a white guy with glasses screaming at his staff calling them boy which is extremely racist and mad us very very uncomfortable We complained to the other manager and they said they have had complaints on that guy before ......but for some reason he still works there Just because of that guy I wouldn't go there again even if only chicken was good Can be a line at times

    (3)

  • Tim P.

    I could borderline see where Mother's is a 5 star, but after a few hiccups, I could only justify 4 and here's why. The 20 min wait outside without any covering, to wait 15 min more once they let you in was a little rough with the heat. There were so many signs once you got to instruct you on what to do, where to stand, how to order, no tipping, check your order. The waitstaff was not exactly the friendliest around either. My wife and I had the Turkey Ferdi and grilled chicken Po' Boys with the white bean soup and red beans and rice. The food came rather quick despite the mass amount of customers. Except they brought me a shrimp po boy instead, which I dont mind shrimp, but a shrimp po boy just didnt seem appetizing. The waitress took it back. So while we waited, my wife ate her sandwich and gave me some. The turkey ferdi was soft and tasty with the au jus. The red beans and rice had all the right flavors and was the best ive ever had. So after we waited another 20 minutes, while our hostess finished her ssndwich, she came back and said, "oh, let me check on your chicken...." Once the sandwich came I was still blown away with how amazing it tasted. The chicken was grilled to perfection and the standard fixin's just added to make the best po boy ever. The only thing I am sour about now is the $4.50 proce difference between shrimp and chicken. Oh well...on the way out I saw another sign at the register that said to check our receipt before leaving the register.... i guess they screw up often. Besides that, I guess Ill call it a lesson learned sn go back next NOLA trip.

    (4)

  • Jim M.

    Gave this place a second try nearly 2 years after the first time. I stand by my original comments, this place has to be one of the most overrated breakfast joints in New Orleans. I've heard there was a day when this was 'the place' for breakfast and po boys but after some expansion and being in the lime light all these years my only guess is they decided to allow quality to decline in order to milk the profits. Not to mention the atmosphere itself is mehh and the people aren't too friendly. Do yourself a favor. Go to Surrey's Juice Bar on magazine, Eat in the quarter, Katie's in Mid City on Sunday, or Atchafalaya in Uptown for breakfast. For po boys, go to Parkway in Mid City, Killer Po Boys in the quarter, or Mahoney's on Magazine. Save yourself the walk to Mothers and just look on Yelp for better places to go.

    (2)

  • Chris S.

    I'll be brief. Line looks daunting but as others have mentioned moves very quick. There is a ton of seating so you'll have a place to sit. You come here and order the pop boy. So good. I got the Famous Ferdi Special which is a combination of meats and amazing. It was a like a unicorn pooped rainbows on my meal. It was heavinly. It looks daunting but if you man up you can finish the sandwich. I couldn't get anything else down. Last time I went I did try the combo and french fries with the same po boy. This is a classic and stable in New Orleans and a must try. Be aware of the service. They are as nice as can be but our service was really slow last night. It is a bit disorganized and an archaic process so be prepared to wait.

    (4)

  • Lex W.

    Wow. Definitely some scathing reviews of this place. Our experience was pleasant. We enjoyed our food, the gentleman who took care of our table, and especially the portion sizes. It is true that there will be a long line, and that you have to order cafeteria style. the place gets crowded, but try to get a seat in the back dining room where the bar is. It's so pretty, spacious and slightly industrial with a super high ceiling and exposed brick. we sat at a high table near the double doors with windows and enjoyed the sun streaming in. We were seated by 11 and out by 12, so the wait wasn't too long. Our server was funny and struck up a conversation with us. we wanted to tip him but did feel uncomfortable with the no tipping rule. As for our food. Generous portion sizes, and everything was tasty. fluffy omelets (I was partial to my crawfish entouffe omelet). the baked ham was purty good too. the biscuits were pillowy and so yummy with butter and raspberry jelly. Our grits weren't dressed but just adding a pat or two of butter and salt made em perfect. Mimosas, while high at $6.50, packed a nice little punch but were super good with brunch. I liked Mother's. Pricewise it was more than i thpought for some items, but overall similar to other eateries here. It's pretty unassuming and doesn't try to be the best, that's not it's personality (I.e. bloody marys served in plastic cups). But if you try it you may find something you like!

    (3)

  • Jannet L.

    I got the 20 dollar some kind of combo plate with étouffée jambalaya red beans and rice and something else. I think turnip greens? Food was fine not terribly memorable. Gotta go up to counter to order. No tips allowed. Food brought to you. No frills. Quite expensive for a ok meal but surroundings just kinda plain. I get that perhaps it's some type of institution so I can appreciate that. The bread pudding was very good kinda soft and gooey. I just suppose that with all the amazing food in that town I prolly wouldn't go back here.

    (2)

  • Cheryl A.

    We came here on a referral from a local. When we walked all the way here & I saw the line I almost cried, I couldn't believe they had a line outside... and it didn't look like it was moving either... but give it a minute. They only let so many people inside at one time at first to keep the crowd down in the front section of the restaurant. Once you get in , it's time to place your order, then you find a table and the server brings your food. PLENTY of tables in a big hidden back room & the servers are very attentive. But make sure you know what you want to order as they get you moving through the line & they are not playing. I ordered the Original Debris for no other reason as it's what they are famous for so I figured I would start there. The meat was scrumptious & the bread was good, but it was a lot of bread, of course it was a lot of meat too, soooo much meat, not fatty at all. However, I think I would have been just as happy with a breakfast platter as they also looked delicious. I will just have to go back & find out. They get an A+ for having a system for getting that many people in the door they have definitely figured out a method to keep the line moving & it works for them.

    (5)

  • Jiyea C.

    Across the street from our hotel and right on the Mardi Gras parade route. I wasn't entirely impressed with the po boy here, but the corn and crab bisque was amazing. Note that they don't offer the large soup size for takeout.

    (3)

  • Bridget P.

    If you want to experience blatant rudeness by staff members this is the place. When my husband and I arrived on the morning of 8/06/15. It felt like I was in a soup kitchen line asking for free food. We were not greeted by a warm smile but a "step in line "or more like fall in order ... Really? Two menus were shoved at us by a man at the door ( I assumed he was a manager). We are standing in line along a wall looking at our menus. When unbeknown to me one of the workers was trying to get around me to the kitchen. She rudely stated. "Step back I am trying to get pass". Not excuse me like normal people. I was Just about feed up! ...I turned to my husband and told him "I don't think I want to eat here" all of a sudden I looked to the left of me at another female worker who over heard me and rolled her eyes. The next thing came out of my mouth was ...Lets go!!!!! I will never spend my money in this place. Please don't get me wrong I have been in some pretty dive places....but rudeness, there is no reason for for it!!!

    (1)

  • Emily T.

    We didn't realize that this was a tourist spot. Don't be scared by that comment. New Orleans actually does quite well with tourist destinations. Generally, they are worth it. Fortunately we stumbled upon it by accident and good timing as others in our group waited down the block, but was told they were quick and efficient. We had our first meal in NOLA and Po'boy here. Neither of us were disappointed. If you like meat, get the Ferdi special. You could taste all the flavors individually with each bite. I don't know about all the tipping rules, but we did leave one at the table as they did bring us our food and refilled our sodas.

    (4)

  • Darren G.

    For what it is Mothers is fine...I had grits and eggs and a buttermilk biscuit...Biscuit was great...only my 2nd time eating grits and I liked them...eggs were just okay. The ordering system is kind of odd and inefficient. The 7 dollar cup of soup my dad got was a huge rip off...pay the extra for the large the small is like 3 bites of food. They serve breakfast all day which I loved since Im picky and not a huge seafood person. My dad said the roast beef sandwich he had was really good too. Overall a couple things are overpriced but the food is pretty solid.

    (4)

  • Fawn W.

    Quirky but fun. Good food, large portions. My friends are fried chicken, ham (very good) and I had the white bean soup and the bread pudding. Be prepared to order after they let you inside. Have your cash ready. It reminded me somewhat of the soup nazi of Seinfield fame.

    (4)

  • Neftalí J.

    I... don't get it. I'm allergic to eggs, so I'm not really much of a breakfast person since every place has eggs in everything. We actually came here for lunch though and everything was just... aiight. I had the "famous" Ferdi sandwich. It... had some taste? I'm just still confused why everyone loves this place so much. I wouldn't wait in line again. There are much better places to eat in New Orleans.

    (2)

  • David T.

    Great food fast and not too expensive. Go get yourself some! The large sandwich is big enough to feed two.

    (5)

  • Ted H.

    Frankly, we gad a horrible experience. Our party of 8 unanimously voted Mother's an emphatic "Never Again." Mother's was recommended ed to us by our concierge. We waited about 30 minutes outside the restaurant and another 15 inside. That 15 minutes should have alerted us as we witnessed the serving line first hand. It was a total turn off. The foods and veggies were scattered all over the steam table. Many of the veggies looked like they had been there too long. The food itself, from the Ferdie, to the gumbo to the red beans and rice were all tasteless and bland. In short, don't go ... try the Praline Connection or Little Dizzy's instead.

    (1)

  • Teofila R.

    Fried oyster fried to perfection, battered very lightly . Same thing with shrimp and fish, turnip greens with chunks of meat! Seafood gumbo thick and hearty! Busy place but we got all our needs met?

    (5)

  • S W.

    The menu looks great for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everything looks ridiculously delicious! The long line moves quickly and there is plenty of seating in the back. I'm here for breakfast but can't wait to come back for lunch!

    (4)

  • Brooklyn O.

    It's like a buffet of the best tasting soul food you've ever had. The Jambalaya is delicious, the employees are delightful and the service is great. I eat here at least once every time I visit.

    (5)

  • Clay C.

    Not worth the hype or the wait in line! We ate our way through New Orleans and this place was our least favorite. Campbell's soup makes a better gumbo!

    (1)

  • Mark M.

    Went on 5-4-2014. We arrived at around 11:15 am and the line was down the building. It did move quickly and we were in in less than 20 minutes. As others have stated the ordering is different but works. My son who is picky decided to order breakfast and thought the eggs were running but loved the biscuits. Daughter ordered the Roast Beef and she loved it. She also ordered a cup of Red beans and she thought they were great. Wife ordered a fried Chicken Po Boy. She liked it a lot but thought that the 2/3 was way to much for her. I ordered a Hot Sausage Po Boy and really enjoyed it. They bread was fantastic and the sausage was perfectly cooked. I also ordered the Red Beans and thought they were OK. I would have liked to have them on Monday which is always the special of the day at all NOLA restaurant's. We left Monday morning so maybe next time.. All in all I will make it a regular stop when in NOLA it was very good and the prices were not the normal French Quarter inflated price. I thought it was extremely odd that they had signs posted in the rooms saying please do not tip. I thought the guy that was working our table was wonderful. He was very friendly and asked questions about how our trip was going. He delivered our food promptly and could not have been nicer.

    (4)

  • James C.

    The waiter is rude. The shrimp po boy tastes just okay and beaf po boy tastes really bad. I won't recommend this restaurant to u guys.

    (1)

  • Donavan D.

    We had a very good breakfast! The lunch menu looked really good as well! The service was 'fun" and fast as well. Many different kinds of meats for breakfast on the menu. Good for the entire family.

    (4)

  • Brian G.

    We were huge fans and for a place that has been around as long as they have, the quality is still very high. It was great to just stroll in, order and be done with it. They brought all of our food to our table around the same time as well (We had a group of 11) and they found a place for us to seat all together. Prices were pretty good as well and the portions sizes are great. We had a great first meal there - glad we stopped in.

    (4)

  • Steve N.

    I don't see what all the hypes about. Was ok. Expensive for what you get. A little dirty. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't eat there again.

    (3)

  • T R.

    Yummmm.... We had their famous Ferdi poor boy & Jerry's jambilya. They were both really good! This is a fast pace order & eat so make sure you know what you want before getting to the counter. The employees seem nice & for as much business this place gets it was pretty clean.

    (4)

  • Alex M.

    The service was slow, and rude. The food had no flavor. I had the shrimp po boy and the sea food gumbo, and I was not impressed at all. The place was dirty, there were flies everywhere. I think the place is overpriced and overrated. Also, good luck if you get there when there is a line coming out the front door.

    (1)

  • Autumn V.

    My sister and I stayed here on all star weekend, and if you know about that life, then you know everywhere in NOLA is crazy crowded, but I didn't care I had never been to the city and Mother's was on my foodie bucket list. After being traumatized I didn't see Lebron, Drake, the carter's or anyone famous on the one weekend they're all there , lets just say I needed a fried chicken pick me up. Location: Just walk, it's in the heart of the shopping area & you will never get a close spot, we parked in the mall garage it was cheaper then the lots (free first hour, $4 for 2-4 hrs) Wait: the wait suuuuucked but what can you do? we got there just before it wrapped around the whole building. After waiting about 30 min outside & being starving Mother's broke our hearts like a disneyland ride & as the staff let us in the door it was another line (this wait was faster 15min). Service: There is no table service, so at least I didn't have to deal with them continuously but the two cashiers had an attitude on them, I changed my mind on a side & switched, I wouldn't suggest doing that, she sighed & threw my receipt at me. Bad day hopefully? my food choice: Fried Chicken, Dirty rice, Greens & a lemonade. nom nom

    (4)

  • Michael D.

    This place is legit and as good as advertised. Portions are hearty. Don't let the long line fool you. It moves pretty fast. The debris is delicious and the Jumbolaya was tasty. Worth checking out.

    (4)

  • Daniel T.

    Lots of hype. Not the best service and always a long wait.

    (2)

  • Leanne A.

    The brownie alone was a 10! The crawfish etoufee was really good though.

    (4)

  • Katie L.

    Authentic feeling atmosphere with enormous proportions. We went for dinner on a Saturday night around 7pm and waited about 5 minutes to order. You seat yourself and there were plenty of open tables. We had the fried chicken platter and red beans and rice platter. Both were very solid but way more food than needed!

    (4)

  • carter p.

    Good food if you want an authentic type place. But not if you're looking for a good breakfast place. Had to clean our own table before sitting down. Def try the jambalaya

    (4)

  • Brian D.

    Enough has been said about this place...there is no other like it in the world! The Famous Ferdi Po-Boy lives up to the hype & breakfast was homemade and delicious. The ham truly melts away...I know that sounds strange, but it does.

    (5)

  • Angel M.

    Why is this place still open?! Have anyone looked in the area where they serve food it is filthy, the bar area as well as the floor! The people are so nasty and rude we was told as we was leaving "you don't have 2 go home but you got to get the hell out of here." These reality TV shows has really gotten these companies thinking they can talk to customers any kind of way and they think it's funny and cute. I was with 4 other people., all together they had, soul food plate with the red beans and rice green beans and ham , shrimp Po boy, roast beef Po boy and calamari! Everything looked disgusting everyone had to go plates and stated that everything besides the red beans and rice was nasty!

    (1)

  • Jasmin B.

    Wasn't a fan. I thought I'd be getting some of New Orleans finest dishes, that was not the case at all. I ordered the fried catfish and it had absolutely no flavor! this is a southern restaurant so I was expecting some good ole southern spices. I don't think I'll go back, and it's a little pricey for low quality of food. The seafood gumbo was ok, but I had to add salt and pepper to it, once again it lacked in the flavor department. And the food isn't cooked to order, it seems like it's already made and just sitting around. I do not recommend.

    (1)

  • Liz M.

    A local recommended this restaurant for breakfast on our last day in NOLA. There was not much of a line so we decided to give it a shot. It is a bit different in that you are given a menu at the door and you need to order at the counter and pay. You then seat yourself and give your receipt to the lady that comes around. We had Pat who was very cool, very friendly! I got the breakfast special of 2 eggs, baked ham and grits. Lots of food and the grits were very tasty. It is kinda strange that they don't serve bacon and the coffee wasn't our favorite so that is the reason for 4 stars. But I do recommend Mothers for breakfast!

    (4)

  • Food Has To Be Good W.

    Unfortunately I was expecting this place to live up to its name. Somebody's mother is rolling over in her grave.

    (1)

  • Mark G.

    Beyonce came here like 2 days after us sooooooo.... Parking and getting a table wasn't a "Bug-a-Boo" everything is well organized. I like the way they "Catered 2 us" with the quick and prompt service. We moved "to the left, to the left" after we ordered. After our "countdown" the food came out very quick. I had the turkey/roast beef with debris, it was one of the "Best Thing I Never Had". Very huge portions I must say. Turnip greens and red beans/rice were delicious as well. The bread pudding had me "Crazy in Love" that gave me "Emotions" that made me "Lose My Breath" over the amazing deliciousness. This desert is really "Irreplaceable". Our waitress was great in refilling our pop in such a busy place, so we left her some "Single Ladies" (aka George Washington$). Great place overall; just remember when you get home "Work it out" so you can get "bodied" and come back with no remorse. In closing, this place "Jumpin, Jumpin" "XO"

    (5)

  • TARA G.

    My husband and I went to mother's for lunch. It was good! Not a fancy place, but the food and service is great! We had red beans and rice and sausage. This seems to be a popular place. I would recommend and definitely visit again if I'm in new orleans

    (4)

  • M. C.

    Didn't even bother to try the food. I don't understand how the food is worth it when it's splattered all over the work area and floor..... It was so messy behind the counter that it immediately turned me off. Also, the sheriff.....absolutely unnecessary. He was rude and like a drill sergeant. No need, it's a restaurant. You don't need to yell at people to stand single file and push them. This place is abs. not somewhere I would recommend.

    (1)

  • Joyce P.

    I am in town for a conference in NOLA, this place came highly recommended by a fellow passenger on the flight. I had breakfast, specifically a meat biscuit which I was told by the order taker was similar to McDonald's egg mcmuffin. I ordered mine with ham. The portion of ham was very large but was tender and tasty. They served the biscuit with jam, blackberry I think. Delicious! The coffee was strong and thick...i wish i would have asked for cream. The place was clean on the inside, but the area around the restaurant smelled like sewer and garbage. I would recommend you giving Mothers a try, I will try them again.

    (3)

  • Melissa W.

    Great hole in the wall. The roast beef and the drippings were the best. I think you could serve it on anything!

    (4)

  • Abby N.

    Finally checked Mother's off the list of New Orleans institutions that I hadn't yet been to since living here. If you don't like a little stress while waiting in line, ordering and trying to find a table, it would be a good place to skip. I still did very much enjoy my red beans and rice, debris and cabbage; not sure that the chaos endured before getting to a table and eating was worth the fuss.

    (3)

  • David A.

    A number of things on the menu looked very appealing to me, but I elected to try the po boy that's earned recognition in various food magazines and on TV shows - the Famous Ferdi Special. The Famous Ferdi Special is a po boy on French bread that's topped with roast beef, ham, debris (more on that in a minute), cabbage, pickles, creole mustard and mayo. Let's go ahead and get this out of the way - I was disappointed in this sandwich. The roast beef and ham were both rather unimpressive. Neither meat had a ton of flavor, and I thought the ham was particularly dry. For a place that boasts about having "World Famous Ham," I was surprised. However, despite thinking the meat was dry and lacking in flavor, I thought the complete opposite about the debris. Debris is all the beef, juice and drippings that fall into a pan as a roast beef cooks. It was wonderful. Actually, I would have preferred to just have a debris sandwich. Has anyone tried doing that? If so, please send me your address. I'm coming over. Immediately. As the juices from the debris began to seep into the French bread, it reminded me of the delicious flavors you get in a great Italian beef sandwich. Next time, I'm asking for extra debris. Overall, my po boy from Mother's wasn't quite what I was hoping for. Although the sandwich wasn't bad, it wasn't in the "Best Thing I Ever Ate" category. To be fair, maybe my expectations were a bit high. I blame the Food Network and Travel Channel.

    (2)

  • Alissa W.

    I came here after getting a bad breakfast I did not eat at a place nearby. I wish I tried the poboy sandwich looked amazing. I ended up getting a chicken salad but the chicken was so tasty and the service was so friendly I was just so happy to try this place ! I didn't even realize when I was there this place is a Landmark !

    (4)

  • Nisey M.

    Ferdi's special was amazing (:

    (3)

  • Ollie T.

    They get two stars for what was easily one of the best bread puddings I'd ever sampled (my husband ordered it for himself and I tasted one...or two--or three forkfuls). And I don't even LIKE bread pudding. However, the rest of their food was very "meh" and bland, and coupled with the restaurant conditions that's all the stars I can see to give Mother's. I decided to try gumbo and jambalaya since I was in New Orleans, AND since Mother's came highly rated by many, including fellow Yelpers. Neither tasted like much, and the sausage in my gumbo had absolutely no taste. My husband's fried chicken left much to be desired, as well, ESPECIALLY since we'd eaten at the far more flavorful Willie Mae's earlier in the day. In the [ladies] bathroom the sinks didn't work! I don't go anywhere without Wet Ones so I just whipped them out of my handbag and cleaned my hands with them, and offered them to the two other ladies at the sink, one of which expressed extreme dismay at the fact that "If I can't wash my hands, neither can the kitchen staff!" I thank her a great deal for putting that thought into my head, although I'd like to believe that they'd probably use the kitchen sink, or a sink that was described by one patron to be in the hallway. Sorry, Mother's...your bread pudding can't save you.

    (2)

  • Brad S.

    Worst Tourist trap I have ever been to. $14.81 for a Fried Chicken sandwich and an Ice T. Decor has not been updated in probably 55 years or whenever this place opened. I can't imagine there are any repeat customers. Line out the door with Tourists not locals.

    (1)

  • Brenda D.

    Mothers is always on my must visit places to eat while in NOLA. My husband wanted some of the great New Orleans food that I talked about for months. What better place to take him than Mothers so he could have lots of anything! Breakfast consisted of Shrimp Creole Omelet - a 1st for me and YUMMY Grits Biscuits with jam - OMG - tell them to box it or you won't be hungry when you finish eating it. Not to mention it's hard to only have one bite Jambalaya Red Beans and Rice - my new favorite - I had forgotten how good they were Bread pudding - Mothers does it best Yep, we ate it all and were happily stuffed walking out the door.

    (5)

  • Vincent Y.

    Honestly don't know what the poor reviews are about: this restaurant was fantastic. The seafood gumbo was so savory that I wouldn't mind having it every day. The combination platter had baked ham, jambalaya, grits and greens. Baked ham was sweet and savory, the jambalaya was tomato-savory, the grits were wonderful, and it goes on and on. Please go at least once while you're there in NOLA. This place is wonderful.

    (5)

  • Daniel H.

    The ham is amazing and so is the cabbage and greens. The po boys were not very good due to the hardness of the bread. The service was good, despite being busy thy corrected any issues that we had regarding not receiving our food. The food over all is 4 stars based on what we had to eat. the service was good and the place is plenty of seating, which you can not tell from the outside.

    (4)

  • Gabby O.

    Passing through and was closest to hotel. Well here it goes...let's start with the bread from the po boys...all stale really hard to chew. My dog couldn't really chew it and she's a huge hungry boxer. Nothing fancy about the meat...coulda went to subway. Gumbo was depressing...can anyone say Campbell's soup can? That's exactly where it came from. The meat they give what is it shredded beef... Same crap. Ugh. Don't go here, go find a real hole in the wall. Not the way to start off my southern food experience. :(

    (1)

  • Gilbert L.

    Worth the walk from the French Quarter. The line may appear to be long but the size of the place is understated. Don't let the line fool you. The turnaround is fast and the plates fly out the kitchen. The price is A-OK. I typically come here every time I visit New Orleans and especially make the effort when I'm with people new to the city. Stuff I have had: - Famous Ferdi's Special (quite filling and sometimes messy due to the roux) - Breakfast Special (when I cant decide and just want all the breakfast stuff at one time) - Fried Chicken (it comes out way faster than listed on the menu) - Any omelette (the build your own is better) I really haven't deviated from these 4 items. There is a section for salads and I dont understand why it's there among all the amazing unhealthy food. It reminds me of the uselessness of McDonalds salads or adding gobs of ranch. Also, I've only eaten here in the mornings. It's part of my tradition. The funny thing about people who think it's overrated is that perhaps there is a place in their home town that is the bees knees to them and someone else thinks it's overrated. Bust seriously I guess because I can only go there when I'm in town the twice a year that I like it so much.

    (4)

  • Merle G.

    The way this restaurant is set up was efficient and different and fun. We went for breakfast and was told to order debre that might not of been the best choice because my friend ordered a ham omelette and it was picture perfect. My husband ordered eggs and ham and the ham was to die for. The biscuits with the raspberry jelly and the muffin and coffee couldn't be beat and the pricing was normal. I loved it there!!!

    (5)

  • Chara J.

    By far the worst experience I have had in New Orleans period. Terrible customer service ,dirty tables , dirty utensils . I could for sure pass on this one. We explained our concerns and and the owner said "oh well"! There was hair in our drinks and used condiments on the table. There are plenty of better places in N.O.

    (1)

  • Matt C.

    Go and Go early, there will be a line. Very Military friendly.

    (4)

  • Benny K.

    We had lunch here and ordered the famous ferdi special, crawfish etouffee and shrimp creole. The food was good, no frills and affordable. Service was acceptable and finding a table can be tricky as the place can get pretty crowded during peak hours. Nothing extraordinary, but another good place to eat.

    (3)

  • Chantal C.

    One of the best places I have ever ate at. When we go to the French Quarter we alway eat her. So worth the drive from where we live. Best Roast beef poboy I have ever had.

    (5)

  • David S.

    You either love it or hate it. I loved it. The black ham, the Biscuits, the muffins, the simple no frills decor, the unique ordering system all add to the experience. And of course the history and NOLA culture.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth J.

    Staff was rude, no help. Sitting down staff talking rudely will never come here again.

    (2)

  • Erika L.

    This review is way overdue! I ate here in June 2014! This place was recommended to us by locals so we had to try it. First, the way you order and get your food is very strange and the people working at Mother's seemed pretty grumpy and not very welcoming. YOu get a menu when you walk in, you order at the counter and then you pay. There was a woman bring food out to some guests, but others grabbed it themselves. I got the Ferdi Special and the sandwich was huge! 2 half sandwiches, each bigger than my hand. The meat was good, but the dish as a whole was not mind blowing.

    (3)

  • Kevin K.

    This place is insanely awesome. I got the Ferdie, and it was probably the best sandwich I ever had (Adam from Man VS. Food got it, and it's everything he said it was) . I wasn't even a hungry for the 2bd half, and ate it Ike I was starving. Jerry's Jumbalaya was awesome with tons of flavor. I will definitely be coming here as much as I can.

    (5)

  • Philip L.

    If you don't mind standing in a line Mother's is the best for great New Orleans food. I've been here many times over the years and never been disappointed. I was in town for the French Quarter fest and stopped in and had the most amazing bowl of crawfish etouffee chock full of craw fish very very fresh. it was fabulous. Hats off to Mothers for keeping it great over many many years. We love you.

    (5)

  • Andy D.

    Ambiance, well there's none, that is until you eat the food, then you see the beauty that's within. Mother's is an old establishment, that has been around a lot longer then most mothers. This New Orleans dining Mecca is one of the places to go when visiting New Orleans; however, I don't want to say it to loudly, do to the fact locals dining spot would be filled up with those pesky little tourists and there stupid questions. The calibre and authenticity of Mother's food is undeniable, I love going there just to have a Roast Beef Po' Boy with Debris, as a matter of fact other then the Red Beans and Rice, that is all I have ever had. Yes, it's that good The servers were very friendly; however, those behind the counter, well, I think they get impatient with those who stare at the board, as they did with my friend. I guess all in good fun as your given a menu and follow the line until you get to the cashier, so know what you want! So Mother's is a dump, but a good dump!

    (4)

  • Elisa V.

    I'm from Los Angeles. I'm Hispanic so food is a big thing for me. I've traveled a lot and have tried so many different foods, I have to say Mothers has made my top 3 places to eat. We were thrown off by the line but it went quick and the food was very quick and tasted amazing, so much flavor. The group of people I ate with ate from all different parts of the U.S. And we were all more than satisfied with the food and service. Our waiter was a Vietnam vet and chatted up with us being in the military ourselves. Coming to NOLA again just to eat here.

    (5)

  • Darren D.

    Native New Orleanian that had never tried Mother's. I went for breakfast, which I realize isn't their "specialty" but I was exceptionally underwhelmed. I got a breakfast platter (2 eggs, grits, toast, and sausage) for $12.00. The eggs were fine, the grits were bland and under cooked, the toast was fine but the sausage was very good. However, it was not worth 1/2 the price I paid. The atmosphere is just plain bad and I found the place dirty, especially for a restaurant. Bottom line, this DOES NOT represent the best New Orleans has to offer. Please don't fall for the hype.

    (2)

  • Mike F.

    We had heard great things from tour guides and online reviews, but we weren't all that impressed. The food was fine but nothing we thought was special - just average. We got a shrimp poboy and a roast beef poboy and fries. I will say the servings were huge---we should have gotten one lunch entrée and shared it. For our next lunch in New Orleans we'll try someplace different.

    (3)

  • A. C.

    Ordered the "Ferdi" after being recommended here by Man vs. Food... It was my first day in New Orleans. And it ruined it!!! It was more expensive then other poboys in the local area and it tasted similar to a mix between a Subway sandwich and one from Arby's... A slice of roast beef a slice of turkey, some lettuce & mayo with bread and butter pickles... Really? This is a good sandwich? Earlier I noticed people lined up to get in this restaurant? ---Why? My wife had the luke warm crawfish étouffée. And warning bells in my head went off. This could make people sick! Well it made me sick! (Nausea, muscle shakes, etc.) I am not sure if the USA has food inspectors but please visit this restaurant before more people succumb to this potential food poisoning trap. My advice Stay Away.

    (1)

  • Olga P.

    Came back for the fried chicken and it was super greasy and disapppinting. May have been because we went after the lunch hour rush (around 230)?

    (3)

  • Andrew G.

    My search for a shrimp po' boy in New Orleans led me to Mother's. The restaurant is cafeteria-style, and they have pretty much anything you could want. We got all the classics: po' boy, catfish, red beans and rice, biscuit, and pecan pie. It was all effing incredible. This place made me fall in love with Cajun food. The po' boy had perfect, hearty bread, and the catfish was fried to crispy perfection. The pecan pie at the end left me utterly devastated with delicious decadence. Ten thumbs up!

    (5)

  • Carl B.

    Their ham was really good! The beans and rice also tasted very good. Not the best meal I've ever had, but still really good. The woman at the front counter taking orders could have been friendlier. However, the rest of the wait staff was very friendly. You get an abundant amount of food. I got the ham dinner, and for just $13, I got ham, beans and rice, and 2 sides. My sides were grits and fries, and I had a whole plate full of fries I was unable to finish. This is a good restaurant to get a quick bite at in New Orleans.

    (4)

  • Alyssa W.

    This was the first place we ate at when we first arrived and we were SO GLAD we did. It's a super down and gritty place -- don't expect anything fancy or wear your fancy suit. We ordered: 1) Catfish plate with green beans + tomatoes and grits. 2) Seafood gumbo 3) Rice and beans with sausage and grits Let me do you a favor and just say YES TO EVERYTHING ABOVE. The green beans were surprisingly my favorite --very flavorful and offered a nice balance to the subdued flavor of the grits. Catfish was fried, crunchy, and highly caloric, just like I wanted my NOLA food.

    (4)

  • Alan S.

    I wanted to like Mother's. It's got some charm as a greasy spoon style diner and with a name like Mother's you have to expect that it's going to have some wholesome goodness to it. Unfortunately the food was average at best; I had the fried chicken po boy and the chicken/sausage gumbo. Both were okay...not terrile but nothing at all special. It took a large quantity of hot sauce to make the food appealing. I guess my general sense is that Mother's is a good name for this place. It's nothing exceptionally good and if you want some New Orleans food it's as good a place as many others. But it was certainly nothing special and the prices were not particularly good either. I suspect they thrive based on their location far from the French Quarter and surrounded by many hotels. The look of the place probably draws in a lot of tourists (like your's truly) but I'd recommend moving along to better fare elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Christelle D.

    Super low-key spot with delicious nosh! We stopped by for brunch and although the line might look intimidating, it moves reallllly fast. Food was GREAT! We got a breakfast platter, but added the Famous Ferdi Special at the last minute: best decision ever! It was truly a highlight during our time in NOLA. Baked Ham. Roast Beef. Debris. Gravy. AWESOME. Pretty large sandwich, my best friend and I split it. Of course now that I'm back in NYC, I crave this constantly. Service was decent - our server was adorable, calling us all "sugar"and "honey" and showering us with all of that southern charm. Very casual place. Order your food first and it's brought to your table. Looking forward to getting this again whenever I return to NOLA.

    (4)

  • John N.

    Line is not worth the wait. It's not even that cool of a place. Poor boys are completely overrated. They're not terrible, but they're not the bomb, either. Don't waste your time! Go to Parkway instead.

    (2)

  • Mona O.

    I'd come here again just for the huge fluffy buiscuts. They were fantastic! But I wouldn't wait in line (I came on a Thursday morning when the line was short). The grits were creamy & the omelets were bland & very mediocre. Maybe the lunch is better? I can't imagine waiting in line for anything on the menu, especially since there's so many great places to eat in this town. Like many said in the reviews not recommend section, this place is overhyped.

    (3)

  • Denise L.

    This place is one of the spots that people must come and try. There's usually a line, but as our group of 6 walked past it on the way to the Riverwalk, there was no line! We were full from brunch, but we took advantage of not having to wait to split a sandwich between the 6 of us just to see what the hype was about. It's fairly small on the inside, although it looks pretty big from the outside. You order yourself, as you pass by the various items and peruse the menu. We ordered the Famous Ferdi Special Po Boy, which had honey baked ham, roast beef, and the fixins. It was nearly $11 for a regular, pretty pricey. We also ordered 5 sodas and a bloody mary that rounded the bill to a good $32. We nabbed two tables, and the guy that gives you your drinks is not the most pleasant, was scared to ask for refills, but we did. We get our sandwich and cut it into 6 pieces. For one person, it is a very huge sandwich. I liked the roast beef better than the ham, it was all very flavorful and moist, but I didn't like how the bottom part of the bread was so soggy. Others liked how that was soggy, but the top bread was not, but I dislike mushy bread. It was still really good, but I think I would like it better if both breads were toasted or the bottom wasn't so soggy.

    (3)

  • James M.

    I actually thought the food was ridiculously good - that said, I wish there were half-stars because 3.5 would accurately blend the douche experience when ordering vs. the genial service who actually brings your plates of goodness to you. You can avoid the lines if you don't hit rush-hour times. What you can't avoid is a combo of disinterested and strangely Soup-Nazi staff taking your order and giving lip if you stand in the wrong place or aren't down with the process --- order, get your drink, and get the f out of the way. Food was amazing - so there's your 4 stars. Like Seinfeld, you put up with the bs to get some good grub. But c'mon. The staff who brings you your food are cool. The random employees who are doing their thing are cool. The folks who take your orders? Hahaha....please. You're lucky the food is this good.

    (4)

  • Scott L.

    One of the most overrated place in NOLA. The food is Ok but nothing to rave about. If you are staying at a nearby hotel, It's not a bad place for breakfast. I have eating here a couple of times just because its convenient. Bottom line, there are a lot of better place in NOLA to get a bite.

    (2)

  • Alan S.

    Delicious sandwich. I had never heard of this place but a friend knew what was up and we went for lunch during a conference. Had the Famous Ferdi Special Po-Boy and I'll echo Alexander W. by agreeing that it was "a beautiful mess." The plate doesn't look like much but it tasted great. $10 for a sandwich seems a little pricy but it was worth it for the experience. I was very satisfied and recommend giving it a go. Just be careful not to get the juices all over yourself!

    (4)

  • Bernard W.

    At two stars this place would be overrated. The lines are long, through no fault of the restaurant. Once you get in the door, the poor service rakes over. It takes longer than it should to have your order taken. The wait for the food is unacceptably long for what is essentially a mess hall. The food is equal to prepackaged mini marts. The potato salad is commercially mass produced and served from a pail. The cabbage is a tasteless soggy mass. The rice and red beans are a mushy mess with ham bits introduced after cooking. . The debris gravy is a pressure cooked bland mass of meat and flavored water. The ham is a piece of cheap processed meat. Don't eat here. . Nothing is worth it.

    (1)

  • Alex T.

    Breakfast was as authentic as the staff. Full of flavor and fantastic homestyle cooking. I ordered the Crawfish Étouffée Omelet and they did bot disappoint. The omelet was half the size of my head and partnered with a generous helping of grits.

    (5)

  • Jamie W.

    We arrived early so no wait!!! We had the ham & biscuit sandwich....very good, would have been better with the ham warm!!! Hard working employees!

    (4)

  • Cristen F.

    I seriously don't understand the hype of this place, and, for the type of food served, it's a bit pricey. Everything I've had was ok, nothing was terrible, but I certainly do not want to stand in line for an hour for anything they serve. Any meat I've ever tried there was too salty, same for the veggies. I love a roast beef po boy but the only flavor to this one is salt. However, if you like typical "southern home cooking" type of food, you'll likely love this place.

    (2)

  • Jo'van G.

    Stopped by on the way back to Pensacola and i must say this is by far the best food i have ever tasted in my 24 yrs of living. I had the gumbo and jumbolya and its Amazing. I will be coming back to New Orleans just to stop back at Mother's!!!

    (5)

  • Laurie S.

    We were in New Orleans for spring break and hit Mother's 3 times in 4 days. I couldn't get enough of the grilled shrimp. I had their grilled shrimp salad twice and the grilled shrimp plate the third time. My husband had their gumbo, gulf shrimp po'boy and catfish. Everything was a hit. This is an ultra casual restaurant. Don't be intimidated by the sherif at the door. As far as I could tell he was there to play hostess and line management. The last night the line was out the door and halfway down the block but we still only waited about 20 minutes to order so it goes fast.

    (5)

  • Kyle H.

    Jenny H. gives a good representation of what's "supposed to" happen at Mother's, but it rarely is that "easy". Something akin to the Soup Nazi meets Cranky Motherly Love Service, is more like it. I ordered a drink. Do I have to ask for it? Yes, I do. Even though I was just chided for asking if I can help myself to water, I guess it's okay to ask for my cola that wasn't going to be gotten, otherwise. Other diners asked us, once seated, if they would be getting their food delivered. Only because we had been waited on did we know. Have gotten the Ferdi before and it was awesome, but way too much meat for this li'l guy to finish. This visit was 2/3 ham po' boy with side of gumbo. Sandwich was exellent, and so glad I ordered the gumbo. Plan on waiting here, being confused or ignored, and not eating for the rest of the day!

    (4)

  • Destiny G.

    Mothers was amazing! The restaurant is more like a cafeteria style so you have to know what you want before you go in. The line is pretty long on the outside of the restaurant but I promise it moves quickly. My husband got a ferdi it's basically a sandwich with all their meats and "jus". I got the sampler plate with greens. I don't like greens at all but I felt I needed a veggie and let me tell you it was amazing. My husband HATES veggies and he loved the greens too. Their food is simply great if you want an authentic New Orleans experience mothers is the place to start.

    (4)

  • Meredith S.

    Mother's Restaurant is an experience. Not one to miss if you're in New Orleans. It's not that everything I've eaten there can't be beat by other more upscale restaurants, but it's the EXPERIENCE of Mother's that is not to be missed. And don't get me wrong, the food IS good! Real sweet staff. I went on a Tuesday at 10am. No line like the weekends. Bread pudding is fresh at 1030am, but I hadn't had breakfast, so I decided to sit with a bowl of grits and wait. Piping hot and perfect flavor and texture. I like to bury two pads of butter right into the core of the piping hot bowl and let them melt down before I mix together the salty butter into the perfectly cooked grits. I treat myself to one (or two or three) heavily buttered bites before I complete mixing the two ingredients into a more proportionate ratio. YUM. Creamy, hearty, filling. Plan to share! My Mom joined me shortly after I'd started my grits and got in line for the bread pudding. The woman at the register was real nice, actually called to me to ask if I was ready for my order, not realizing the next woman was my mom! She didn't forget about me. So damn sweet and attentive. Years ago, I saw a famous person here, Woody Allen if my memory serves me correctly, though it's very foggy. Weekends (Sunday's) are especially busy, but weekdays seem to be at a perfect pace. And as for the bread pudding... OMG. Buttery, brown sugary sauce all over it! Diced pineapple, peach, cherry & apple in the mixture. I think its canned fruit cocktail. Doesn't matter. IT WORKS.

    (5)

  • Danusia W.

    Great crawfish étouffée. Delicious bread pudding. Great service from Shelton. Very enjoyable evening.

    (5)

  • Faby P.

    Short story: amazing bread pudding that lived up to our high expectations. Stopped in here for one thing and one thing only: the infamous bread pudding Sunny Anderson recommended on The Best Thing I Ever Ate. The place is nothing fancy, just a little diner with an old school vibe. The staff is friendly and welcoming, the place is clean and smells like home cooking. The place was pretty empty so we didn't have to brave the long line Sunny warned about on the episode. We ordered the BP and oh-em-gee - it did not disappoint. Perfectly sweet, gooey, crispy at the top, with chunks of fruit cocktail here and there - delicious. We also had some coffee, which was yummy and complimented the indulgence quite well. A definite must-do while in NOLA.

    (5)

  • JR C.

    One of the longest lines we waited in during the New Orleans visit at near an hour wait. The line was outside alongside the building and almost into the driveway of an adjacent parking lot. When you get inside, you order in a tiny low-ceiling cafe like area, but when you really walk into the rest of the restaurant, it's HUGE. Mother's was probably doing so well that they bought the adjacent 2 businesses next to it and turned it all into seating. I elected to sit in the furthest room which had an industrial feel of an old crossfit, but the high ceilings won me. Ordering was a bit funny. You order from a register when you get to the front of the line, then you leave and take your receipt to whichever table. A bus/server will wander around and look at the receipts on the table to know where to take food to. I was a bit alarmed when they elected not to look at our receipts for the first 10 minutes of sitting, but eventually someone came then he would continually check up on us until he brought our food. The process seems a bit.....rough, but I'm just thankful to be eating the fried chicken. -=-Fried Chicken-=- I needed this. It wasn't the best chicken, but atleast it wasn't an oily mess. My order was plenty which came with 3 large pieces. Nothing encourages me to wait in that long line again, but atleast I can say that my experience was mostly positive. Along with my potatoes and biscuits, this was a filling meal.

    (4)

  • Vi W.

    Mother, mother there's so much that I have to say. The jambalaya was so freaking good, so good that it would make you want to slap your own mother but then you wouldn't because you were raised better than that. I had the fortune of eating next to the line where people were ordering and 4 people asked me about my sexy ass plate of jambalaya, talk about breaking necks. If you want authentic jambalaya then this place is the spot. It came with 2 sides, I picked cabbage and turnip greens. They both were great and I'm very picky about greens since most restaurants don't get it right but they were spot on! It was like eating in your grandmother's kitchen. I also had the sweet potato pie...being a born and raised Southerner it was very bland. Maybe I was there on an off day but there is no way you can think that the sweet potato pie was good unless, 1. your taste buds went on a vacation while you were eating it or 2. you never had sweet potato pie in your life and you were so entranced by your prior meal that you possibly couldn't think that Mother's could flop....well they did, and a big belly flop after slipping on the high dive and hitting the other diving boards below. Do yourself a favor and save your $5.25 for something else off their tasty menu. Mother's is a must if you are visiting New Orleans!

    (4)

  • Jake C.

    Mother's gets quite a reputation and is sort of a tourist spot. The original style po' boy, the "ferdi special," is really good though slightly over priced. Because of the atmosphere and proximity to the quarter it has become a tourist "must go" almost like cafe du monde has. And in the same fashion, if you want to wait in ridiculous lines for that particular establishment then go ahead but better food is available for your money and time.

    (3)

  • Keith T.

    You must try the ham. If you ask for black ham you'll get the delicious crust from the glaze. Yum. Please pay attention to all signs and stay out of the staffs way

    (5)

  • Msb1197 S.

    Out with a group of seven people and decided to give Mothers a try based on their reputation for yummy home cooked food. When we walked up the line extended thru the restaurant and out the front door. We almost didn't stay because of this, but I'm glad we did. The wait was only about 5 min...while waiting we were given menus to expedite the ordering process. We were all done with ordering and were seated within 5 more minutes. NOTE: Long lines usually mean great food, Just sayin! Our party ordered a seafood platter, a ferdie Poboy, crawfish étouffée, seafood gumbo, and red beans. The fried shrimp, catfish, and oysters were perfectly battered-not too heavy or oily. Tasted just like homemade. Oh my goodness, this food was amazing...I'm a Cajun girl and grew up on authentic Cajun/creole food so I know what it's supposed to taste like. Mother's is now my fav place for authentic New Orleans food. In addition to the delicious food, the service was fast and friendly, served with a smile. My experience at Mother's was so positive and pleasant and the others in my party were also pleased...they have made seven new customers!

    (5)

  • Erika V.

    Very good food but honestly I've had better New Orleans styled food in cities, like Chicago, so I expected more. Ham was good but not the worlds best. Would try some other places before going back.

    (4)

  • Tian Q.

    Walked in right around 8AM and successfully avoided the notorious line with my early-riser dedication, granted, the the entire crowd at Mother's was at least 50+ and I looked like a foreign toddler lost in a bingo club. This would've probably been a 1.5 or 2 star review if I had to wait in line. Food: -Ferdi po boy, it was a good sandwich but nothing too special -Wanted to try the etouffee and bread pudding but apparently they don't serve that for early birds Service: -Mostly rude and cold and nobody knew how to smile, thought I was gonna get shanked with each additional question I asked at the counter -Wanted half of my po boy to go but was told it wasn't possible, got my po boy on a plate expecting to be some sort of an alive and jizzing mess.. uhh it was definitely possible to get it to go

    (3)

  • Greg M.

    4 stars might be a touch high but 3 is too low... our food was good and this was a great value for the area. I will say their bloody mary's weren't that good but my wife liked her mimosa. This is a great breakfast/lunch spot to start the day.

    (4)

  • Karen A.

    Had a late night dinner after arrivin f in new orleans for my husband's 50th birthday weekend. They were out of chicken and bread for po boys so we had fried catfish. It was delicious. Dining room was messy and you could tell it was the end of the night and W very one wanted to go home. Nice waiter with a great personality brought us our food. $17 for 3 large catfish fillers and two side is expensive in my opinion but we were starving!!

    (3)

  • Lyuda S.

    Awful food and awful service. Stay away! Po-boys had super soggy bread, grits had no flavor... Waitresses were extremely rude!

    (1)

  • Felicia K.

    It was mediocre and honestly the worst the food I've had in this city. It wasn't bad but it damn sure wasn't stand in line worthy. The crawfish étouffée was tasty. Do I think it could be better? Probably. The ham was good but I make a great ham at home. Willie Maes red beans and rice were far superior and the greens tasted like a new cook figuring things out the second or third time. All that being said save yourself the line and go some place else. I've also come to accept that all establishments here could use a deep cleaning. We were told to come here for the sandwiches by a nice fella from Chicago but looking at them I knew that wasn't gonna be better than what I had already had so I saved myself that grief. I do hope that dude checks out Willie Maes and Yo Mommas bar because it's much better.

    (3)

  • Carmen J.

    *Southern Comfort* I was in New Orleans visiting my son, my last night there I asked for a recommendation to a local joint. "Mothers" was the 2nd option! I took the advice, waited about 25 minutes to enter, was greeted by a Sheriff, given a menu then the line moved rather quickly. I ordered jambalaya, a Ferdi po'boy and a beer! The waiter greeted our table once, took receipt, then our food arrived! Jambalaya was spicy not hot, po'boy DELICIOUS! No room left for dessert, waiter highly suggested bread pudding. Being my 1st time there, he packed it up to go. No charge! I've been in Nawlins 3x"s & visited everytime! Great food. I hear breakfast is great, I'll post about it in the fall....

    (5)

  • John V.

    100% NoLa. Arrive in between regular mealtimes if you don't want to wait. Simple. Delicious. Authentic. Legit.

    (5)

  • Robert H.

    Read many reviews and really wanted to try this place. I asked for a turkey and ham Po'Boy to go, paid for it and stood off to the side. Within 10 min, the lady yelled out for the turkey and ham to go. Picked it up, walked back to the convention center where my wife was attending a meeting. We sat down to eat it and we're very disappointed with it. First, there wasn't any ham, just turkey and very well done roast beef. Very little cabbage, dressing, pickles, more mustard than anything. I'm sure that it's a great place, especially with the line of people. However, I'm not sure I would go back from what we had just experienced.

    (2)

  • Kurllenne M.

    The service and appearance are very appealing, but the food is delicious!!! Definitely a spot to hit when you come to NOLA!!

    (5)

  • Casey R.

    I had heard that Mother's is a staple of New Orleans cuisine and a must try for any tourist. While I enjoyed the laid back nature of the place, I did not enjoy my meal and felt it was overpriced. I had the Ferdi. I thought it was gross and I should have expected the bread to be like pudding...... I would love to go back but the next time I'll skip the super wet unseasoned Ferdi sandwich.

    (3)

  • Jeff W.

    Walked here in the rain stood on line then waited 30 minutes for the fried chicken. Took it back to the hotel for my version of room service. So it better be good right. RIGHT! Normally I do not like corn meal breading. Dont like Th texture find it falls off a lot. This looks like corn meal when I opened it. Recipe for disaster right. WRONG! Man is that chicken good. Crunchy tasty and perfectly cooked. Couldn't think of anything better if I tried. Now that i think about it i bet you its cracker meal not corn meal. The veggie sides are so good too. I am here for a few more days and will be back here to try some other items but got my chicken fix and am so glad I did. That was the best kind of room service. If you plan to eat in this place is very basic but authentic and nice. They have a guard at the door who seems like a lovely lady but she does have a uniform and a gun so I guess you will be safe. Nice find. Enjoy.

    (5)

  • Priscilla Y.

    Good thing we didn't have to wait in a long ass line, bc the food here sucks. Got the Ferdi which is one of their most popular sandwiches. Roast beef was dry and flavorless, and I couldn't even taste the ham. Bread seems a bit stale. We had to ask for more mustard, mayo, and pickles to make it edible. Even dousing it with their chili vinegar (which is not spicy btw) and hot sauce didn't really help. Granted, it's a big sandwich, esp if you eat the bread, but this just was not appealing to me. Also got the seafood gumbo. $8.25 for a tiny cup and there was just shrimp inside, didn't see any other seafood. This was the blandest gumbo I ever had. One bite and I was done. Ladies up at the front counter could not crack a smile to save their lives. However the lady in the back that brought us our food was great. Great smile and personality. I didn't notice the sign up front that says not to leave the workers tips, so I left our lady a few bucks, which she took of course. But I really hope they pay their employees enough to not have to depend on tips if they are going to put a sign like that out front. If it wasn't for her, this place would have gotten a one star from me. Even without having to wait in line.

    (2)

  • Kirk S.

    Wait in line....it's not so bad. Get the Ferdi with debris. The breakfasts are awesome too. Don't mind the staff, they're unruly but mean well.

    (5)

  • Freddy V.

    Did not enjoy the greasy grits and eggs. Had much better breakfast in other hole in the walls. The Poy Boy was very good for a sandwich on the go. The waitress was very sweet but there was limited seatings. I will never come back as there are to many better options in NOLA.

    (3)

  • Annette J.

    I love this dive for a true flavor of New Orleans and my food was delicious. I had a fried oyster plate and daughter had the shrimp and oyster poor boy and said the gumbo was great. My turnip greens were very good and a little different - I think they may have had cinnamon in them. When we got there the line was out the door and into the street. If we hadn't used Uber I'd have left, and I'm so glad I didn't. The line moved fast, and I've had longer waits at IHOP.

    (4)

  • Jonathan B.

    Atmosphere: We arrived with the lunch crowd. There was a wait but it wasn't drastic. Service: Its a counter service so we walked through the line - put in our order and looked for a table to sit at. We had to ask for our own refills but other than that it was fine. Food: Our sandwiches were phenomenal. I think my oyster and shrimp po-boy was a bit overpriced but I was on vacation and didn't mind paying for the experience. My girlfriends Ferdi special was amazing. The sides were just so-so but we assumed they would be going in since it was all about the sandwiches. Overall: We'll make a return when we get back into New Orleans. If you're in town its a must try.

    (4)

  • Ken M.

    Two night trip to nola, and we came here twice. That's how amazing this place was. Ordered the jambalaya twice with turnip greens, and I don't even like greens! This place is rich with soul and flavor. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Nathan B.

    Everything there is bland and except the meats which is what they depend on. The servers are rude. I've been there many times ever since I was little, but this is the last time. Take it from a local and try something else where you don't ask yourself , "what am I tipping for?"

    (1)

  • Nick D.

    Had to check out Mother's for lunch as we passed by it several times and noticed the line going out the door. As much chaos going on in the resto, they were able to keep things in order. I ordered the Ferdi which I would share with the s/o and the s/o ordered the Seafood Platter and a side of ham. Add two sodas, the bill came out to almost $50...damn, that's an expensive lunch. The Ferdi was definitely large enough to split between two people. The sandwich was good, a little soggy for my taste. Their "world-famous ham" was meh. Didn't taste amazing or anything special, really. I've had better ham from the grocery store deli. I had a little of the s/o's Seafood Platter. It was the first time I've ever had catfish and I liked it. The fried shrimp was good too. Again, I can't stress enough that eating at the resto can feel unnerving and chaotic. But what made our visit memorable was one of the wait staff, I believe her name was Joyce? She was the epitome of grace under fire. She got our food to us quickly, refilled our drinks, and brought a smile to everyone's face. There's a sign that says "No Tipping" but I'm sorry, we gave her a $20, and she deserved it. On our way out, we heard one of the customers talking to a manager about Joyce and how she should get tips, but his response was, "due to tax reasons..." Mmm hmm...I forgot we were in a red state. Although the food was okay, if we ever find our way back to NOLA, I'd come back to give them a second chance and try something different. #TIP!!!

    (3)

  • Jason A.

    My wife and i stopped in after getting off of our cruise. Now i have never had seafood gumbo before coming here. So with that said i thought it was fantastic. I expect us to hit this place up again. Hopefully i can compare it to some other gumbo to give an accurate rating lol Update Dropped it down to 2 stars from 4. Im walking up and see a worker outside. Its about 7 pm. Before i get there another joins her. As i walk in another comes out rolling her eyes. Get inside and theres a line to the wall, thats expected. I stood in line for about 10 mins and the line moved all of 4 feet (3 people served give or take or maybe it was the people who walked out) and i watched people leave, also heard they were out of stuff.....so i left and went down the street w my money. Not goin to wait 20-30 mins for highly priced poboys to find out they r out of stuff.....especiallh tl people that dont appreciate the success they are having. Apparently they want fewer customers, so ill help w that

    (2)

  • Heather C.

    Soooo good. Had the breakfast special- 2 eggs over easy, turkey sausage, grits, and a biscuit. ($10.70) The turkey sausage was spicy, and not really what I was expecting. I should have gotten the ham or debris, which is what they're known for. Biscuit- fluffy & yummy. Grits- some of the best I've ever had. Their process is a little different. When I entered, a man at the door greeted me and told me to grab a menu and get in line. They would take my order and bring the food to me. The line seemed long, but went really quickly. Know what you want when you get to the front. After you pay, keep your receipt out and find a place. After about 30 seconds, someone came and wiped my table ( I sat down just as someone left with the dishes.) she also asked for my receipt, wrote the table number on it, and took it to the back. My food came out a few minutes later. I'll be back here. Can't wait to try the ham!

    (5)

  • Tianya W.

    I visited Mother's after several recommendations from friends who had visited NOLA. During my visit to he city 2 weeks ago, I was NOT disappointed. Do not be turned off by the line outside, the day I went (Friday afternoon) the line moved fairly quick. It his highly suggested to take advantage of the menus being passed down the line and know what you want once you reach the register. Mother's definitely appears to run like a very well-oiled machine. I hear their breakfast is amazing, but I really wanted some NOLA seafood so I ordered the Seafood Platter Extra Extra since it had a little of everything I could try. I've never really tried oysters, their fried oysters were not bad, I just am not a fan period. The dish comes with Fried oysters, fried shrimp, and a very well-sized fried catfish filet, as well as crawfish etouffee and jambalaya. DEFINITELY got my bang for the buck! The servers are all so pleasant and attentive the entire time you are there. I will definitely return to Mother's on my next visit to NOLA.

    (5)

  • Amanda C.

    They had me at File Gumbo. It is an institution for a reason.

    (5)

  • Belinda L.

    Based on all of the hype, we made this a must stop in Nola. The history of the place, and the celebrity appeal is neat, but possibly a little overrated. You're given strict orders while waiting outside on how to maintain the line once inside. It was pretty comical to see the people who didn't follow the strict line instructions being barked at by the police on duty. No lie, a real officer is there to keep order within the line. The line did move quickly, and if you order poboys or any of the cafeteria styled prepared foods, you received your food quickly. We split the Ferdi Special Po Boy and a bowl of Gumbo. Both were tasty, large portions, but really nothing special. They did serve a few breakfast items during dinner, so that was a plus for my daughter who doesn't eat meat. The wait staff was INCREDIBLE, possibly the best we experienced in Nola! They also cannot accept tips!! I sure hope that they are compensated for their work. A must do in Nola, but be prepared to be a little underwhelmed.

    (3)

  • BigDaddy J.

    Mothers is one of the place that has made my trip to New Orleans awesome. Food was awesome and the people were even better.

    (4)

  • Elaine V.

    Sorry to give only two stars, but the food was WAY over cooked and bland: gumbo, cabbage, greens, and featured Ferdi sandwich. Tourists abounded, including us - locals probably know better.

    (2)

  • Vee N.

    Definitely did not disappoint! Love the jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, and gumbo but mostly the jambalaya.

    (4)

  • Duane D.

    I call this 5 stars, but you have to know what you are in for... This is basic southern comfort food -- VERY well done. We have only been for breakfast, but the eggs, grits, ham, biscuits, etc. are all fantastic. It's table service of a sort. You order at a counter, pay, and carry your own drinks to your table. Then your food is brought out by a server, as well as any re-fills or special requests. This place gets busy fast, especially on weekends -- so there can be a line. Don't fret too much because the line moves pretty quick and the restaurant is HUGE inside. Prices are quite reasonable and the food comes in great quantity. I definitely recommend having something with ham in it. They say it is the "world's best ham" and they can't be too far off. Also, the blueberry muffin with pecans is wonderful. One giant caveat that almost spoiled the 5-star rating -- no bacon! The have ham, roast beef, and sausages for breakfast--but no bacon. I wish they offered some thick cut bacon. Mother's is a must-eat place while in the Big Easy.

    (5)

  • Michael G.

    If you are in New Orleans visiting, Mothers is a hole in the wall establishment that you must seek out and visit. This sandwich shop has been around since before WWII. Find time to go in for lunch and get their po boy sandwich. Ham, roast beef and debris (which is pulled roast beef au jus). It makes a wet sandwich but great taste. Loved their special root beer as well to wash down this wonderful sandwich and some fries. It looks like a dive, but the food is great. I recommend stopping by for lunch if you are visiting. $10 for the special po boy.

    (4)

  • Mel C.

    On our trip to NOLA, we just had to stop by Mother's Restaurant. This place was recommended from a friend of ours and by some Yelp friends as well. So if you read a few of the reviews already, Mother's gets a lot of attention and a lot of traffic. There's usually a line outside, but for us, it went by really quick. Couple of other things to point out... -They don't seem too patient for you to make up your mind so be prepared, be very prepared on what you want to order. -While in line, you'll be given a menu to that you're prepared to order -Seating is first come, first serve -This is a fast paced restaurant. Don't worry, you're allowed to linger and they don't kick you out. But because your order is taken so quick and the employees are constantly cleaning tables, you may feel rushed. -Known for their ham, but it's their Po Boy sandwiches that dominates the menu. -Tips: There's signs everywhere stating that they do not accept tips. But we were educated by one of the employees that told us that those signs were posted back in 1939. In other words, tips aren't expected but welcomed -They serve an average of 2,000 orders per day. Some orders can be a low as a single guest or as high as group of people. Do the math, that's a lot of Po' Boys being served. My Dishes: Jerry's Jambalaya ($6.50 for a cup): Of course, I got their Jambalaya. Not the best that I've had, but good enough for me to finish. I got mine with sausage and chicken. It wasn't too spicy, but still had a kick to it. Yes, I deMELished it. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Famous Ferdi Special ($11.75 Reg): They're known for this Po' Boy, so of course I got this. This Po' Boy included their famous ham, roast beef, debris, gravy, pickles, and mustard. I was impressed with the meats in my Po' Boy due to the flavor and the amount that they hooked up. However, I wasn't too impressed with the bread and thought that the mustard & pickles overwhelmed the meats. I had to try this and it was still good. I recommend if you're visiting Mother's for the first time. yelp.com/user_local_phot… Our group of 6 had a mix of what Mother's had to offer. The gf had their Debris, which she didn't finish since it was huge. But she liked it. Others in our group got their Shrimp Creole, Shrimp Po' Boy, and Seafood Gumbo. I didn't try their orders, but was told that by them that they were completely satisfied, especially with the Shrimp Creole. Price: -Breakfast ($3-$12.50): I think most were on the high side -Po' Boys ($9.50-$17.50) Priced just about right depending on what you get and what size. -Plates ($11-$19): Great deals here -Seafood ($16-$25.50): Average Mother's has a enough on their menu to keep everyone happy. Overall, I have to say that I'm a fan. Got Ham?: yelp.com/user_local_phot… PS: yelp.com/user_local_phot… YELP PERSONAL CHALLENGE - (031/366)

    (4)

  • Deborah W.

    I have not been back to Mothers for 20 years. The memories kept flooding back with every bite and sound. Thanks!

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    Meh. Overrated. Much better options in the city.

    (2)

  • Amy R.

    I had gone to this place because my boyfriend and his family love and recommend it. However we had to wait a very long time in line only for our order to be looked over for a very long time. The food was pretty good, but nothing worth the wait. (Although I also went out on limb and tried something new, so maybe if it was a favorite dish of mine my experience would've been different.) I got the crawfish étouffée omelet and my mom got jumbalaya and shrimp creole omelet, and seem had the same attitude towards the place. Good, but not good enough for the wait and frustration. We also didn't have very good service except for one waitress, who we slipped a tip despite their no tip policy. (Apparently the owner or manager or whoever found out waitresses were asking for tips so he said none at all for obvious reasons.) We were told by another diner that the rule is they're supposed to say no tips, but if a customer insists it's alright. Also, know what you want by the time you get to the cashier (you pay ahead of time) and make sure everyone is in your group by the time you get inside. When I told my boyfriend of my experience he apologized, saying even him and his family (who all used to live here) had experienced bad service and bland food lately.

    (2)

  • C R.

    Do you like horrible customer service and mediocre food? Then this is definitely a must when you're in New Orleans. We tried a few items but it was nothing great, in fact It wasn't good. How people can rate this so well I do not know? There are much better places near by. If you see a line around the building don't be fooled.

    (2)

  • Mitch E.

    After a night of complete debauchery. Hungover, broke, missing your wallet and random text messages from women in New Orleans, one must wonder what one should do? -Rest -Make sure I catch my return flight -Go to the bank Forget that I'm going to Mothers! The Ferdi special po-boy might be the best sandwich I ever ate. The debris simply breaks apart as it enters your mouth. It's truly amazing. Roast beef, baked ham along with some gravy make this a must try. The gumbo and jambalaya are also great options. Make sure Mother's is something you try regardless of whatever obstacles or self-inflicted foolishness that may get in your way.

    (5)

  • Eunice K.

    Come to Mother's restaurant to get some real home-cooked Southern dishes! After watching Adam Richman from Man vs. Food pay a visit and eat a juicy Po-Boy - I just had to try it! YES - there is ALWAYS a line and its always LONG. But suck it up - because it goes pretty fast. I'd say we had at least 30 people in front of us and we were in within 15 min. Why? The restaurant inside is HUGE (self-seating) and the line to order your food inside is basically the only bottle neck. --Famous Fredi's Special ($11.75)-- MUST TRY! This is what Mother's is known for! This sandwich is basically a huge pile of meat all placed between a french roll (which is also dipped in meat juice)! SO hearty and satisfying! What kinds of meat you ask? A variety: black ham, thick slices of roast beef, and of course the DEBRIS! When they described it on Man vs. Food - I was a little disturbed. The bits and pieces of left over meat - how can that be good? IT IS! TRUST! Its like a juicier version of pulled pork - soft and slow cooked! Make sure you get a stack of napkins - because this sandwich can get MESSY. With the meat juice, shredded cabbage, globs of mayo + mustard, gravy, and of course the layers of meat, you will have to wipe with each bite. All the meat went really well with the tangy and yet creamy sauces - I went to carnivore heaven! --Jerry's Omelete ($11)-- After feeling a little sickly from all the heavy meals in NOLA - I ordered an egg white omelete in hopes of giving my poor stomach a break. The omelete was filled with bell pepper, turkey, red onions, and mushrooms. This was the blandest plate of food ever! I had to salt + pepper with each bite! Not only that, the topping to egg proportion was too little and the entire plate was covered in grease! I did enjoy the taste of grits - which I'm not used to! Felt like home in my belly! :) I also got to try Mother's famous jam with my toast.. but all in all, this is a dish to avoid. --Combination Platter ($19)-- Yes we're tourists and we want to taste everything. So what better way than to order the combo platter which comes with Jerry's Jambalaya, etouffee, red beans, vegetables, and potato salad!? This plate is a blessing because you do get to try so many dishes - but after tasting these same dishes elsewhere in NOLA, I can tell you this combination platter may not be worth it. A lot of the food @ Mother's just tasted really mushy, goopy, and a little bland. The etouffee was one shining star on the dish - which was very flavorful. I think one downfall of this dish is that all these dishes are plopped onto the same tiny plate and the flavors get lost in the mix! --Mae's Gumbo Cup ($6)-- A small little cup of gumbo - which tasted homey and less salty than other places. But I honestly had a hard time differentiating the different gumbos at the variety of NOLA restaurants. Meh - nothing special. Tips 1) Self seating area is much bigger in Mother's next door 2) Soft drink ($2.25) - unlimited refills 3) FREDI'S SPECIAL!

    (4)

  • Mandy L.

    This place is definitely a tourist attraction. That being said you can only imagine the wait time. Pros: -Love the interior design. It's just very different. -The waiters/waitresses were pretty efficient in taking our orders and delivering them to us. Oh! I have to note that they gave us menus while we wait in line so we can order once we sit down. -I had the Shrimp Po'boy and it was really good - I am going to assume that the rest of the food is good -If you want a cup of water, you will have to grab it near the cashier table. Cons: -Have to wait a long time in the line -Since it is a tourist attraction, the price also reflects that.

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    If you want authentic southern home cooking, I recommend Mother's. We shares the seafood platter which includes crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, and fried catfish, shrimp and oysters. The batter was light and not greasy. We ordered the greens and rice and beans as sides. Just when you go to the counter to order, know what you want. They move a lot of people through quickly.

    (4)

  • Krystal H.

    In NOLA for a few days and I heard great things about this place so we gave it a try for lunch. We got a seafood platter, jambalaya, gumbo, a bloody mary and rice and beans. Seafood is just a huge plate of fried batter which made me feel like a billion pounds. The batter on the shrimp was good, but the catfish was too thin. The gumbo was just ok. Jambalaya was the only thing we thought was decent, but wouldn't actively seek it out again. Women behind the cash register were rude and the food on the line looked old and gross. The waiter we had was great, though. Bloody mary was also good; spicy. We later saw reviews that said "you gotta try the bread pudding" and that's one of our favorite desserts so tonight we stopped to try it. It was awful. It's made with canned fruit cocktail which is weird. Cherries, pears, peaches and grapes in it and it was so mushy. Horrible snot like texture. Again, the women behind the register were jerks and our waiter was great. Don't waste your time.

    (2)

  • Jenny Q.

    I've had the pleasure of eating at three restaurants by the name of Mother's and have deduced that every eatery that chooses this moniker will live up to it. I mean, pretty big shoes to fill right? I came expecting hearty, quality grub in a low-key setting and that's exactly what I got. You will get called "darling" or "sweetheart" and you won't be allowed to leave a tip. We came for a late lunch on a weekday to avoid the infamous wait. I asked the sweet lady manning (womaning?) the counter for crawfish étouffée with a side of red beans and had it brought it out to me ten minutes later. These ten minutes seemed like forever to me as I drooled over the savory scent of our neighboring diner's gumbo. Ten minutes, and I ate it all in five. AND I was so excited, I didn't take a picture. -hangs head in shame- To my delight, they really pile on the crawfish in their étouffée. I got at least one or two in every bite. Gotta love them crawdads! The rich seafood stock is not too heavy and does a solid job at bringing all the ingredients together, or "smothering" as they say. I never tried savory red beans prior to this and surprisingly liked them as well. I also took a bite of the Jerry's jambalaya that my friend ordered and fell in love with the smoky andouille sausage. Mother's helped convince me that New Orleans has some of the most delectable eats in this country. My friend told me they've remained a local favorite ever since they opened in 1938. I'm glad that they stayed true to their roots after all these years and appreciate that all of their recipes are online so I can try my hand at simmering that jambalaya! Simple, affordable, and all-around good vibes, Mother's is sure to provide you with a wholesome culinary experience.

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    Traveling on business to New Orleans. Checked into Marriott and took a walk and soon stumbled on to Mothers. It just look like one of those hole-in the wall meat-n-threes so I decided to check it out. I had the jambalaya bowl. It was awsome. My colleague had the Shrimp Po ' Boy and was very happy with it. I didn't find out it was such a popular place until I sat down and looked it up. This is definately worth a try if your in the area. Great value, big menu, casual New Orleans atmosphere. We came back for dinner and I had the Shrimp Creole with collard greens (complete with chunks of ham) and grits. Awesome! Came back for breakfast a couple of days later and enjoyed the 2 - egg special. You can't go wrong at Mothers!

    (4)

  • Demetria C.

    Mother's what can I say , stand in line place order sit yourself . Waitress comes to table and states she doesn't have our table Mary does, and proceed to ask us where is Mary , OK...,... but she states she will try and bring us our food . Mary comes to table and say I will get you'll food when its ready, which we would expect that. Food arrives we are having breakfast pancakes eggs sausage grits and nice country biscuits, we proceed to eat. Flag down waitress not Mary to get refills . Overall the food was nice pancakes were a nice size big as plate , eggs scrambled soft were good and can't go wrong with buttery grits and sausage. Overall I enjoy going to Mother's plus it was right across the street from my hotel :-) , but customer service training is badly needed

    (4)

  • David G.

    The Ralph po boy and jambalaya are great. Perfect cure for a "rough night," the night before! Not too pricey either!

    (5)

  • Carl T.

    We arrived in New Orleans for the week long #SageSummit with a lot of work to do and a lot of food to try. Since Mother's is a New Orleans tradition, we figured it should be our first stop. Good decision. There was already a line at 11 am on a Sunday. Couldn't decide what to order, so we both ordered slightly different variations of the combination plate. The seafood choices: shrimp creole and crawfish ettouffe were equally good. Loved the creamy smooth potato salad. The jambalaya and red beans and rice were also good. All for $20, plus it was just the right size to be left feeling full. Loved the traditional look of a place that's been in business for 75 years. Wished the food had a little more kick and stronger seasoning, but would go back.

    (4)

  • Scarlett F.

    Bread pudding!!! There are not words to describe how divine the bread pudding is. Whatever the wait, even in hurricane force storms, the bread pudding is worth it! Skip lunch, eat dessert first!

    (5)

  • Dantea M.

    Horrible horrible HORRIBLE!! I can't believe i stood in line for cold food, burnt waffles, gnats flying all over the place & horrible service!! I THOUGHT at least my eggs would be cooked to order but NO! Everything is sitting in warming trays like a buffet. Oh and the world famous biscuits my 16yr old daughter makes better biscuits! It was dry, tasteless & cold NOTHING about this place makes me want to return!! NOTHING

    (1)

  • Irma M.

    I am extremely disappointed. For the huge line out side i kinda expected more. Your meal is basically a big mound rice with a touch of crawfish, shrimp or ham. So if you really like rice eat here. Otherwise save your money and time and go elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Melissa M.

    The best down home Créole food ever, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Order at the register, sit down, eat! Ample servings, best ham and red beans and rice. Jambalaya was good, a bit salty but good. Five stars if service was better but as busy as this place gets, it may not be feasible.

    (4)

  • Sharee W.

    I went here for my friends. Being the vegetarian of the group, this was probably not the restaurant for me. The line was long, but moved pretty quickly. My friends enjoyed their meal. The portions were large. It was nothing spectacular, but good for a casual bite to eat.

    (3)

  • Dave C.

    I was traveling for work and I'm starving when land in NO. Of course I'm looking for local fare. I had heard mixed reviews about Mothers and decided to give it a try. I arrive around 5pm so it wasn't too busy. I ordered a lot! I got a cup of the chicken & sausage gumbo, a "ferdi" sandwich, and some bread pudding. Let me go in order. The gumbo was fine. Not spectacular but tasty. Adding some hot sauce definitely improved it. I would not be opposed to having it again. The roast beef ferdi was fantastic. I start on the sandwich and it's made with a sturdy roll but there's not much on the inside. Then I make the connection - I'm supposed to be adding the "debris". What is debris? It's like shredded beef in jus. For lack of a better description, it's like a French dip, but the dip is filled with beef. Definitely worth ordering again. Then I decide to break into the bread pudding. It's one of my favorite desserts and I have had a number of different styles. (When motivated, I make a pretty good bread pudding too.) The Mothers version was more like bread stew...in a good way. Remember the sturdy sandwich rolls? I presume that's what they're using for the pudding, and with good reason. They stand up well in the tasty broth. Add some fruit and we have a winner. It has made me reconsider how I make my own pudding. Overall a solid outing. I would be happy to eat here again.

    (4)

  • Chris R.

    Mothers was recommended to me by the tour bus driver as a place to get some great local home cooked food. went therr for dinner. had a seafood platter with shrimp, oysters and fish along with red beans and rice and cabbage. oh my gosh was it ever good and as good as I could have cooked. next morning I went back for breakfast. eggs, gtits, ham, biscuit. wow. very good. plannjng on another one or 2 visits before I head back to Texas. prices very reasonable. servic ed good and friendly. frequented by locals as well as visitors. highly recommend yo u stop in. you will return.

    (4)

  • Sarah S.

    We got this recommendation from a few locals- and it clearly appears to be a New Orleans classic that does not disappoint. The ordering is a little quick- it's cafeteria style, and then your food is brought to the table. Sandwiches could be a little bit hotter (in temp). The roast beef sandwich soaking au jus was delicious. The sausage Po boy was incredible. INCREDIBLE. The turnip greens might be the best ever, and the red beans and rice were also excellent. We were so stuffed by the end we didn't even have a chance to try the dessert. For the win.

    (4)

  • Penny T.

    We ate here on our recent trip to New Orleans after reading reviews. I was not disappointed! After waiting outside in a line for just a few minutes, we were let in, to wait in line to order. There were so many options to choose from. We ended up getting The Famous Ferdi Special (the Original), and a small cup of jambalaya. The Ferdi was literally one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. The only thing that could make it slightly better was if they served yellow peppers on the side. My husband ordered the bread pudding and said it was amazing. Since leaving New Orleans, all I can think about, is this Po'Boy. I sure wish they had food like that in California!

    (5)

  • Faith M.

    I was excited to visit the restaurant, but had little time, so I decided to pick up food to go. I called in my order and was told it would be ready in 10 minutes. I got there about 20 minutes later and really loved the hole in the wall feel of the restaurant, but everything turned south. I waited in line for 20 minutes to pay for my to go order. The cashier was very rude, she didn't look at me seeming extremely angered that I was in her presence. The server that was retrieving drinks had the same vibe. There were two registers, but rather than manning both, the drinker server just stood staring at the wall. Once I paid for my food, the cashier just handed me my receipt and said, "Next". I waited off to the side of the register for 10 minutes, while the drinker server, standing right next to me, remained staring at the wall. I decided to move not knowing where to pick up my food or how long it would take. Nobody told me where to go or asked me if I needed help. I waited for another 30 minutes till a server yelled out a to go order. When I approached her, she gave a dirty, condescending look and asked if I had a recipe. I realized the numbers she called out wasn't my order, so I stood back so someone else could grab their food. Right in front of me, the server began to say condescending things about me to another server. Another 10 minutes went by and the server asked me what order number I had. After I told her, she angrily told me to go back to the register to get it. Then she yelled at the cashier asking if they had my order. Finally someone came over and gave me my food. The food was lukewarm when I got it. The service is either very disorganized or they just revile tourists. They seemed very welcoming to regulars. Once we reheated our debris po boy and jambalaya they were mediocre. They were alright to eat, but nothing to get again. I am fine when servers seem unenthusiastic sometimes because they're tired or want to get off of work, but this was not the case. The servers left me feeling out of place and unwelcome. If you're from out of town, there's a good chance you'll be treated like scum of the earth. I'm never taking my money here again.

    (1)

  • Shawn F.

    Go early & go often! Terrific traditional southern breakfast. Go early & avoid the lines! I had the breakfast special, with the baked ham, grits, biscuit & scrambled eggs. Add orange juice & it was around $12. Very busy place, so if you don't want to stand in line too long, make sure you're there right when they open. You'll be handed a menu, you place your order, find a table & they take your receipt. Service was fast & friendly. Would definitely go back next time I'm in the area.

    (3)

  • Laurie V.

    I liked it, but I didn't think the po boy was quite in check with what I had at Parkway Tavern and Bakery. Still good though. It had ham and roast beef with "debris". In addition to the 'famous ferdi' po boy, we also shared the combo platter with rice/beans, jambalaya, shrimp etouffee, potato salad, and turnip greens. We made it right before the lunch rush and didn't have to wait long at all. The ambiance isn't great. It's crowded and loud, but I guess that's ok, since it's cheap and pretty yummy.

    (4)

  • Chris P.

    The line is scary but moves really fast, even if it's outside the restaurant! The food is very good and the portions are MASSIVE! Two people can split one dish and be totally satisfied! The service on my 1st visit was just horrible, rude, and awful! The 2nd time it was OK but I would not say that it was "friendly," which was rather unusual in other places in New Orleans.

    (3)

  • Jason J.

    I was disappointed, I can't lie. I love the atmosphere, I love the feel of the place, but the Po Boy was really pretty average. The meat was dry, the sandwich wasn't great overall. I had Po Boys at Jazz fest that were 10x better. There was no messiness to them. The slaw was incredibly flavorless. I just really wasn't impressed. Seems to be more of a tourist trap these days than much else. I'm glad I tried it, but don't have any need to go back the next time I'm in New Orleans.

    (2)

  • Jacob F.

    poboy with debris....this makes a very good sandwich...sandwich was huge and served in au jus....very busy place but worth the wait. I would eat here again if i ever went back to NOLA. I will give the staff credit because they have figured out a way to steam line the crowd. What could have turned into a 2 hour line was only about 30 minutes.

    (4)

  • Becky C.

    The guy serving the food was so nice! Very helpful and informative. The people behind the counter are too busy on the phone or talking to get service. The food is delicious! If the service were more attentive, behind the counter, it would be 5 stars all the way. So I am giving 4 stars. This is my second time here and it seems that the people behind the counter are here for social time.

    (4)

  • Amanda S.

    Omg- I have died & gone to heaven in the South. The fried chicken, greens, mike high biscuits & slap ya mama bread pudding are AMAZING!

    (5)

  • Andrea D.

    If you visit New Orleans make sure to stop at Mothers. You will not be disappointed. The food is absolutely delicious. Oh and the staff is awesome too!

    (5)

  • Rohan D.

    Everyone says eat at mother's. OH just don't. The fried chicken ended up saving this place, the biscuit and jam was good and the fried chicken was delectable. But that's not why I came, I came for the damn Po Boy and here's the thing, it was disgusting. The Roast beef was the mehest roast beef sandwich I've ever had. No flavor, just soggy gravyness. Should have trusted yelp stars.

    (2)

  • Jeremy T.

    Good breakfast. I had the biscuit, grits, eggs, and pot roast. Got there when it opened and had no wait. Nice atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Edgar T.

    Hole-in-the-wall in the truest sense of it. Don't bother asking questions, they'll just speak to you in a language you can't understand. Basically if you don't know their menu, you don't belong. Food is excellent

    (3)

  • Mike P.

    ITs a great place for lunch and the atmosphere. This is old school New Orleans. You really get the flavor of being in the south. Look at the wait staff and you'll understand what I am saying. The shrimp po boy was over stuffed and fantastic. Roast beef po boy was ok until i asked for some juice and made it really good as well. I would return to this place again so long as i did not have to wait outside to get in.

    (3)

  • Christina T.

    Ok so I am not really sure what the hoot is about for this place but I was not impressed. I had the catfish which was slimy and wet without any flavor. The cabbage I got tasted like it had been cooked in dirty dishwater. The potato salad was decent. The place was noisy and the workers were just as loud and unprofessional also. Again understandable this place is right on Poydras and is well-known to many but I just do not see what the hype is about.

    (1)

  • Ron R.

    So this was a place that has served up some of the best breakfast since it's founding. We were taking a scenic route tour and we noticed that there was a line around the corner. I remember the tour guide sharing with us that if you see no line then stay away from it....lol I thought that was too funny. My better judgment knew all to well. as I don't like standing in line. We visited this place for breakfast and we waited about 20 minutes or so and it wasn't bad. They pass out menus for you to review upon coming in. You will see why if you haven't frequent a restaurant as this. You go through a line and you have to be ready to order and ready to pay at the same time. You will have to find yourself a table but it wasn't bad. The place is a nice size. You couldn't tell from the outside but there was plenty room. So we ordered the the Breakfast Special which consist of two eggs any style, Sausage, one of the fluffiest biscuits I had in awhile and grits. I wasn't too thrilled being that it was breakfast because I know breakfast. Sad to say that I wasn't overly enthused about breakfast but the fact that it is a landmark and you have to try it. But other than that if you have a taste for something other than breakfast then they have that for you as well.

    (3)

  • Christian K.

    "MOTHER!" - Glenn Danzig New Orleans has a wealth of places to find a nice po boy. My first stop on the NOLA tour was Mother's Restaurant, and I will admit both joy and disappointment. As a disciple of Adam Richman, I had to go to Mother's. Following his path can be a joy and a burden. The main sandwich highlighted during Man v. Food was the Ferdi: root beer glazed ham and debris (tiny shred of beef) with all the fixings. This sandwich looked amazing on television, but deep down inside I knew I wouldn't freak out about this po boy. My companions both chose different sandwiches. Our NOLA friend got a po boy of just debris, and the misses got the fried shrimp po boy. As soon as the sandwiches arrived, I was immediately pulling shrimp from her po boy. We ultimately decided to share our sandwiches three ways. The debris itself was pretty delicious, but it felt like something that I could have easily done on my own. However, perhaps that's the point of Mother's. The shrimp was soooooo great! I could have ate three of those by myself. And now the Ferdi. I thought the Ferdi was okay. Separately, each component would work as its own sandwich, but the parts together didn't ring my bell. The debris has a nice flavor, but it really overshadowed the ham, which is supposed to be famous. I would have like to try the ham by itself. As for the prices, Mother's takes advantage of its notoriety. The Ferdi was $11.75, and he shrimp po boy was $14.00. I can justify a pricey bit of seafood, but twelve dollars for some beef and ham, that's a little outrageous. Being located in the Central Business District doesn't help, too. I spent forty dollars on three sandwiches, no drinks or sides. That was the biggest disappointment. I learned my lesson, NOLA. More about my journeys later . . .

    (4)

  • Andria W.

    I don't get what the hype is all about. First, you stand in line outside the restaurant like it's a club only to get inside to wait in line yet again. Once inside, the line obtrusively is placed down the center of the restaurant which happens to be lined with dining customers, go figure. As you get closer to the register where you'll place your order you'll notice a smorgasbord of side items waiting for an employee to scoop them up from their idle wait. Oh, but not for you of course. No, that'll have to wait until after you've placed your order, paid for it, and then found a table that will accommodate you and your party. Once at your table a waiter comes by to take your receipt and produce your drink orders then eventually your meal. Why all the run around? Who really knows! On to the food. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever eaten but it also wasn't the greatest. I honestly expected more especially since Beyonce practically endorsed the place (judge me all you want! Hmph!). Most people in my party ate their meals but we all agreed that it didn't quite leave us mind blown abd after all the great reviews and recommendations, well, that's what we expected! One thing that was rather tasty was the banana bread. That definitely didn't go to waste.

    (3)

  • Page G.

    This place is over hyped. I decided to venture to the CBD with a friend who was visiting from out of town and, since I've always heard how great this place was but never went, I figured this might be a good time to try. It wasn't terrible. It wasn't great. It was ok. Just ok. But it surely wasn't worth standing in line for. There are restaurants in this city that are...but this one isn't it.

    (2)

  • Jen S.

    There was a line when I went in, but it moves really fast. I was in a rush to grab food for lunch, so I was glad that my order also took less than 5 minutes. I got the Ferdi with the debris, and while the sandwich by itself wasn't that impressive, the debris (roast beef and gravy) REALLY made it. It was nice and piping hot with the gravy soaked into the delicious bread and I couldn't even take a breath--I wolfed over half the sandwich down in minutes. It's a pricy sandwich but it's also large, so at the end of a night along Bourbon St at 2AM back at the hotel.... It was the most magical midnight snack I could have (although I was lucky enough to have a microwave in my hotel room... May not have been as great if I couldn't heat up the gravy). I almost didn't even want to share it with my roomie, that's how great it was.

    (4)

  • Naiyi C.

    In 4 days of my New Orleans trip, I visited here twice. First for dinner, then breakfast. Seriously everything I ordered satisfied me. Maybe their biscuit was too dry, but that's the only thing. Saturday fried chicken special surprised me the most. Chicken wasn't coated thick as KFC or Popeyes does. Skin fried brown, but as skinny as skin should be. Still it preserves the oil and moisture within. Potato salad was good. Dirty rice was amazing as well. Fredi's special was also the best po-boy I had. Juice from roast beef went through their famous ham, then stayed at the bottom of the bread. I couldn't finish it after chicken, so kept half in fridge. It was still juicy and tasty as hell the next day!!

    (5)

  • Empress Miko E.

    I found Mother's to be average... not worth the wait although the line moves fairly quickly. I would not go back unless my companions begged for the eatery experience.

    (2)

  • Robert M.

    OK, I realize this is a NOLA institution but I am not a fan. Usually there is a line which for starters isn't fun especially if it's raining or hot outside. But line aside, anything coming out their fryer, is going into oil that probably hasn't been changed since the 1950's. As others have mentioned living off their reputation as an "authentic" NOLA place for po boys, etc.. So if you go, you've been warned.

    (1)

  • Shaun S.

    Service brang the Stars down. The service was good, but the busboy had an attitude. The shrimp omelette was ok. A nice amount of shrimp, but the taste was bland. The ham was absolutely excellent and I don't like ham. The grits were ok, good texture but not as much butter to my liking. The biscuits were amazing.

    (3)

  • Jeanie H.

    I'm a huge fan of "no frills" and tradition when it comes to travel dining and this hits home every time! All of the southern cajun/creole traditions live here - the wall of Zagat recognition & awards are testimony! Indulge in the Ferd, beans & rice, etouffee was killer !! Please do not think of your diet or calories, just enjoy the tradition and fare - you will not be disappointed!

    (4)

  • C D.

    The food here is great. Thos is some of the best jambalaya I've had. My friends agree probably the best food we've had in nola. It all tastes home cooked rather than restaurant emade.

    (4)

  • Alyssa F.

    This was probably the best meal I had in Nola on this visit. I stopped in with my husband and a coworker tonight. Initially we were not sure if it was what we wanted but we were hungry and they were close to our hotel and open. The greeter/manager (??) was very friendly. He could see our uncertainty and made suggestions. We ended up getting a fried chicken sandwich, the ferdi (roast beef, au jus, ham) and an oyster sandwich. Upon the big guys advice, I got a side of potato salad. All the food was great, reasonably priced for the size of the dishes, and came out quickly. The potato salad was some of the best I've had. Every interaction with their staff was pleasant. From the front door to the guy sweeping the floor and everyone in between, everyone was pleasant, helpful and engaging. With great food and excellent service at a reasonable price, I would definitely return. Totally regretting not getting the ham...

    (5)

  • Georgina M.

    I came here on a Friday afternoon at around 2pm. Even though it was between meal times, there was still a long line. When you get semi-close to the door, the staff member hands you a menu so that you'll know what you want when you get to the order counter.The line moved very quickly. I ordered the Ralph, which is the Ferdi (their signature sandwich) with cheese. It had ham, roast beef, and debris with gravy. It was very tasty, but I think i would've been happier with just debris or just ham. The roast beef was meh. It was also kind of dirty. I don't really think that's the restaurants fault. There are just too many people for them to keep up with it. It was so crowded, some strangers sat with me. Overall, it seemed a little overpriced for what I was getting (I paid $20 for a po boy and a coke)

    (3)

  • T W.

    Etouffee omelet, shrimp creole omelet, pancake and ham all tasted great..l Quick & friendly service, although the line gets pretty long.

    (4)

  • Jessica A.

    Awesome breakfast! Worth the wait, we ate there at 9 am and we are still full(1:25 pm).

    (5)

  • Tom M.

    Home Cooked Meals Served In A Funky Environment Every city has one of these restaurants. San Francisco has Sears. Nashville has Arnold's. Los Angeles has the Pantry. Like its counterparts, Mothers features local comfort food in a diner environment. Like its counterparts, Mothers overcooks, over seasons and over plates all the dishes. If you're looking for gourmet food, pass on this place. But if you're looking for simple honest home made food, this place is a destination. Here, you'll see lawyers, bankers, truck drivers, and tourists, all with one common interest--sharing simple food in a historic environment.

    (3)

  • Billie J.

    By far the worst food I've ever had in New Orleans. When you walk in they rush you into a line to order. We had never been there before so we didn't know what we wanted. They don't let you stand and look at the menu they keep pushing you to get in the order line. So we place our orders. The girl at the counter argued with me that my meal didn't exist. So I had to show her the menu. She smacks her lips and says oh. So then we go seat ourselves. I'm looking around and realize this building is disgusting. The wait staff are rude and not helpful at all. My food comes out and it's not what I ordered. I had to wait for them to remake it. I nibbled on my fiancé's food while I waited. His food was not good at all. Fried catfish had no seasoning, not even salt. The red beans had no seasoning except for a smoky flavor. They were terrible! Beans need more than just smoke! The ham (which they are famous for) was ok, nothing spectacular. I finally get my food. It was the calamari, again no seasoning. I drowned a few pieces in ketchup and hot sauce just cause I was sooo hungry and just needed food in my body. After eating just a few pieces, I couldn't choke down anymore so I just left it there and ate some pop corn I bought at the River Walk earlier. Seriously the worst food I've ever had in New Orleans! Definitely regret stopping there!!

    (1)

  • Deb P.

    The grits here was creamy and smooth. The turnip greens are very, very good. The catfish was not a very generous portion given the price and somewhat underwhelming. Hubby likes the jambalaya at Mother's. The shrimp creole was disappointing - tiny little shrimps borderline overcooked. Another issue ... lots of salt in the food - too much for my palate.

    (3)

  • Calvin M.

    I ordered a bowl of gumbo and a biscuit. It was good. But not $14 good. Definitely a tourist trap. I would come again if my friends want to. But there are many places just as good for a few dollars less.

    (3)

  • Peggy S.

    Good food, a Fergi fan forever!!

    (4)

  • Cory B.

    Great story, even better food. I've been living in New Orleans for a year now and kicking myself for just now eating here. Please don't make the same mistake I did.

    (5)

  • Sam A.

    We really liked this place - one of the guys on our trip recommended it. We were a little confused by the ordering system, especially since we began ordering beers at the table and paying for them. Of course, none of us had ham (Unless you count dad's to-go late night dessert ham sandwich), which they are famous for - I needed to have my daily shrimp po boy, dad had some fried chicken, and the rest of the orders were close to that. Everyone enjoyed their meals, it was a cool low key place, very New Orleans. Good service, although we tipped the crap out of our server, we saw the sign on the way out that read "NO GRATUITY ACCEPTED" LOL - I guess him/her (I'm not rat!) didn't get the memo....

    (4)

  • Shane J.

    Finally made it inside on this trip to NOLA!! Usually the line is so long, that I say I'll come back and never make it. This time, I was determined to commit and I was glass that I did. I was with a large group, so let me give you a warning - all of your party needs to be present - you should know what you are ordering (they give you the menu while you are standing in line outside). If you have ever traveled to Philly and have heard the stories of going to the tourist traps of Pat/Geno's for a cheesesteak - you know that you need to know your order before you hit the line (Think Seinfeld-Soup Nazi)...LOL Once you zero in on your order - you will be happy with the choice - my group tried different items and everyone was satisfied with their order. I wanted to try the "world famous baked ham". I know you wonder- how can you make Ham world famous - well - they manage to do it - very tasty!! Friends had the Debris Po-Boy, Pancakes, all the main items - everyone's plates were clean within 15 minutes. The service is quick and efficient. You order your food - Deli style..Pay for it - find a table - waitstaff come over and take your receipts and bring your food to the table. It is a well oiled machine in there - so anything that throws it off (not knowing what you want..etc) you are going to hear about it...LOL The staff were friendly and kind, so I think overall it made a good experience. Tip: No fried foods before 10:30AM.

    (4)

  • Eleje N.

    Be prepared to wait a long time. We were all super hungry, but decided to give the place a try, and it was worth it. I got the fried chicken, jambalaya, red beans & rice, and potato salad as well as a pecan pie for my birthday. It was so delish, and worth the wait!

    (4)

  • Ashley T.

    Delicious, quick, large menu. I have no complaints and I want to come back and try everything on their menu. A little cramped, but it's not unbearable

    (5)

  • Omar A.

    I had the fried chicken. I don't think they are famous for it, but I really wanted to try it. It was well cooked and perfectly crisp batter. The only thing it was lacking was flavor on the outside.

    (3)

  • Janos I.

    Great breakfast served hot and fast. Price in comparison to portion was great. Had the breakfast special and enjoyed. It may seem hectic but you have to understand the amount of people that eat here on a daily basis and some folks didn't want to stick around and enjoy a good ole mom and pop breakfast. Definitely have to come back again and would say that it's worth the "cafeteria style" wait!

    (5)

  • Jordan R.

    Post 2131 This should be a sign that mothers satisfies a lot of people !! I had a ham and Swiss omelet with grits and a biscuit. It was delicious. And very NOLA Come here for po boys. And breakfast fast ! Great just make it a stop. You won't regret it. I guarantee it.

    (5)

  • Melissa L.

    Mother's is a New Orlean's institution so my friends and I had to give this place a try. The restaurant is pretty easy to find - look for the long lines at all hours of the day. The line moves fairly quickly, as the restaurant is huge. Once you step inside, you'll need to step into another line to place your order. You'll be able to see the food being prepped and review the specials of the day. Know what you want, because that line also moves fairly quickly and there is no time for anyone to hem and haw. There are a lot of people they need to serve! We were there a few minutes before 11 am and were told we could not order off the regular menu as breakfast was still being served. We decided to step back to let a few parties move in front of us but even that did not allow us enough time. An employee noticed our dilemma and ushered us to the front of the line and told the cashiers to let us order from the lunch menu. Others were having the same issue as us and it was creating problems. Many thanks to that kind gentleman. I ordered the shrimp and oyster po'boy with a side of dirty rice. Be warned, their sandwiches are HUGE and can easily be shared. The seafood was lightly battered and seasoned. It was not the slightest bit greasy. The sandwich came with mayo and some shredded cabbage on a soft, thick sandwich roll ( yelp.com/biz_photos/moth… ). A few dashes of hot sauce and squirts of lemon juice completed the sandwich for me. Overall I the sandwich was okay. Nothing out of this world, but it was just as I had expected and it was good. The only bad side, if this can be a bad thing, was that there was just so much food! I ended up eating only one half of the sandwich and then picking out the seafood from the other half. As for the dirty rice, I quite enjoyed it. I shared this cup of rice with my friends and we all thought it was good. The rice was cooked well, and the bits of meat-to-rice ratio was good. Seasoning was spot on. yelp.com/biz_photos/moth… One friend ordered the Famous Ferdi Special, which comes with ham, roast beef, debris and gravy and loved it. I tried some of it and thought it was delicious. It could have easily fed three of four people! Another friend ordered the omelette and noticed that the eggs were prepared ahead of time and filled to order. From my sample taste I found it to be okay, but nothing I would go out of my way to order at Mother's. Stick with what they are famous for, I say. As for the service, I found the staff to be direct and efficient, but my friends found them to be bordering on rude. Quite frankly the service was similar to what I've seen in many other super busy/packed restaurants. The staff have a lot of tables to take care of and lots of requests to meet. They do the best they can and don't have time for customers that don't know what they want. Rude? Not to me. Actually I found the attitude a bit comical.

    (3)

  • Steve M.

    I've been to Mother's 5-6 times over the years and never thought of it as a place for breakfast. Well that is a shame! They have a great breakfast menu. Too many good choices to list, but I highly recommend the Etouffee Omlet. Delicious. Service is pretty good, but they are always busy so don't be surprised if you feel a little rushed.

    (4)

  • Andrew F.

    I get the tourist trap that has 1 interesting thing about it concept (in this place's case - the debris they put on the sandwiches - which is basically just the leavings from the carvings thrown on the grill for a few minutes)- but this place was really a waste of time. Highly recc-ed by a buddy who has done Jazzfest for 20 straight years or something - I went the night after Restaurant August (which was maybe part of the problem). But clearly my boy has been walking in there after too many sazeracs - because it was pretty lousy. I got the Ralph with debris as I was told to do - and some dirty rice. The meat was ok at best, bread weak, and the debris was nothing to write home about. The dirty rice was worth avoiding - no question. Let me also say the order at the counter - then tell someone your location when you sit down totally failed me - I waited for easily 20 minutes for a carved sandwich and some rice that was definitely not made to order. And the ordering system seems to be a proud part of their ritual - despite the fact that it's pretty Soup-Nazi. Absolutely avoid. I would give it 1 star except I respect places that drench the massive sandwich in gravy.

    (2)

  • Susie P.

    The best debris and biscuits anywhere! Their poboys, ham and bloody marys are exceptional as well. We eat here everyday for either breakfast or lunch when we are in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Joshua C.

    I got the Ferdi Special and it was great, but next time I would get it without the vegetables. This place has so many things on it's menu I have to go back.

    (3)

  • Brandon A.

    Mother's starting to grow on me. Admittedly it is a tourist trap, the lines can sometimes be insanely long and some of the prices are a little high. Since this is one those "I have friends/family in town, so I have to take them here places" I've eaten here enough that I can review them objectively. Yes they make their food with out of towners in mind, which is why I think I held a little contempt for them in the past. But despite that, they make a pretty good Etoufee among other dishes. The Po-Boy options are somewhat limited, but if you want Red Beans or Etoufee or a similar New Orleans dish, you could do a lot worse.

    (4)

  • Edward F.

    We had heard about this place from everyone we talked to and it's no wonder. The breakfasts are amazing. If you get here early the line's not bad. You get in line enter and order. They'll take your ticket at a table and bring it when it's ready. The server's are great and the food is wonderful. I loved the ham biscuit the best. Everyone in our group was happy and more than satisfied. Well worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Kermit S.

    Had the John G. It was a wonderful sandwich. I wish they had combos for their sandwiches; I had to order fries a-la carte and that bumped up the bill a bit. $17 for a single lunch with ice water to drink. The price was a little much but the food was excellent. I would recommend to anyone as a good place to have some good food...but be prepared to stand in line. It's well worth the wait! If there's always a line to get in, it must be good.

    (4)

  • HJ B.

    One of my favorites in NOLA. First introduced to the place in 1999 by a local & it has persevered to re-invent itself & re-bound after Katrina. Nothing fancy, just good food, good portions, good prices, & funky N'awlins charm. If you have to wait in line, have a Bloody Mary, check out the wall photos of politicians, locals, & movie stars, & chat with your neighbors until you place your order. Am partial to the "Famous Ferdi Special & the Debris" PoBoy & the red beans & rice are a killer side dish. The gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish etouffee are equally spectacular. You can't go wrong with anything here. A MUST visit when in New Orleans. Open 7 days a week. As chef and proprietor Jerry Amato says, "Everybody gets fed. Everybody comes back."

    (5)

  • Vicky F.

    the food is delicious! i had the say, the fried shrimps in their po-boy is absolutely fresh! the gumbo is a little too salty, but i think thats just NO's style. the cashier's service is horrible... i cannot believe she would become a customer service personal with that horrible attitude. everyone else had been wonderful! it's somewhere u definitely should stop by as a tourist in NO haha..

    (4)

  • Albert G.

    Great food, awesome staff... horrible prices. This place is a tourist trap, but at least you get good food. I think I payed 18 bucks for a poboy which is still more than the junk on bourbon. We lucked out and got there after the lines were gone so we were in and out pretty quickly. If there was a line I think I would have been really disappointed.

    (3)

  • Tess S.

    This was one of our favorite stops. We had the famous Ferdi, an oyster po'boy and a side of turnip greens . For the 3 of us, it was too much food. I want to go back have one of everything on the menu. Breakfast seems to be pretty popular too. Hubby had a bloody Mary. It was pretty good for pre-mixed.

    (5)

  • Art H.

    Yes, it's an institution. Yes it is old and outdated. Yes the food isn't top flight. WHat's yer point? Places like Mother's slowly become anachronisms while simultaneously hold up all that is good about eateries that last. There's absolutely no desire to modernize, or fancy-fy good ol' home cooking. The staff is efficient, the service is fast, and the food is good. No hype. Satisfying lunch. I'm good.

    (4)

  • Misti L.

    So much food for one person!!! But it was sooooo damn good!! The dirty rice was so good and I wish I could that kind of dirty rice in Texas...good reason to come back to NOLA!!! I def recommend Mother's to visitors!! Catfish, fried chicken, cabbage, dirty rice...excellent!!

    (5)

  • Danielle H.

    Ok. First, let me say that I intended to take a photo of my food because it was the photos that helped me decide what to get. However, I took one bite and just didn't stop. My husband and I are in town for the 49ers game and walked past as we were on our way to check in across the street at the Staybridge. In planning our first trip to New Orleans, I yelped A LOT and got recommendations from friends on where to go and what to do. I then created an itinerary of suggestions venues, for breakfast, lunch, dinner etc. Let's just say, I'm baffled as to why this place wasn't mentioned by friends or why I hadn't come across it before on Yelp. I only decided to look up the menu because after my nap, I was hungry and dinner was still a few hours away. The reviews were positive and thanks helpers for the photos because, they helped me decide. I ordered the shrimp po' boy and sweet potato pie for hubby and I got the combination platter and the brownie. Now, I will say I got the combo platter because I wanted to try a few things... It came with crawfish étouffée, red beans, jambalaya, potato salad and one veggie - I got the greens. I totally expected to taste the potato salad and give it to hubby since I don't usually like potato salad. But I only let him taste it and I ate the whole thing! Then the greens... I only got them because my side had to be a vegetable but I don't like greens. Well, if all greens tasted like these, maybe I would. Total yum and I ate the whole thing. That's why I had to write a review. Finally, the staff was very friendly! Wonderful customer service even though I'm a 49ers fan, one of the guys actually helped me carry my bag of food and my drinks across the street to the hotel. Should definitely try this place!

    (5)

  • Lisandra C.

    BISCUITS TO DIE FOR, seriously, my favorite biscuit i have ever crammed into my piehole. i ordered the black baked ham. and their old school sign hanging up outside doesn't lie one bit. they've got the best baked ham and youd be a fool not to try it! grits come by the pile and are delicious and quite filling, debris was an overload and i ordered it by mistake but a tasty mistake it was. i ordered an extra biscuit with jam. ITS THAT GOOD.

    (5)

  • Cody S.

    So only reason 2 stars is the actual taste. Staff was unprofessional. Literally packed house and they were all on their phone. And honeslty, for the food...it's a bit pricey. Not a great experience

    (2)

  • Krystal B.

    Delicious food and awesome staff! Everyone is soo friendly. We came in with three kids under 3, sent our waiter on about 10 trips to get us stuff, and never once did he look annoyed. And the food was amazing. My one year crushed two plates! Our friend had the soft shell Po boy and the crab runneth over!

    (5)

  • Brandon R.

    TERRIBLE! Food is mediocre at best, staff is rude and getting a refill is impossible. We were a group of 8 and some were finished eating before others received any food. I have traveled extensively and this is one of the worst meals I have ever attempted to eat. If you are determined to drop some money at Mothers, open the door,throw in a $100 bill and go somewhere else. It doesn't even deserve 1 star.

    (1)

  • Scott D.

    Mother's seems to be a landmark restaurant in New Orleans judging by the long lines and the filled to capacity restaurant. Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb? It's a bit pricey but I enjoyed the Jerry's Jambalaya along with the red beans and rice and I had fries for another family member as part of the two sides that came with the dish. My family loved their dishes as well. So score one for the Yelp app for finding this place close by to our hotel. Mother should I run for President? This is a cafeteria styled restaurant where you get in line and order your meal and they bring it to your table. It was irritating when at the cashier because she asked what I wanted so I spit out my order and she wasn't ready for the order. A little background, she was finishing up with the previous customer so instead of taking care of that customer she thought she could handle two conversations at once, FAIL. I know you're busy but some New Orleans hospitality would be more suitable instead. Mother should I trust the government? The name Mother always reminds of Pink Floyd youtube.com/watch?v=9q_3…

    (4)

  • Michelle L.

    Now this is southern hospitality. Went here 3 times during our stay and never regretted it. Their shrimp is amazing, fried chicken is delicious, and the biscuits were always fresh. Granted, you may have to wait in line, but they have a system that just works, you won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Colette P.

    I loved mothers! I got recommended to go here by a friend of mine back home and couldn't resist especially with all that delicious smells that came from outside. This is a typical southern restaurant.. Has that home family style ambiance touch to it. Only problem is it's super crowded but screw it, the food is worth it! I got the combination platter and it was so good! I felt super bloated though after eating and went into a major food coma.

    (4)

  • Alissa N.

    Very tasteful! Went there twice on our 2 day trip. We wanted to try the other stuff of the menu. The wait was never that bad for us. about 15 minutes from the end of the railing to ordering our food. The crawfish etoufee omlet is by far the best and the ham was to die for. I think if you don't get the right things here you'll leave feeling very bland. Also. It's like an assembly line. The staff was rude and corralled us against the wall the first day. Single file line. Don't stand in front of the kitchen path. The second day we went and knew how to do it. It was a breeze. We watched other people who didn't know what to do and the staff was rude to them too. All in all I would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Stephanie L.

    OH YEAH!!! There is a reason there is HYPE about this place and there is also a reason why it's been around FOREVER, Because YES, it is THAT GOOD!! Go... wait in line, we were lucky enough to have about a 15 minute wait in line and well YES, IT IS worth every minute of waiting!! Of course I ordered the Fried Chicken, and OH MY YUMMINESS!! Our group of 5 was SO HAPPY we made this choice for dinner and it was great!!! Totally going back when I'm in town again, even if we did get lost trying to find our hotel!!

    (5)

  • Naomi Q.

    OVERRATED! Went there based on these reviews and I have absolutely no idea why everyone raves about this place! The lines to get in are insane and the service is terrible! They have signs posted everywhere that say the employees cannot accept tips but it didn't matter because their attitudes don't warrant one. So we ordered a shrimp/oyster and soft crab shell Po Boy, fries and 2 drinks $50 bucks! Now if the food were good I wouldn't complain but it's nothing special. It's 3/4 small fried shrimp and 2/3 oysters with a little bit of dry slaw and a pickle chip on a plain, dry white French bread!? It is a six inch sandwich for $17.50! It was flavorless and blah! The soft crab she'll Po Boy was just bad! They deep fry the whole thing and put it on the sandwich and there was hardly any meat in it looked like mostly shell? The fries weren't even hot and to top it off zero customer service. But with lines out the door they assume they don't even have to try. Lastly why didn't they mention that for just a dollar more I could get a 12 inch? At least I would have had a significant savings. So in my opinion SKIP this place as you won't be missing anything.

    (1)

  • Charles H.

    ETERNALLY TOURISTY: I can't remember Mother's ever being "local"; $17.50 OYSTER PO'BOY! Seriously? LONG LINES: and at lunch seating can get scarce. Mother's is one of the first of the "divey local" restaurants to grab national attention, particularly around the time of the 1984 World's Fair. I returned to the city that year after grad school and word was already out that Mother's had become overrun with tourists. Prices jacked up, lines grew long and seating became dear. When I have visitors that insist on going I drop them off, and then either get a roast beef from Serio's or Nelie Deli, shrimp from Commerce, AK from Welty's, or a muffaletta or All That Jazz from Verti Marte. We meet back at my place in the Quarter, split everything and Mother's Ferdi is almost always the least favored and most expensive. BETTER CBD/FQ SANDWICH OPTIONS: Commerce, Welty's, Serio's, Jimmy Johns, Mister Gregory's, Verti Marte, Nellie Deli, Quarter Grocery, Killer Po'Boys, Camellia Grill, K-Paul's.

    (2)

  • Nikki L.

    Another hole-in-the wall must visit in New Orleans just for the Po'Boy experience. It's a cafeteria style joint, and thinking about taste and pricing we love it. First, get there way before or after lunch time, otherwise you will be waiting on a line down the block. Not fun. Second, it's a little confusing, but basically, you are on a line, you order your food and drinks, seat yourself (taking your drink with you), then give your receipt to a server, and the server comes back bringing your food to you. Guess it works for them. What's a po'boy to me? A sandwich type food from New Orleans on a white sub loaf with lettuce and some type of meat (catfish, oysters, meat). Preferable for me over muffulettas (another type of New Orleans sandwich). Ferdi special po'boy- A must try since it's their iconic sandwich. I love Debris. It's that beefy dripping looking stuff drizzled on your po'poy. Roast beef po'boy- If you like roast beef and meat, you'll like this. Roast beef and debris. Yum. For me, I love meat in sauce, so I like the messy all Debris po'boy. Catfish po'boy- Not the best in this town, but good. Crawfish étouffée - Comes on white rice with a side. Great for the $ here. A favorite. I like turnip greens (hard to find veggies in this town!). Ham- Very tender, makes you wonder if it's really ham. Wish boars head tasted like this. All in all, this place is also on my list of places to binge eat at during our visits to the big easy.

    (4)

  • Vicky L.

    I was around the corner waiting for an event, and I knew I needed food before the start of State of the Art: A Cocktail Extravaganza. And a quick search on the Yelp App yielded me Mothers. A quick jaunt had me through the doors, where I was promptly greeted and asked if I wanted a menu. Yes, please. He proceeded to direct me to go up to the counter in front to order. I was then directed to take a seat, and place my receipt on the table where my food would be brought to me. I had ordered the regular sized seafood gumbo, and they were not shy about the ingredients. I had a lot of shrimp, and a few pieces of small oysters too! I really wish I had ordered the large. I ate all the gumbo at an alarming speed (I had been running around all day, so there was no slowing down). And though it had a lot of great ingredients, it was a little short on flavor. I had added a copious amount of Crystal hot sauce. And for those who know me, I'm a wimp when it comes to spicy. But I would definitely go back for more gumbo, and most likely try some of the other things too. Pro-tip: Go through the side door on Poydras, and they'll direct you from there.

    (4)

  • Daniel T.

    Went for dinner and it was a tourist trap. Maybe it used to be good but today its over-priced and average at best.

    (1)

  • Mimi X.

    Best greens, best biscuits, best fried chicken and best pecan pie I've ever had! I had dinner here yesterday and I'm still thinking about it

    (5)

  • Samuel T S.

    Best Breakfast in the State!!! Amazing home cooking, with big portions, and great service. Everything on the menu taste amazing, just make sure you get there before 10 or expect a wait that is well worth it!!!

    (5)

  • Tony Y.

    As a Native New Yorker, I can only compare this place to the equivalent of a Katz's Deli. You get an amazing po'boy after waiting in line. This isn't fine dining, it's just good food. That said, I really really loved the jambalaya. It was all sorts of deliciousness and I highly recommend getting it.

    (4)

  • Jessica B.

    Horrible service. The workers were lazy and didn't even seem like they cared about your needs. When we tried to to get our waiter they completely ignored us. Never going back. I regret not going to Ruby Slipper

    (1)

  • Bianca S.

    Sigh. ... visited here lots of times before the devastation of Katrina and upon our return we were expecting them to live up to the same quality. ...they didn't. Instead of the healthy slabs of meat on the po boys of yesteryear the meat is more deli sliced like subway... more bread than meat on a sandwich is ridiculous. ...the taste and quality of the other food is decent but still..overall i could have had a V8....

    (3)

  • Terri R.

    When asking friends for their New Orleans food recommendations, more than one person suggested eating at Mother's. As other reviews have stated, there is a line, but it moved quickly when we went there on a Saturday afternoon around 3:00pm. They have a system down pat: menus are passed out to the customers in queue so that you should know what you want once you get inside the doors and up to the register. I had my first po-boy here, the Debris, which is roast beef pieces inside of a French roll. Wowza, this was a good sandwich! It was also large enough to share, but I didn't. Well, the b/f had a few bites. I didn't finish it, either, so maybe I should have split it with someone else. I had a side of dirty rice, as well, which is only available on Saturdays, so take advantage of this if you visit on that day; it was very flavorful. My friends all enjoyed their dishes, which is as good as sign as any. The customer service we received from our waiter was excellent, Southern charm all the way. Even though there are signs that say tipping is not allowed, we asked our waiter if this was enforced. His answer was that the signs were posted years ago and that if we wanted to tip, we could, so we did. I'm definitely a fan.

    (4)

  • Marilyn S.

    Had breakfast there yesterday before we left for home. Great ham --good prices

    (3)

  • Claudia M.

    Totally deserves 5 stars.! The food is delicious and the staff are very pleasant.! I would definitely recommend Mother's.! Ps, the bread pudding is beyond this world.!

    (5)

  • Angela D.

    Walked in and wasn't given any direction. Noticed others looking lost as well. Once knowing where to go, we quickly found out the staff is not so nice. Kind of felt like I was at a soup kitchen, or a school cafeteria, or a jail cafeteria (what I'd imagine that to be like). After ordering, we sat down and waited for our food while fighting off flies. Food was good - the Ferdi special being 5-star worthy! I would come back for the sandwich but maybe have it to-go and eat it without the trashy feel surrounding me.

    (2)

  • Lauren S.

    I was a little disappointed. Had two different po boys and they were good but nothing mind blowing about it. There's places in NOLA with better po boys. There were a lot of people there so maybe it's a big locals place? Not too sure. Employees were very nice and hospitable.

    (2)

  • Ryan H.

    Ate here three times when I was in NOLA. The po' boys were outstanding (try the fried shrimp!) and even though the place was ALWAYS packed, the service was great and the food came out fast and hot. If you're staying downtown for a convention, this is a must!

    (5)

  • Tania C.

    My boyfriend was dying to try a Po Boy so we came across this place. Wasnt our first choice but not a bad choice. We paid $32 and got a lot of food. (Check the picture I put up) must try bread pudding too. Make sure you order it after you finish your food bc its better warm. The shredded beef on the po boy was good & the fried chicken was crispy. Not a huge fan of the rice and beans. If you order the tea ( its not sweet) mix it with the lemonade for a yummy flavor. 3.5 stars for this restaurant. 1/2 star for the bread pudding...YUMMMM

    (3)

  • Gloria R.

    What can I say? We were so looking forward to our visit. We saw the food networks' episode featuring the restaurant and couldn't wait to try it. The place is crowded and noisy, which makes ordering at the corner a difficult thing. The food was alright...but forgettable...their famous bread pudding was soaked in syrup. Unfortunately, all I can really recall about this place is their prices. $70 + for 2 fried entrees (shrimp po-boys) and one shrimp creole, one bread putting and 1 tasteless ice tea. Can not, in good conscious say my family and I will be returning.

    (2)

  • Michael M.

    First time in The Crescent City and this place was highly recommended by all my friends who have been to New Orleans.. Ate until I got tired.. Chicken so good it'll make you wanna slap somebody's Momma.. Finger licking good.. If I was a Pig, I would've ordered a Po Boy Sandwich.. Does Mother's ship those things?? They seemed to be flying out the door.. Whenever I make my way back to New Orleans this will be the first place I go to eat..

    (5)

  • Diana J.

    I can see why other people may give it lower stars- if you order their sandwiches (i.e. their famous ferdi- which in my opinion isn't that great). I have been here 3 times and this is the only place I want to keep coming back to when I visit NOLA! Order their seafood plates and their desserts!! Their seafood platter is great- the batter on the catfish is buttery and smooth, light and crispy while well seasoned. The oysters and shrimp are succulent and tasty. The red beans and rice are a MUST GET side dish!!! Melt in your mouth pieces of ham mixed into a savory blend of beans and rice. Ah I die! Dirty rice and jambalaya are also legit. Grits and butter are also very smooth and thick, just the way I like it :) I have also gotten their fried chicken- also very good: crisp and juicy yumminess. Don't forget to order their sweet potato pie and/or bread pudding! I always bring a whole sweet potato pie home on the plane afterwards.... SO GOOD!!!!

    (4)

  • Cristina C.

    I went 10 years ago and remembered it being a gem of the city, so when I realized it was across the street from our hotel, it was the first stop for dinner. I ordered a shrimp po' boy, french fries, and a drink. The bill came out to $25. I guess they are making up for the no tipping policy in their prices. The fries were soggy. The drink seemed to be 6 ounces and only lasted while I waited for my food to come. The sandwich was dry and I wish my bread was toasted. Staff was overall friendly, but can the lady behind the cash register smile a little and speak slower and clearer (for the New-Orleans-southern-accent-impaired)... In another 10 years, I will not be back.

    (2)

  • Tenia W.

    The line was out the door!!! So I see what the hype is about, the good was good and classic creole. We stayed at the hotel up the block so the walk wasn't far and the wait wasn't long but it was worth the wait. Very organized and if the patrons didn't follow, there was a very nice but forceful officer in the building

    (3)

  • Marisa L.

    Mothers has a serious system, from the moment you walk in the door. Actually you may have to wait outside first, be given s menu and them be instructed to stand along the wall. You order first, then pay, then get your drinks and then will be instructed to a seat. Even though I didn't love what I had here (the creole sauce is a tomato based sauce made peppers & onions), they threw it inside and over the omelette, which looks like it could have been made out of 10 eggs. Huge. The biscuit came out hot, fresh, and light the highlight of my meal. The étouffée sauce was brown and creamy with a generous amount of crawfish. The grits were the perfect consistency but completely plain so I threw some butter in them.

    (4)

  • Leslie S.

    You better know what the hell you're ordering when you walk in the door! The line gets long, and you can look over the menu then some times, but once you start getting closer to the counter, you better know. The order-takers seemingly had little patience with undecided people whether there was a line or not. There wasn't much of a line for us, and we're from out of town and had never been here before nor knew much about it, so the impatient order-takers kinda took me by surprise. After you order, you put your receipt on an empty table and sit down. Another guy will come by and look at your receipt and bring it to you when it comes out of the window, meaning several of us got our food at 3-5 min intervals, and one guy had to ask for his sandwich 3x before receiving it just as the rest of us were clearing our plates and polishing off the last of our drinks. The fried shrimp poboy was packed, packed, packed full of shrimp and the bread was very good. Great sandwich, and most of my group agreed. It was $14 for a regular and $1 discount for 2/3. None of us could finish our sandwiches and all wished we had gotten the 2/3, esp since we didn't have anywhere to put the leftovers.

    (3)

  • MIchelle H.

    Had lunch here based on a local recommendation. Great choice! Get the Ferdi Special po boy. Delicious! And the bread pudding was great too! Definitely worth a visit.

    (5)

  • Missie T.

    Went here for dinner on a Wednesday evening. The set up is very laid back and almost cafeteria style. This scared me a little considering it had been recommended by several waiters from Acme and other restaurants. I had the bloody Marie available. Very good and very spicy... I typically never have bloody Marie's because I don't like tomato juice but this was mostly Tabasco and I loved it. The cashier was very nice and let me try the Bloody Mary first. The group I was with had the calamari which was very good. I had the crawfish étouffée which was very yummy but not the best I have had. But I'm also living in southeast Louisiana. The rice was over cooked. The cabbage and greens were excellent and should be a staple on their menu. All around good good you would expect from your moms house.

    (4)

  • R G.

    This is just as I expected, sort of a NOLA version of a New York City deli. It is crowded, noisy and just as I expected. The line can be long but moves fast. Every other positive review is accurate. All the complaints or criticism of the staff is also true, they are hectic and shout at you to stand on lone against the wall, but once you pay, order and sit, they are the best I have ever experienced. Super friendly and outgoing and polite and hospitable . The ferdi po boy is as I heard, and just like seen on all the food and travel channels. The beans and rice have a lot of ham in them, which I like. The jambalaya was spicy and great. This is not a fine dining experience, so if this is what you seek, you will be disappointed. This is basic comfort food, and fits perfectly with NOLA culture. There should be something for everybody and Mothers offers virtually all local cuisine. The walls are adorned with local photos and pictures of servicemen and woman. It is really a great place off the beaten path, that is well worth the experience. I have had better or just as good food elsewhere, but nothing beats the experience.

    (5)

  • D B.

    Everyone kept telling me I needed to go to Mother's while I was in New Orleans, so it was the first place I walked to after checking into my hotel. The place is clearly an old school institution given the décor and line of locals and visitors waiting to get their eat on. I went with the Ralph (Ferdi W/cheese), and man what a sandwich. Huge, messy and delicious. Nothing fancy, but come hungry and prepare for inevitable food coma.

    (4)

  • Ben S.

    Shrimp creole omelette tasty with debris!! Great friendly fast service. Will go back -

    (4)

  • Rachel C.

    I am giving this restaurant one star ONLY for their buttermilk biscuits... The remainder of my experience was very poor. Ordered breakfast that was delivered to my table 20 minutes after my moms meal was delivered. The waitress had a very bad attitude and would walk away while I was speaking to her. The other food might be okay but I will not suggest it, it was a waste of my time and money.

    (1)

  • Jasmine B.

    Amazing food, fast and good service. I highly recommend this place if ever you're in town.

    (5)

  • Courtney M.

    This may be blasphemy, but I was not impressed. Long lines out the door during lunch required regulation so as to not crowd the diners in the main dining room. With a restaurant drenched in history and a storied list of dining guests plastered across the wall, I have to wonder if my experience was just hugely different from everyone else's. $25 check for an po-boy, side and drink. Yowza. I get that it's in the heart of downtown, but that's a hefty price tag for a sub-par po-boy. I don't think that I'll be returning.

    (2)

  • Jake H.

    Good food. The restaurant works like a well oiled machine if you just stand in line and stay out of the way. Great ham and biscuits! Worth the wait in line!

    (5)

  • J F.

    Yes. You're going to stand in line, but it's well worth the wait and they've got the flow down to an art here. You'll be in and sitting down to a hearty breakfast in no time flat. Be sure to order the grits and the debris but honestly everything on the menu is solid.

    (4)

  • Robert H.

    Good new Orleans eats, loved the gumbo, crawfish etouffe, jambalaya. All really giod. The roast beef sandwiches were good too. Really juicy, so eat fast or the bread soaks everything up. Good though... and staff was fine.

    (4)

  • Sunnydaize L.

    This place was dirty, rude, no flavor, and cold food! Very disappointed to have spent our last night with a disgusting meal. Our food was pit on wrong table, the server grabbed it and put it on our table after the people poked around on it!

    (1)

  • Amanda B.

    My husband and I tried the grilled shrimp po'boy and the debris po'boy, and I can't tell you which one was better. They're huge, and we could have split one and been satisfied. The service is good and for the all the cramped places around here, it's roomy and affordable. definitely worth it.

    (5)

  • Christopher B.

    Real deal po boys at Mother's. The roast beef and ham Ferdi with the debris sauce is incredible. Get a whole one and take the other half home to eat later. It might actually be better cold the next day after leaving it in the refrigerator overnight.

    (5)

  • Lily P.

    Great place in NOLA you need to go to in order to try the food. It is a decent location since it is near a lot of the hotels and places people would stay at when visiting. the people are super friendly and I got the etouffee. It is not the best food i've ever had but a good place to stop by and try some po boys, jambalaya, and other food from the area. Even though there is a big line, it moves pretty fast!

    (3)

  • S N.

    Pretty good food. My friend and I got food to go. The service was pretty good, everyone was super nice even though they were closing. I will definitely go back on my travels to the Big Easy.

    (4)

  • Lin N.

    Came here after the Saints game Sunday afternoon so it was a bit crowded. The ham and jerry jambalaya was just okay. Too salty. I think this place is a bit overrated. The locals seem to love it though.

    (3)

  • L W.

    Back again. It's a NOLA institution and nothing says Saturday breakfast like the Ferdi Special. Look, some people like Mother's, some don't. I love it. The line moves quickly, the food is solid, the experience is fun and you can always meet interesting people. This needs to be on the NOLA bucket list just to say you've done it. Great Po Boys are an added bonus. Enjoy already.

    (4)

  • G M.

    The crawfish étouffée is really good here. They say they're known for their ham and roast beef but hey were just okay. The sides weren't that special either. This is a place where you stand in line and order. Nothing fancy. The line folks and cashiers are pretty abrupt so don't expect friendly interactions at this place. If you go, stick to the étouffée.

    (3)

  • chelsea c.

    Tip: order on the phone and skip the line! A local cab driver shared this secret with us and it worked!

    (4)

  • Quawnie M.

    Tourist trap! Way better shrimp poboys throughout the city. Shrimp are big, but have zero flavor. This is a typical situation of a place gaining national notoriety and losing their new Orleans flavor in the meals. My husband got the beans and they came without rice. The French bread was hard, my son kept complaining. Save your money and go elsewhere. Oh and the bread pudding had "fruit cocktail" in it, don't do it.

    (2)

  • Julie T.

    This restaurant gets a lot of good reviews already, doesn't really need mine. All I know if I can't wait to go back to New Orleans. I want to eat everything on their menu. It was soooo good.... My friends from Hawaii were visiting NOLA and asked for my recommendation. I told them about Mother's but they didn't sound nterested. They did try it though because it was pretty close to their hotel. By the end of the trip, they had eaten there 3 times plus they had take-out food to bring with them into the plane on their way back to HI.

    (5)

  • Mara R.

    I visited here twice for breakfast on a recent business trip. The staff was friendly and the biscuits were amazing!

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    Great meal and drinks. Service is always a little like an episode of Seinfeld, but the food is great. I went for some fried oysters and the bread pudding. A weird combo, but what I need to go with the bloody mary. I opted to skip the debris this time, but it is really good. The water tasted terrible so go for a bottle or beer.

    (4)

  • Aaron H.

    This place wasn't bad. Apparently this restaurant has been around for years. I think it's almost a requirement to go if you're going to be in New Orleans. I had the roast beef po boy. Sandwich was served with pickles, lettuce, cabbage, creole mustard and mayonnaise. It also came with a gravy / au jus sauce. Apparently the sauce was poured on the sandwich because the bottom piece of bread was really soggy. It didn't bother me, but might be a turn off for some. Overall I thought the sandwich was pretty good. Be prepared to stand in a line though, place is super popular. Ordered a cup of seafood gumbo, which was just ok for me.

    (3)

  • Robert M.

    Not worth the wait. Expensive for what you get. You order at the counter and the find you to give you the food. Most things are coming off a hot line instead of made to order.

    (3)

  • Brandon R.

    It was only about average. We had to bus our own table to sit down. The omelets were very good on a positive note. Sandwiches were all enjoyed by the members in my group - in fact they raved about them so possibly I ordered the wrong thing. I had breakfast food. The service would be better if they let their workers take tips. We tried to tip and we were not allowed. Despite this the staff was still very friendly. But for a place that you need to wait in line to go to I was a little disappointed..

    (3)

  • Lizeth H.

    It was okay. My boyfriend and I shared beef po-boy and it was okay nothing to brag about. If I go next time I'll try the shrimp po boy. The staff was nice and of course this restaurant is packed too but the wait wasn't too long.

    (3)

  • Nautichelle D.

    Stick-to-your-ribs good southern food! Had po-boy, turnip greens, grits, beans+rice, & bread pudding. All pretty good comfort foods!

    (4)

  • Atno S.

    Mother's is really a military mess hall with better cooks. The Cashier on my day had attitude and a half like a drill sergeant....... move along soldier! Yet the waitress was friendly, after a little teasing. The food was plentiful and tasty, but it was too much, I enjoy southern cooking even in a military environment. I guess that is why all the marine photos hung around the walls. Felt like boot camp with a little more class, hurry up Soldier and get in line. Oh yeah, breakfast lots of Grits and Sausage :-)

    (3)

  • Micah G.

    Friend told me to go to this place for my visit but I think everyone is told that because there was one heck of a line! It was not that long of a wait and even if it was it was totally worth it. I had only gotten the pancakes with eggs, sausage, and a biscuit but they were amazingly delicious. I wanted to go back the entire time I was there to get more pancakes!

    (5)

  • Wesley W.

    I was a little disappointed as I expected more from the Debris Sandwich. Think pot roast bits on a roll. Service was good and don't get the no tipping thing but looks like a good place to grub. Too bad we got there just right before they closed and we were just going to try the debris sandwich. Next time, I might try their other fried oysters or another poboy sandwich.

    (3)

  • N M.

    It was ok. The ham is not as good as I thought it would be. They have an interesting way of ordering and getting your food, and that's fine, but the wait staff treats you like you're stupid because you don't catch on right away.

    (3)

  • Elspeth C.

    No. No. NO. Its a total tourist trap. No one that lives here actually eats here. I feel really bad for all the tourists that get directed here by other tourists. I got served the most overpriced pitiful excuse ever for a shrimp poboy here. Please, for the sake of what is good and holy about food, do not go here. Where should one go for a poboy? Parkway, Domilise's, Mahoney's. Not here.

    (1)

  • Andrew U.

    Great food! There was a line but it moves pretty fast so don't get discouraged, order and find a seat and leave your receipt on the table, someone will find it and bring your food. I had the famous ferdi with cheese (called a Ralph). Bloody Mary was really good too. My suggestion is to order one sandwich per 2 ppl. They are way too big to eat on your own

    (4)

  • Nick B.

    The special, roast beef with debris, is out of this world. Being from LA, we had to go all out at Mother's and ordered the aforementioned godly Special Po-boy, a fried shrimp Po-Boy, red beans, gumbo, and grits. All was spectacular sans the friend shrimp po boy and gumbo, which were average. Really loved the atmosphere at Mother's, the staff are extremely kind and this is well worth a quick walk from Bourbon if you're staying there.

    (4)

  • Christina B.

    LOVE LOVE LOVE Feel so welcome here - wonderful staff!!! Made my week in NOLA just that little bit better. Absolutely love this city and this place is the PERFECT spot for breakfast. Get the pancakes!!!

    (5)

  • Josette V.

    We discovered Mother's restaurant because it was close to our hotel, and the lobby desk attendant recommended it for po boys on our way to go shopping. Like many of the reviews state, it warrants more than one visit. It isn't fancy, but the food is delicious. Portion sizes are overly generous, and the Po Boys are so good that my husband (who doesn't like cole slaw at all) wanted a Po Boy every day! They roast their own ham and beef, so when they run out, they are out. No tipping allowed, but they are very accommodating and friendly. Be sure to add this to your list to visit if you are in the area, you won't be sorry.

    (5)

  • Jonathan S.

    Mother's is certainly an experience. That's the best way to put this place into perspective, because the food is clearly incredible. You can't confuse it with a fine dining restaurant, mainly because of the queueing to order your food, but that doesn't take away from the quality of the food. Make sure to try everything on the menu, from the etouffe, to the jambalaya, to the myriad of PoBoys, to the delicious and diverse side dishes. No matter where you are in New Orleans, or what is on your schedule, make sure to include Mother's in your itinerary. You won't forget it!

    (4)

  • Kristin T.

    The wait was long but the food was delicious. I recommend going on the off hours; there's almost no wait at all then. My group got the jambalaya plate, the crawfish étouffée plate, the crawfish étouffée omelette, and bread pudding for dessert. The portions were huge! You could definitely share these plates. My friends really enjoyed the jambalaya and the crawfish étouffée. They got fries for their sides and the fries were surprisingly amazing. I had the crawfish omelette. It was fantastic, flavorful, and hearty. I had less than a third before I got full. The bread pudding was very sweet and filling. We will definitely come back next time to try more.

    (4)

  • Cridick G.

    There is a lot of hype about this joint. They claim to have the "World's Best Baked Ham". Well....... my ham was cold. The staff is rude. My eggs were good, but don't waste your time here for breakfast

    (1)

  • Mia D.

    I had been wanting to try this place for years but every time I went to New Orleans, there was a line out the door. But on this last trip, I finally made it, and I just don't get it. The floor and the tables were greasy; the workers were pretty rude; and the food was mediocre. I had the ferdis sandwich and it grossed me out - the bread was soggy and fell apart and I had to eat the insides with a fork. I also tried the jambalaya, which was ok - I've had better. I was definitely disappointed in this place. Don't believe the hype!

    (2)

  • Melissa F.

    Really amazing food! Just stand in the line, BUT if your blood sugar is dropping eat something small first. If they had just the "debris" in a bowl I would eat that all day everyday! Seriously outstanding food! You can get a cup of anything, so try multiple things. :) Best place we ate at in NOLA!

    (5)

  • bryce g.

    Bring your appetite and your patience if you decide to go to Mothers. The wait can be very long if you show up at lunch time. The good comes it fast but the line can sometimes stretch to down the block! The ferdi sandwich is their specialty and one sandwich is almost enough for 2 people. It's is baked ham with mustard, mayo, and topped with "debris" which is pretty much like shredded beef. It is served on fresh bread. I got the sandwich and my friend for the jambalaya and it looked amazing. I would suggest one if these 2 items and also showing up on the later side of lunch (3pm) if you don't want to wait 45 minutes.

    (3)

  • Cristy C.

    BEST BREAD PUDDING IN TOWN!!! Great red beans and rice, great oyster po-boy and a really good bloody mary (a tad bit too spicy, but that's how I like it!) I need to come back and try their baked ham.

    (4)

  • Lee R.

    Do yourself a favor..... make this your first stop. You'll find you will end up measuring every five star restaurant in New Orleans food by how good Mothers is!

    (5)

  • Peter Q.

    What can I say that others haven't? The experience of eating here is as much a part of Mother's as the food itself. To start, I almost turned around when I opened the door and saw the line waiting to order. I am not a guy that is cool standing for 30-45 minutes for lunch. That's just not me... But the line moved so quickly that by the time I was finished scowling at my wife, it was our turn! I think it ended up being like 5 minutes, they really move you through the order line. The food is southern/Creole comfort food, served like you would get it at a picnic. In short, it was great! The place was pretty crowded and my wife and I ended up sitting with a couple of ladies who were visiting NOLA on a girls weekend. That turned out to be part of the fun. Chatting with two strangers about our experiences in NOLA while enjoying good food certainly added to the charm. I would definitely visit Mother's again...

    (4)

  • Sam A.

    Sadly was not worth the hype. Roast beef was good but the shrimp n oyster combo sandwich was bread n fry heavy. The bread pudding was amazing!!! Two sandwiches, one cup of gumbo and one dessert 48$. I really wanted it to be better. ;( Nice people there as a side note.

    (3)

  • 'Kev W.

    This restaurant was by far the BEST home cook would food I've EVER HAD! Def a 10 out of 10 and that means a lot coming from me . The young girl at the register could of been a little more nice BUT the lady Ms Janet on the floor made up for her very nice humble lady.

    (5)

  • Suavecito m.

    Had the jambalaya here and it was oh so good. So many places to eat in New Orleans but I'm glad that I visited this one. Cafeteria style vibe and there is typically a line outside waiting to get in.

    (4)

  • Hashem D.

    The line tends to be out the door, and having tried it I can totally understand why! This place is no frills, straight up good food: we went straight for the Po'boys, getting the Famous Ferdi Special which was piled with ham, roast beef, debris and gravy, and soaking in "jus"... phenomenal, huge and absolutely delicious! Best breakfast I had while in NoLa!

    (5)

  • Emmanuel O.

    After 4 days in a row of seeing the line wrapped around the build I finally gave mother's a try. Unfortunately to my disappointment it did not live up to the hype. I tried the original Ferdi, which came quickly however was just ok. With a sign outside that stated best ham I expected more ham and better flavor. My wife ordered the fried catfish but a grilled was brought by mistake. Once notified the manager quickly corrected the order and allowed her to keep the grilled version. The fried catfish arrive hot and fresh. We both were disappointed in the flavor of the catfish. It just did not have much flavor in the fish or breading. The grilled fish was the opposite the pepper was too much! To the point that neither of us could eat it. I'm not sure if due to visiting a couple other staple restaurants in the area before coming to mothers that our expectations were higher. However I did feel that with a few more accurate reviews others may avoid what we experienced.

    (2)

  • Denise B.

    I found Mother's easily and went there because it was recommended by friends. You stand in line to order and then find your own table. I ordered the veggie omelette which came with grits and a biscuit. The food was delicious! I loved it. The biscuit was a nice touch and veggies in the omelette were so fresh. The sandwiches look amazing and the staff was friendly!

    (4)

  • Rashida F.

    I only gave them 1 star because I had to. Horrible!!!! Do not waste your money or time. The people are friendly but the food is not. The fish was not seasoned, the greens tasted like they came out a can, the cabbage was girm but not good and the french fries - how do you mess up fries!

    (1)

  • Jennifer H.

    One of the worst restaurants for breakfast I have ever been to. I can get s more favorable meal at my kids school cafeteria. I have no idea why anyone would eat here! Seriously! They must be eating themselves

    (1)

  • Tianna W.

    OMG..the Biscuit was great!! The best thing on my breakfadt plate! I got there 8am in the morning to avoid the line because for 3 days straight I saw the line nearly wrapped the corner. Im not really into pork and I believe thats all they had. I wad disappointed that they didnt have cheddar cheese grit, but gave me American cheese I ordered after bringing my plate 5--10 mins earlier and my grits were cold. Would like to go back for lunch or dinner.

    (3)

  • Noah S.

    fuck this place ***TOURIST TRAP*** $13 sandwiches & bad attitudes with the bitchy hispanic cashier katrina should have put you out of business for good do not waste your time in the line the reason theres a line out the door is due to lack of speed

    (1)

  • Danielle G.

    The best breakfast in Nola! Very long line, but the employees worked quickly to be sure to have people in and out. It was amazing! Ham and cheese omelet was to die for and the crawfish omelet was the greatest thing I've ever put in my mouth! Amazing Bloody Mary too!!! Can't wait to go back!!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth B.

    A amazing whole-in-the-wall place. Friendly staff and a great relaxed atmosphere. I got the combination platter with Shrimp Creole and Cabbage. I split it with someone and still had leftovers. Jerry's jambalaya was to die for, and the ham was the best I've ever tasted.

    (5)

  • Jerry M.

    Omg i love mothers. Order your sandwich with debris. Tasty, fresh and great friendly service. When in NO and you want a superb sandwhich that you can only get in NO then go to mothers. Accept no substitutes, mothers is the real deal.

    (5)

  • Lisa D.

    So good!! The jambalaya was some of the best I've ever eaten. I didn't want to put my spoon down--literally!

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    Honestly the best southern comfort food I've ever had! Every time I go the debate is whether I want to go with the breakfast menu (which is so solid) or their meats/sides. I highly recommend: the ferdi, sweet potato pie, biscuits, omelette, jambalaya, seafood gumbo, and pecan pie. I am a biscuit addict and I dream about these in particular. Their butter and homemade jam is also delicious.

    (5)

  • James D.

    Ehhhh. Didn't realize there was a lot of hype before I went. Got Seafood gumbo, red beans and rice, & pecan pie. Gumbo was pretty tasty but not awesome, 5ish shrimp, little something else, & one icky oyster in regular size. Didn't love the red beans and rice. The pie was pretty damn good. Staff was nice, waited ten mins in line. Guess I would go back if staying next door again, kinda spendy though.

    (3)

  • Daniel L.

    The line was incredible. It is hot and humid here and initially the line got so long everyone eventually had to wait outside. The food was good but I wouldn't recommend ferdis po boy unless you like to get your hands dirty with gravy. It also has yellow mustard which is a huge no go for me. The crawfish entoffeé was amazing, that's definitely a must try.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth S.

    Super casual dining here but the only place in my opinion to go for that real Cajun feel. We ordered so many different items, but my favorite was for sure the crawfish étouffée. I wanted to put it in a carry on mug and take it back to arizona with me. This place was super busy in what would've been an off time in my home town. Go here! Just do it, you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Mindy J.

    Not as impressed as I thought it would be... Out first meal in New Orleans, as we had just checked in and starving, and Mothers is right down the block. So we see... And we go... And we wait... And wait. And wait. I understand this is a tourist spot, and was prepared for the line if it had been worth it, but it just missed the mark for us. We split the famous ferdi- roast beef, ham, and 'Debri'... While flavorful, especially the ham,.. We just both agreed we could take it or leave it. I'd definitely give it another go, though,.. But for what we paid for an ok sandwich, just wasn't what we had in mind.

    (3)

  • Tom O.

    I don't get it. This place wasn't worthy of all the hype. Order a sandwich and get a ton of bread with some OK food on top of it. It's a bit of a dive, too, but lacking charm.

    (2)

  • Karen C.

    My aunt and her hubby had to make a stop before we got back on the road. Im always down to eat. Ok, so I didn't realize that I already ate here the last time I was visiting N.O. I realized when I got to the dining room. I ordered the Shrimp Omelet with grits on the side. Eew! After ALL that wait and THIS is the thanks I get? first of all the eggs were old. Seemed like an oversized egg from McDonald's. I ate as much as I could and ended up eating most of my toast with it. I was not impressed and will def find another breakfast option while visiting.

    (2)

  • Lingyue H.

    We went there for lunch because we heard it was famous and supposed to have great poboys. The food here totally don't worth the price!!! The waitress is really rude too. She brought our food and told us "you can leave tip on the table". What is that!?!? Never gonna come back again!

    (2)

  • Travis H.

    My group totally lucked out... no line and plenty of seating! We enjoyed the food and the experience. It is a well priced alternative to eating in the heart of the French Quarter. Good food, quick service and laid back atmosphere. Very enjoyable.

    (4)

  • arlene d.

    We were staying at a hotel down the street decided to go for breakfast went around 8 am on a Tuesday not very busy at all. We were greeted by a friendly staff got our menu and ordered at the counter. They have a good selection of items for breakfast and you can even get a po boy at breakfast. We paid and sat down . Our food came very fast and was very good I did not care for the scrambled eggs everything else was good

    (4)

  • Jahie K.

    Came in for breakfast. Ordered breakfast special. Their biscuit is so delicious!! Ham pieces are smoked but not too salty. Ooh the grits...grits are amazing. Wish i gad soysauce though for it hahaha. Yes i dab soysauce into my grits

    (4)

  • Laura D.

    This was really good! The po boys are big and delicious. It's not the place you go to if you want ambiance, but it is the place you go to if you want good food. Service was fast and excellent.

    (4)

  • Damaris G.

    I went based off a friend's referral and then I saw all these rave reviews on yelp!! However, the food was horrible. The ham is boiled!! I have eaten ham my entire life and baked ham has flavor. It was very tender but flavorless. We wasted $75.00 feeding 5 people and no one left full. Left plates with a great amount of food. Now, the waitress at the back of restaurant were so nice and made the experience great, when it came to service. Please don't waste your time or money at this restaurant. Sorry to be so blunt, but when I visit New Orleans again. I will not be returning ever.

    (1)

  • Dennis S.

    No need for a Yelp review to entice you to Mother's. But since mine is six years old, I do feel it needs to be updated. My order hasn't changed: ham, eggs, grits, and biscuits. The eggs aren't anything special, but everything else is. They claim the world's best ham and it may be. Nice thick smoked slabs, with perfect grits and as-good-as-it-gets fresh biscuits. We were surprise at how empty it was at 8:30am on a Thursday morning. We've never seen Mother's so slow - hopefully it was just the time of year we came. I missed standing in line watching the ladies fill plates with such delicious breakfast foods while waiting to order.

    (5)

  • Brooke O.

    A must visit in New Orleans. We came because it was on Man vs Food and when it comes to food Adam Richman is a man you can trust! You order at the counter and then find a table. The line moves quick and the food comes out fast, the waiters are totally lovely, and the food is incredible and abundant. A one way ticket to yum town!!

    (5)

  • Ithaca P.

    We came here for an early morning breakfast. Good that the place opens early as there weren't that many other options around. We got a crawfish etouffee omelet which was average. Grits were a bit undercooked and had no seasoning. Much-hyped buttermilk biscuits were underwhelming. Service was extremely slow and slightly confusing about what we were supposed to do (help ourselves or get served?). Lackluster.

    (2)

  • Daniel P.

    Mothers restaurant on Poydras street is nice and very popular restaurant that many celebrities have eaten at. I'll be doing a list of pros and cons. Pros * The po boys that are served here are one of the best in New Orleans. * There are many seats so you almost never have to search for a table to sit at. * The setting is somewhat unique, with it reminding me of an early 1900's New Orleans type. Cons * It's not like a restaurant where you are given a menu and choose your food. You have to order it at a counter and the line to order is VERY large. I had to wait one time approximately 40 minutes just to order food. * There are many people and it is crowded . Final Review I would give this restaurant a 3 star for having such good service with so many people. If you are in downtown New Orleans And can't decide on a restaurant, I recommend this place.

    (3)

  • Rene K.

    There's a reason Mother's has been here for so long. There's a reason there is a line from 7am until 10pm. Great food and Awesome staff. We wanted to dine here for lunch, saw the line out the door and thought "wow, this place must be really, really good". Walked around Bourbon Street all afternoon went back to the room to change. Noticed only a few people in line. Jumped in gear and got in line for dinner. We ordered Po Boys (shrimp for me, wife had turkey) Huge Gulf shrimp were falling out of the amazing sandwich!

    (5)

  • Maria W.

    This place wasn't worth the hype. It was run down and not very clean. There was a celebrity there, some judge from American Idol so guessing from that and all the celebrities on the wall, I'd assume that as this restaurant has gotten more hype, it's lost it's special flavor in the food. I ordered the recommended ham dinner plate due to the "Worlds best ham" tag line and my boyfriend ordered the Oyster and Shrimp Po Boy. The ham plate was very bland and was nothing special. The Po boy was dry and had a not so desirable taste. Needless to say this place is known more for the hype than the food.

    (1)

  • Jill N.

    Wow!! This place is fabulous. The turkey ferdi is amazing. The bread was perfect and the meat was juicy and flavorful. The jambalaya was delicious and the red beans and rice was great too! The staff is friendly and service is super. Our waitress literally RAN down the street after a customer than forget her to go box. She caught her almost a block away from the restaurant and delivered her forgotten item. Now THAT's service! This place is on the "Must Visit" list whenever we come back to New Orlean!

    (5)

  • Eddie S.

    The fried chicken was the best fried chicken I've ever had. I would have giving it five stars but the service and how slow the food comes out is why I gave it four stars. Three of us came and order the same dish fried chicken one member of our party received the fried chicken right away while the other two members had to wait half an hour. The red beans and rice were awesome and the greens for the best. I also try to sweet potato pie I highly recommend it.

    (4)

  • Michele R.

    Crowded a little divey in a good way . Were greeted with menus you order get receipt sit and wait server takes your ticket brings your food . We both had the fried chicken which was seasoned nicely and crispy and juicy. I had the red beans and rice (lukewarm) but tasty also turn up greens which had more ham than greens . My husbands sides we're dirty rice and green beans with tomatoes he enjoyed them too full to finish dirty rice. Hubby also had gumbo which he enjoyed . FYI- You can get drink refills .

    (3)

  • Ynnal A.

    Very good food, service was nice and the history the place has was great. It had pics and photos of people before them. My only knock is the place where you eat seemed dirty

    (3)

  • Veronica T.

    I came here for breakfast after reading great things about this place. Best ham in america and so on. Maybe lunch or dinner here is better but breakfast is horrible. We basically got a sloppy plate of grits, eggs, and ham served cafeteria style for us. That would have been fine if it tasted okay but it was all really bland. I think the worst part was how my omelette was sitting in this dark brown liquid which was probably from the mushrooms and the butter it was cooked it. Just really unappetizing.

    (2)

  • Momo B.

    YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE Family's Ferdi Special is made with Mother's Best in-house processed Baked Ham, roast beef, debris and gravy. Black Ham trim is crisp, carmelized crusted. Debris is the roast beef that falls into the gravy while baking in the oven. All meat poboys are basically dressed with shredded cabbage, sliced pickle, mayo, Creole and yellow mustards. NO BRAGGING, JUST FACTS In a year : 175,000 pounds of ham and roast beef 40,000 pounds of turkey 30,000 pounds of homemade sausage 250,000 biscuits and even more eggs 90,000 pounds of jambalaya 25,000 soft shell crabs 250,000 pounds of cabbage 150,000 loaves of french bread 3,500 pies (pecan and sweet potato) 1,500 gallons of spicy Creole mustard 2,000 tons of hot pepper sauce Enter the premises near the middle of the brick building with an awning just left around the double door corner exit. Someone nice will greet you and hand you a menu. Get in cue towards the deli counter. The staff works fast and so does the line. Order and pay. Take your order number and find a table to your liking. One sandwich fed both of us real good and fully. Nothing fancy...just good Olde fashion stuff your face use all your fingers eating.

    (4)

  • Duncan R.

    Came for breakfast. Highly recommend the biscuits and whatever. If you get the eggs thru will come scrambled, which disappointed me at first since that's always my last choice for eggs, but they were surprisingly good. Both the ham and sausage our family ordered were great. Service was a little mixed, eith some of the folks very cheerful and helpful and some indifferent. We thought the prices were very reasonable compared to other places in NOLA.

    (4)

  • S P.

    I went there on a Sunday morning and braved the line which was about 30+ people deep. It moved FAST. Two words: Fried Chicken. Get it, eat it, and LOVE it. I did, with grits which were delicious and turnip greens, which were okay. I wish they had collard greens! The chicken came out faster than the 30 minutes they warn you about and arrived hot and juicy; when I cut into the breast, juices came running out. The biscuits are served hot and fresh and you have to get one. I'm going to try to go AGAIN before I leave NO!

    (5)

  • Leon P.

    Some may say that this place is for tourists,but as a local, I have been enjoying this restaurant for years!!! Everything is excellent! For breakfast I recommend the debris biscuit! The ham biscuit is great as well. Pancakes are also very good !! During lunch time I recommend the ferdi special poor boy. Roast beef debris and gravy with the famous baked ham!!! Delicious!! The "dressed" poor boys here come with cabbage, pickles mayo, and mustard. This is how they do it , don't try to change them lol. Either way, it is delicious! Don't let the line discourage you; it moves quickly and well worth the wait !!!

    (5)

  • Corbett W.

    Was recommended to me on my visit to NOLA as one of the lesser known, more neighborhood highlight places and it did not disappoint in that respect. I ordered the Famous Ferdi Special (The original) mothers best baked ham, roast beef, debris, and gravy and was really happy with it. The baguette tasted very fresh and the poboy itself was packed with flavor. My girlfriend and myself were really happy with our experience here.

    (4)

  • Siddeeqah H.

    Before our trip to New Orleans, several people told us that Mother's was overrated. But because we wanted the true New Orleans experience we tried it. It was disappointing. The staff was cold and rude. You aren't allowed to tip. I think that if people were they would be a tab bit nicer. I ordered the shrimp creole and was severely disappointed. I couldn't finish it all and was left hungry. The only thing that was descent was the biscuit. The rest of my party felt the same way about their dishes. There are better places in a three block radius with better food and half the price.

    (1)

  • China D.

    Best biscuit and best baked ham i've ever had! The service however was terrible. You get hustled to this counter and have no time to think about your order. Then when you sit down a waiter collects your receipts to get the food. Our waiter wrote down the wrong table for our receipts so all our food came out at different times and they were bullying me into taking a breakfast that i didnt order!! And they could see the correct order on the receipt after it was unearthed. So my food took forever but they did give me an extra biscuit which wasnt bad. The food is amazing but brace yourself for the chaotic cafeteria style way that they run the place.

    (3)

  • Lucy M.

    Came here with my mom for lunch. We waited in line outside for about 10 minutes, then inside in the line to order for about 5 minutes, and another 5 minutes to get our food. That was expected based on the other Yelp reviews. I ordered the rice and beans entree and the side of green beans and tomato. My mom ordered the rice and beans plate with cabbage and sausage as her sides. I also got a mimosa which had a nice kick. We both thought the rice and beans were decent, but a little too heavy with the pork inside. My green beans and tomato dish was quite good and full of flavor. Her cabbage was disappointing, as it was more some kind of meat than it was cabbage. She only finished one sausage link, stating that it wss nothing special. Overall, the food was decent, though a bit disappointing. Would definitely not wait in the long line that they likely have at dinner. On a side note, all of the aforementioned dishes--aside from the sausage--on the menu were marked with a "V" for vegetarian, which was clearly a flat out lie. I noticed one of their omelettes was also marked as vegetarian, but listed turkey as an ingredient. They also had "G" for gluten-free, which genuinely worries me, because clearly the restaurant doesn't honor what they state on the menu. Anyone that has a gluten-allergy beware...

    (3)

  • Kim D.

    Great lunch spot. Fried chicken was crispy and nice flavor. Red beans and rice were ok. The spicy sausage po bo 2 as okay. I was really spicy but seemed like 5 was missing something

    (4)

  • Abi U.

    server was rude, not to the table behind us, only to us it appeared. was very curt in speaking to us and even threw our plates on the table. Judging from the way the other table was served I don't think that's a common practice..... we didn't ask for any accommodations to our meal in any way, nothing extra, just ordered politely. I don't think this is representative of Mother's as a whole restaurant but that experience alone is enough for me. The food wasn't good enough to warrant that kind of treatment.

    (1)

  • Richard H.

    Many reviews say that it is a must see while in New Orleans. I have to disagree. I could not have been more disappointed in this legendary eatery. Weird is sometimes cool, but other times, it is frustrating and inconvenient. It must be a New Orleans thing to order at the counter and then go and sit at a table. I had experienced this at other places, however at Mothers, they then come to your table and take your receipt to give to the cooks. Why not just print 2 of them at the register and give one to you and one to the cooks? Odd... It was breakfast and there was a section of the menu that said "Breakfast Po-Boys", so I assumed that meant they were special po-boys... They were not, they were the normal po-boys that you can order during breakfast. Oh, and they are the same price. So I got a famous ferdi po-boy and a orange juice, which came to $18... for breakfast. The sandwich was inedible and the meat tasted like it had just come from the freezer. I only ate a quarter of the sandwich and just couldn't stand anymore. This was my worst meal in New Orleans. This is a skip... Find somewhere else.

    (1)

  • J'me W.

    Sooooo delicious and quick! I ordered the special Gumbo and seafood baked potato. Gumbo was good but it was too hot outside for me to enjoy the bowl. The Potato was the SHIZ!!!!! It was served with tons of shrimp, butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon all on top. I would get this dish any day again and again. Husband had a Po-boy-He liked it but felt it was a little dry, the shrimp were fresh on top though. All in all we didn't wait long and it was a perfect lunch before I had to go to work. Love the service and the vibe its a great entry into NOLA cuisine.

    (4)

  • Joshua S.

    The Famous Ferdi Sandwich was well worth the wait. What wasn't worth the wait was the confusing experience of ordering for first timers. Was fine when someone was at the door instructing you but if there wasn't it got chaotic. You stand in a single file line and try and stay out of workers way but people just can't grasp the concept. Workers would have to repeatedly tell people to move and sometimes get rude. Without the annoyance of people being repeatedly herded out of the way because they were morons the food was fantastic.

    (4)

  • Brandon D.

    I can't believe the over ratings this place gets. The food itself is cooked good but fit them together in a meal or sandwich...what u get is a small portion or food that doesn't blend good together. And the price is ridiculous because of the small serving. People they're way better places to pick from. Don't let the food network lead u here. Plus there's no good parking...meter maids are in full force watch out.

    (3)

  • Crusader S.

    Be careful coming in with a group of 6 or more. The waitresses tend to get confused with your orders. Signs told us it takes 30min for fried chicken but when we sat down she brought out chicken right away. Other tables had to wait a very long time. The long wait incl any fried PO-Boy sandwiches. Food is definitely good! The best was the ferdi sandwich, crawfish effoutte, and bread pudding! Prices on the high end but no choice in Nola.

    (3)

  • Kristen Y.

    Went because I was with a group who wanted to eat here. I wasn't impressed. The place was dirty, menus were sticky, and it is a terrible choice for vegetarians. Literally, most of their 'vegetarian menu' is condiments! I had a side of potato salad to be able to eat something with my group, but it is essentially cold mashed potatoes.

    (1)

  • Matthew S.

    I would give this place a 4 or 5 for their staff and for their entertainment. Being called baby everytime I need something was an extra bonus. Had the roast beef po' boy with debris and it was definitely good food. I wouldn't call it the best thing I have ever eaten but it was tasty and fulfilling and it was definitely good. Debris was very good, the roast beef was a little too done for my liking but I am glad I experienced this place, and walked out with a smile. The staff is hilarious!

    (3)

  • Kelly T.

    Before traveling to New Orleans our family was given a short list of 'MUST VISIT' restaurants and Mother's was on that list. We walked across the french quarter and the two or so streets up from where we had been just for this lunch. There was a line, but not one out the door like we had seen so we thought we'd really lucked out! We got in line with our menus delivered to us at the door. Most of that time we were in the way of someone- be it customer struggling to find a seat or one of the staff demanding that we clear a path. (Rudely so I might add, there wasn't really anywhere to move TO and we were trying very hard to keep out of the way.) When we got up to the counter, we ordered red beans and rice, a Ferdi po boy, and a catfish po boy. I'm not sure what our fourth had - something ham or chicken on a sandwich. Seating was a nightmare. We wandered several minutes attempting to find a spot and once we found an empty (but dirty) table, we quickly sat down to try and save it for our family. The waitress came over and took our ticket to the window (seemed like an odd practice in its own?) but forgot the second ticket so our order was staggered. It took several minutes for someone to come and clean the table and honestly the staff didn't seem all that concerned about it. I realize that the restaurant was busy, and we knew when we sat down that it was a dirty table but several workers passed us and it almost seemed like they were pretending not to notice the state of several of the much needed tables. The ferdi and red beans and rice came first. It was almost fifteen minutes later that the third and fourth plates came to our table. The ferdi seemed to have been sitting not in gravy but in a juice that came from the meat - not a problem if you're ready to eat but it arrived at the table with the typically tougher french bread already soaked through and breaking apart. I barely got a bite in before the whole thing disintegrated and became impossible to eat without relying heavily on napkins and forks. The red beans and rice was what my boyfriend called 'okay'. I think he just didn't want to admit that he'd paid so much for an over salty plate that really lacked flavor. When the other plates finally did come, my mother who had ordered the catfish poboy took her first bite and immediately spit her food out. This woman LOVES catfish and I've never seen her send back a dish. She pushed her plate aside after a second and third attempt dissecting the plate trying to find which part was so offensive. She said the fish was mushy and muddy. Tables around us were filled with families, one was a couple with three small children. The parents and one of the children received their meals but the other two sat there for almost twenty minutes without their plates after their family was initially served - when the plates arrived? Pancakes. They'd waited an additional twenty minutes for two short stacks. Even then, the mother had an order of a biscuit that took additional time to be delivered, she seemed done with her meal by that point. After watching my mother miss a meal because of the food quality, we urged her to complain to the manager. To his credit, he did offer to replace her dish but she was so turned off at that point that she just wanted a refund which he DID provide without argument. He brought her cash (15 dollars for an inedible plate) and some bread pudding to try and make up for it. While he was delivering the plate, however, he tipped it forward and poured the sauce all over the table and down my mother's pant leg. He didn't seem to realize. She had to decline the desert and tell him that she was a diabetic but he left the plate anyway saying that one of us would eat it. We tried a few bites while my mother and sister went to the bathroom and attempted to clean the sticky mess up. She spent the rest of the day covered in the dark goo. We aren't typically very fussy people, we were eager to try a legendary place in New Orleans but we were HEAVILY disappointed. This place seems to survive on reputation alone and ignore a lot of basic service needs and food quality. Tourists, don't listen to the hype.

    (1)

  • Ryan A.

    I cannot really give this a great review, the experience was nice and I really enjoyed seeing such a classic example of a family run business and the atmosphere certainly exhibited as such. The lunch however, was just average. I had the world famous baked ham, which was okay but nothing particularly great. I had sides of beans and rice and green beans with the tomato paste. my friend had a shrimp Po boy which looked okay (certainly not worth the $13 it was listed for on the menu), he wasn't particularly thrilled about it either. Fries were generic frozen-thin. All in all it was a nice experience, just being in a place that so many people before us had been through was what gave it a third star. But that was the most of it. I would recommend looking at other places for a good lunch.

    (3)

  • Patty H.

    The food is good. A little pricey though. Two entrees, two lemonades a and a side dish. $60

    (4)

  • Mellisa M.

    Hello Mother's! Such a great little place; I love the uniqueness. You get a personal greeting when you walk in with direction on how to place your order. Standing along side the serving area you can easily view your selections. Once you've ordered and picked up your beverage you are off to find a table. After little to no wait time the staff bring over your meal. Mine today was eggs over medium with a side of grits and smoked sausage. The bonus of homemade biscuits with fresh jam was a treat! Everything was so delicious, Mother's had me wishing I lived in New Orleans so I could come back time and time again. Don't forget to order a Bloody Mary, it's the perfect amount of spiciness.

    (5)

  • Jason W.

    I was warned and it was certainly true, Mother's = Decent. Nothing super spectacular. Just another spot for us tourist to say, hey, I ate at Mothers. I came, I saw, I ate and I don't need to rush back. Not a bad experice, food was okay but if you gave built it up as something straight out of your Mother's kitchen, your gonna be disappointed

    (3)

  • Joshua L.

    This place is a fantastic flashback to classic city eateries. The food and service were awesome, and it met my expectations even though I had built up in my mind that it was going to be amazing! In particular: The red beans and rice and the Ferdie's (sp?) Sandwich. I will be back when I go back to New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Zain M.

    Been hearing about Mother's a lot and decided to check it out when I was in NOLA. Came here for lunch and got some gumbo. It wasn't as flavorful as I hoped it would be. I guess this place is known for their ham and I don't eat pork so maybe that's why I didn't really have a good experience there. Also got the roast beef sandwich that was suppose to come with au jus but instead they just put it on the sandwich which made the bread really wet and soggy. This might be my only trip to Mother's.

    (2)

  • Alissa T.

    Good, but doesn't compare to the other places we tried in Nola. The line went pretty quick and the staff working behind the counter & bringing out food were entertaining and sweet. Ferdi Special was tasty, however, didn't have much meat on it (very small piece of each). The creole mustard was amazing though! Jambalaya stole the show. Crawfish Étouffée - eh. Wasn't as good as I was hoping it'd be.

    (3)

  • Jeff C.

    Delicious food and wonderful service! We had the Ferdi Special and Jambalaya. Everything was incredibly fresh and flavorful, and the servers were super friendly. Fair warning, this place can get packed in a flash! At first there was no one in line, but then 3 minutes later 12 people appeared! Definitely would come back again!

    (5)

  • Stephanie Z.

    Mother's was a block away from our hotel so my friends and I passed it every time we came to and from the French Quarter. Most of the time, we would see a long line outside so we decided to try it out for breakfast. To be honest, I don't understand the hype. I found the food mediocre. The meat in the Ferdi special was tough and hard to chew. The ham was too salty. We ordered our food to go and they didn't include butter or jam with our biscuits. My advice - skip the line and go elsewhere for breakfast.

    (2)

  • Veronique L.

    This place is much larger than it looks on the outside. One bonus is if you come during the Mardi Gras season, it seems to be along the parade route, so my colleagues and I, after waiting at the corner of Canal St. and Magazine St. for over 90 minutes for Krewe du Vieux, decided to head here for Saturday's dinner. You order at the counter and then find a seat in one of the three dining areas. They then bring your food to the table, and as the server noted, although the sign says no tipping, you can and are encouraged especially since the signs are from years ago. I continued on my mini tour of po boys around the city and ordered a fried catfish po boy. It was pretty good but a little expensive compared to the other places we went to on our work trip. My colleague ordered the combination plate which served a great sample of NOLA staples: red beans and rice, mashed potatoes, and etouffee along with two vegetables (I think). The mashed potatoes were cold, but other than that, everything else was great. Tables are large and accommodating and so Mother's is great for groups. Servers are pretty good but not the best we encountered but then again, overall, the service in NOLA was far superior than what I've encountered in general in DC.

    (3)

  • Scott C.

    Food was great! I got the smoked sausage po-boy. I hate toppings so mine was plain. The meat was awesome and the bread was very fresh. Staff was funny and made sure I knew the no tipping sign was a joke... I couldn't tell if he was serious or not because he looked over his shoulder at the other employees like he didn't want them to hear :) A little pricey at $23 for 2 sandwiches, but it's in the main part of the city and you can't expect cheap food when in the heart of it all.

    (5)

  • JoAnna B.

    Wow that's amazing - That is a bold lye. Your management did not try to work with us. The complaint was not my food it was my friends. When I spoke with the manager and told him that I would post his behavior on yelp, he told me "Thank you". I will send this to my friend who was there as well so that she can tell her side of this story. Amazing that you take our money and treat us like your the only restaurant in town. Well your not and we will not patronize your place every again.

    (1)

  • Mike B.

    If your a local or from South Louisiana this is pretty much what your grandma and mom cooked for dinner. Just not as good as you grandma and moms. If the effort was put back in to bring in the locals then the food would be what it used to be. When you need to feed the masses , corners and quality get cut. This is a get em in and get em out mentality. Do it once and be done . It's just a shame that this is what people will remember as our food. This is a reflection on more than just Mothers.

    (2)

  • Jack P.

    The Ferdi Sandwich***** Five Stars for this simple culinary delight served on a soft roll with layers of their self proclaimed "Worlds Best Ham", roast beef, and topped off with "Debris". Debris is best described as the small pieces of roast beef that fall to the bottom of the roasting pan and remain soaking in the beef juices. These bits and pieces of "Debris" are then spooned up and drenched on the sandwich along with roast beef drippings. AMAZING!

    (5)

  • Robert C.

    This is straight up comfort food that should please all. I could only speak for what I ordered, the ham was soft and moist like a ribeye. The potato salad was no disappointment and try it with some hot sauce it'll take it to that next level. Loved the greens too, it was perfectly season. I could eat a whole bowl of it. "Mother's" is a must stop for all visitors and locals of New Orleans. Now the only downside side was the wait after ordering. Waiting for your food super very hungry and seeing people get they're food before yours when you'll been seated way fore they ordered is not a fun experience. They need to fit they're serving system. But when the food come, "OMG" all was forgiven and happiness was pouring out. Food 10/10. Experience 9/10.

    (4)

  • Jenna M.

    I don't typically like order at the counter type places, but I went here for the sake of my family that was in town (total of 6 adults and 1 kid). We decided to go wait it out in line here because we'd heard such amazing reviews. Although, now that I think of those so-called reviews, they were probably not the best sources of information. No one really loved their food, but it wasn't terrible. The shrimp was okay, but the poboys were very good. The service was terrible, and the workers were not that friendly. Mother's is also expensive for what they have. The whole place also seems sort of dirty, but I never base my reviews on that because I love dive bars and restaurants. Plus, in New Orleans, it's just usually old buildings. I would recommend going to another place if you want Cajun or Creole food.

    (2)

  • Henry A.

    NPS = 7 A New Orleans staple...one of the places you have to eat at only to be able to say you've eaten there. Unfortunately, that's largely the only reason to come to Mother's. The rest of the food is just...meh. Their famous po' boy (the Ferdi special) is just bread some meat, coleslaw, and some mustard. Nothing spectacular about it. The sandwich falls apart in your hands from all the au jus (yet, some people might consider this a good thing). The taste, though, was the "meh" part. The service, though, IS spectacular. You get taken care of from the moment you sit down. That's only after you sit down, though. The first part, when you walk into this place, you almost feel like an army recruit. The host and/or hostess just yelling out, "Single file line. Against the wall." Not very welcoming. But it gets better once you get your food. There looks to be a lot of other dishes available at Mother's but I decided to go with their most famous dish. It didn't do it for me, but maybe their other dishes will satisfy your cravings. I feel like there is a lot better food in "Nawlinnnnns" to be sampled.

    (3)

  • Mark R.

    Love this old dive!! Reminds me of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. The staff isn't the most friendly but that just adds to the ambiance of Mothers. I ordered the fried shrimp plater / shrimp, oysters and catfish. Everything was great! Couldn't eat it all. My sides were greens with red beans and rice. Excellent!!

    (4)

  • Rachel N.

    Of course my only Jewish galpal from growing up would have her rehearsal din at a resto where the sign boasts that it's home to "world's best baked ham". Of course. To put this in context, this isn't perhaps a totally fair review as we had everything done in their private dining room, so I'm not quite sure what the regular experience is like - but what I do know is that one of the servers told my GF to stop being such a "pain in the ass" when she asked for more fried shrimp and the bartender straight up told me that he was having a shitty night....soooooo...yes....the place may be named Mother's, but it certainly didn't make me feel surrounded by unconditional love, support, and fleece vests, which is what mama N specializes in. Confusing. Overall, the night was lovely as we got to start celebrating K&J - but the food was distinctly subpar and as much as I appreciate being made to feel like a burden on those around me, the service left something to be desired. Sampled the fried oysters, fried shrimp, red beans/rice, and was w friends who hit the fried chicken, jambalaya, turkey sandos, and ham - overall, the oysters were a bit soggy and metallic for my taste - the shrimp equally unappetizing - and the salad was #basic at its finest - underripe tomatoes, soggy greens, and shattered dreams - but I think ppl found the fried chicken decent. The ham, surprisingly, went largely uncommented upon, leaving me to assume that it was not the celebration of the pig that anyone imagined. The best thing were these random chocolate chip cookies that I began housing once I realized that the actual entrees were not going to bring it home - but the bread pudding w bourbon sauce I sampled was only moderately respectable, though certainly pales in comparison to the Ritz's chocolate croissant bread pudding of my dreams. If you're a paying customer, po'boys are $6.5-14 (turkey, sausage, shrimp, oyster, catfish, calamari), plates are $13-16 (etouffee, shrimp creole, fried chicken, ham dinner, jambalaya, etc), and other mains are around the same. Overall, the shrimp weighs leaden in my tum and my heart saddened by the mediocrity of the attitude towards patrons, but I guess...it's an institution? And I love KFG, so I can't really knock it....but like...I will. Not worth the time or $.

    (2)

  • Liliana P.

    You come in, grab a menu, order, pay and then go find a seat. We tried every type of gumbo available and the crawfish étouffée. The gumbos were okay, I've definitely had better, but that crawfish étouffée... I dream of it.

    (4)

  • S D.

    Very casual dining here. You wait in a long line, pay for your food, find a table and your food is brought to you. I got the combination platter and a cup of gumbo. Mmm mmm mmm the plate was so tasty.

    (4)

  • Ashlee H.

    This place came highly recommended by anyone who heard I was traveling to NOLA. It was very good, don't get me wrong, but not sure I quite understood the fuss. I got the turkey Ferdi, which is a baguette with their roast beef and turkey. It was very good. They make all their meats on site and you can taste that everything is very slow roasted. I guess I'm just not crazy about paying $20 for myself to just eat a sandwich, fries and a soda. It was good, but not the best sandwich I've ever eaten. I can tell you that their sandwiches are HUGE! The staff here work their butts off. It's crazy busy all the time from what I can see. All the staff seemed friendly. The place was clean, even the restrooms. Overall a good experience, but I wasn't blown away.

    (4)

  • Siobhan N.

    I decided to try this place because it always had a long line out of the door. People don't usually wait in long lines in the heat for something mediocre. The line moved swiftly, we waited about 20 minutes. My group and I each ordered the Egg & Meat Poboy, we added cheese and chose different meats so we could try them all. My favourite was the baked/sliced Ham, it was thick cut, juicy and insanely tender. It was unlike any Ham I've had, I actually can't wrap my head around how juicy and soft it was. I wouldn't recommend the Egg on the Poboy, it's too sloppy, makes the bread soggy and just falls out when you pick it up or take a bite. It's scrambled eggs, a fried egg would be much better! We had some Bread Pudding on the side, yummy! Prepare to leave stuffed and sleepy!

    (4)

  • Denise F.

    The ferdi original sandwich was fantastic! My husband loved the crawfish etoufee. The bad reviews from others are crazy. It is not fancy but the food is excellent!

    (5)

  • Michelle R.

    I was so motivated to leave my review that I joined Yelp just to do so. The cashier was borderline robotic, and made me feel like I was ruining her day by placing an order. My red haired waitress was incredibly rude to anyone not in a group. She chastised two customers who walked in to a private party, "Did I say you could sit there? Just because there's food in there doesn't mean you can go in." My fried chicken po'boy (which took so long that everyone around me left before it arrived - my inquiry about the delay caused an argument in the kitchen) was tough and tasteless. My red beans and rice were ice cold. (No, really. Not even lukewarm.) This is the first time in my life that I didn't leave a tip, and my only negative experience ever in N'awlins.

    (1)

  • Kenlie T.

    The lines are CRAZY long at times, so I don't go often. The food is pretty good, but I don't enjoy the atmosphere as much as other places. This place is in my neighborhood, so it's a good place to bring friends when they visit. I stay away for the most part because there are so many better choices in New Orleans, but I'd recommend it to those who don't mind the lines/lack of ambiance if you're visiting and want to stay in the area.

    (3)

  • Gene B.

    Mother's is yet another storied New Orleans' institution and they've been serving sandwiches to the hungry masses since before World War II. In spite of it's longstanding ties with the city, Mother's is not without a certain amount of controversy. I had a couple of strong recommendations to go there from some friends and co-workers back in Seattle, but I had quite a few locals that I had met that told me not to bother going there. In Mother's defense none of the no votes said anything disparaging about the food. No, those complaints were more focused on the fact that Mother's had become such a tourist destination and, therefore, was very crowded. They do have a point. You'd do well to get here well before noon. Lunch is incredibly busy and seating is limited. If the weather's nice, you might want to considering ordering to go and maybe scoring a park bench at the nearby Lafayette Square. That of course depends on what you're ordering. My first time here I ordered the Roast Beef Po' Boy with Debris and that wasn't going anywhere, but to the nearest table. They use the standard, light and airy, Italian roll for their Po' Boys at Mother's. The bottom half of the split roll is slathered in classic American yellow mustard, which came as a surprise to me, but wasn't an unwelcome one. Then comes some coleslaw and that, in turn, is topped with sliced roast beef which then gets a healthy layer of debris and, finally, some gravy. The gravy is more jus than gravy, but it has a nice beefy flavor. It's a huge sandwich. They have a smaller version and I kind of regret not ordering it. It's a good sandwich, too. I wasn't blown away by it, the roast beef was a bit dry, but I ate the whole damn thing. So, that tells you something. In turns out that the debris is the best part of the sandwich. It's tender and full of flavor. It's also available as an addition to almost any sandwich on their menu. Which is pretty smart. The next time I'm here I'm getting The Ferdi Special which is basically the same sandwich that I had, but with sliced ham instead of sliced roast beef. Seems like a winning combo to me!

    (3)

  • John W.

    I will make this short and sweet. Been traveling through Fl, Ga, SC, NC, TN, MS, LA, AL, and out of all of the assorted places and different types of Food that I tasted along the way. Mother's in New Orleans was the best hands down. Probably won't ever go back to NOLA because I didn't like it, but if I did it would just to be able to eat at Mother's again.

    (5)

  • Montrice W.

    From GA....one of those times when you here sooo much about a restaurant you Just Have To Visit...well, maybe since I am a SOUTHERN BELLE...a TRUE GRITS...I was expecting something different. No doubt my food was good....but the service was faulty. Not mean...but no "service with a smile". I'm probably not coming back. Well, maybe for take out.

    (2)

  • Flora H.

    I was pretty disappointed by Mother's. I had heard such great things about the po boys that I expected to be blown away. But, alas, Mother's is in last place of the po boys that I've had in New Orleans. Johnny's was better, but 801 Royal was the best. I still need to try Killer Po Boys, but I'm sure it's better than Mother's. I had the grilled shrimp po boy and I just wasn't a fan of the seasoning... it seemed cheap and was overwhelming and didn't taste very good. There wasn't much else on the po boy except the shrimp, and the bread wasn't anything special, so it was hard to get through. My bf had the famous ferdi special, which he also didn't enjoy. All he had to say about it was "it was a lot of meat". We didn't hate our po boys.. but they did feel like a waste of a meal in this city of fine food. On a positive: the fries were pretty good, but aren't they always?

    (2)

  • Raquel M.

    Mothers goin up, on a Tuesday:) I had grits, ham, biscuit and eggs. This was a perfect breakfast and great last meal in New Orleans. We came here around 930am (on a Tuesday ;)) and there was no line, they bring the food to your table after you order and it came very fast. Everyone here is very nice, and it's fun to sit by the kitchen to hear the cooks conversations ...good vibes. Definitely recommend this place! Would have tried the fried chicken but didn't think that would be the breakfast for myself.

    (5)

  • Robin J.

    I have heard lots about this place. And looked forward to visiting. I looked online and knew that all I wanted was the bread pudding. I'm a vegetarian, most of the things on the menu had meet. Which was fine, they are known for the "best ham in the world," and I knew that before I came. The decor and ambiance was cool, nothing special. The service was good, they are very clear on how the ordering and seating process works as soon as you open the door. The bread pudding didn't look appetizing but it was GOOD, not great like I thought but good. I like that I have different fruit in it, seems like they added fruit from a fruit cocktail can. It was a reasonable price. Nice and warm, and came out quick.

    (3)

  • Darian M.

    Me my wife took a weekend trek to Alabama, Florida and finished it on up with a stop in NOLA. I mean, we were only a couple of hours away from it and being that it's our home state, it was no debating. To New Orleans we headed. We chose Mothers because hey it's what you do when you haven't been in a while. Now let me just let you know - the service is quick and you MUST be ready to order fast and can't ponder on a thing. Sure the waitresses are somewhat mmmm - yeah I'm just gonna say it - Rude BUT they really don't mean it. Just stay with me here, the food was pretty good. I had the Shrimp Po Boy and a cup of gumbo. Very good The day we went the New Orleans Saints were playing and the waitresses and cooks were in FULL win mode. The funny thing is that the waitresses had that line moving with comments like, "Keep it Moving People, If they aren't ready to order?! Just go around them." By the time you leave?! The same ladies have made you feel like family and they give you a big hug afterwards. Weird yet sweet. That's just how some Louisiana folks do!

    (4)

  • Adrianna F.

    Ordered the sausage Po' Boy and it was incredible! Sausage was homemade and tasted amazing. Wouldn't change a thing about it. Got it with a side of red beans and rice and it was the best red beans and rice I had ever tasted in my life (sorry, dad). You order at the cashier and they bring the food out to you. It took a little while but it was definitely worth the wait. On a side note, I came back the next day and ordered their original Po' Boy and it was also fantastic. I got it to go and they actually didn't put the sauce on it so the sandwich didn't soggy while I was travelling (which was a nice touch but made for messy lunch at my meeting). I definitely liked the sausage better than the original though. So good! You must go!

    (5)

  • Daniel A.

    OH MY!!!!!!! YES YES YES, you MUST do at least one lunch here at Mother's!!! The food is amazing, po boys are huge and delicious. The gumbo and jambalaya is very tasty and loaded with goodness. Now some may get turned off by the rustic look of the place but the people are awesome and friendly and the food is worth every penny spent. The only reason I knocked it down to four stars is because the cashier was rushing and actually messed up a few orders. Not to fear, the amazing staff was really cooperative to fix the issues as best they can and for the most part, I think they went above and beyond!! Thank you!! So BIG YES, great eats and great people!!! ENJOY!!!!

    (4)

  • favio p.

    If you want to try this place you have to come in early for lunch or dinner and beat the tourist crowds. I came with my wife at 6:00pm for early dinner and to avoid the lines but there was already a small line outside. But once inside you have to make another line to pay and then you can look for a place to sit. You take your drinks but they bring the food order to you. Inside its dark and there's 3 rooms to sit at. Now to the food! After all the hype this was another disappointment in this beautiful city. It's all hype for tourists at this place. It has a great and rich history but you can have much, much better food and poboys at any other place in town. We had the debri and shrimp PoBoy and they were bland and just okay. We also had the Gumbo which was like from a can. Wait, let me refrase that, some can soups are much better. Besides the bland and tasteless food, the prices are just crazy. Dinner was over $60 with a couple of little desserts which were also ok. And the main waitress also reminded guests to leave a tip although they just brought the tray to you. Interesting place but never again. Good luck tourists!

    (2)

  • Warren C.

    I am convinced that the bad reviews are the people that don't "get it". Prices are high because Ya Don't tip. Being overly assertive to said waitresses and waiters isn't going to work... They'll looks at you like you came into their home and are that family member that's high maintenance. I always get combo platter -- so much good food. They surprisingly do have healthy menu options -- so if you are traveling with someone on a diet-- tell them to calm down and check out the menu (egg white omelettes , chicken breast, etc) figure it out :) but go for sure--- it's a great experience.

    (5)

  • Kathy F.

    We went on a Monday at 4:00pm. No line and our hotel was right across the street so we could see when it was the right time. For being so popular and I'm sure they are bringing in profit. I was expecting it to be cleaner and maybe change carpets or clean the floors. Service was ok, everyone seemed tired. The food was good. Fried chicken was moist. Grits are made from Quaker. We sat near the kitchen, we could see the package. Ham Po'boy was really good. Red beans and rice was good. We went there because it seemed like a spot to hit while we are New Orleans. To me it wasn't a big deal.

    (3)

  • Judy T.

    This was the best crawfish etouffee that we had in New Orleans, and the red beans and rice dish was also delicious. Fries were good and surprisingly crunchy. The Ferdi special, which has ham, roast beef, and "debris", was too salty. The bread pudding was all right but had canned fruit cocktail baked in, which ruined it for me. We slid in about 45 minutes before closing, so we didn't have to wait, but we also didn't get much service. Had to go hunting for napkins so we could clean off our own table. Had to ask a couple of people before we received condiments to go with our fries. But I guess that's the charm of Mother's ...

    (3)

  • Haley P.

    Valet recommended this place and I'm happy he did! I made it just before the line formed (and now it's put the door, but moving quickly). The staff clearly work hard and are friendly. I got a small (but huge) "Famous Ferdi Special" and despite being full I can't help finishing it. Delicious, fast and definitely a local place. Not fancy, but fast and friendly.

    (4)

  • Shirley A.

    Great southern homestyle cooking that doesn't cost a fortune, like most over - charging restaurants in the area. My favorites so far are the crawfish etoufee, greens, and red beans and rice. There is so much to try, but starting to feel like a regular because I can't part with the thought of not ordering the crawfish etoufee! Also tried the oyster po boy--oysters we were fresh and perfectly fried but for me, the roll is a bit bready, which competes with the oysters. Be prepared to stand in line, but it goes by quick! Mother's offer a good value with friendly wait staff that serve up some savory goodness!

    (5)

  • Steeven L.

    Mother's was recommended to us as a classic New Orleans institution. We were told it's so amazing there are lineups around the block sometimes. So a group of about 8 of us went there for breakfast while we were in town for a conference. Instead of being seated at a table, you are directed to pick up a menu and head to the counter to place your order. This forces you to make a quick decision since you only ahve a few minutes to place your order. This is good if you are quick to pick your meal but not so great if you're slow. Since you don't get to pick your table until after you've gotten your order, it can be a bit tricky for a larger group. We went to the back room and found the last table that would hold 8. However, no one was in a hurry to clean up the mess from the previous patrons. Actually no one was in a hurry to do anything. I should have gotten the clue when I noticed the large "We do not accept tips" sign over the bar. I rarely give bad reviews but THIS PLACE IS GROSS. It's down right nasty freaking gross. It looks run down, the service sucks; it's horribly slow. The waitress kept forgetting some of our orders. One of my colleagues didn't even get her meal until after everyone else was done. The grits we ordered never came. This didn't even appear to be an isolated incident. The table next to use seemed to be even worse off with their orders. Please note that this is BARELY a 2 star. I'm being genrous here. It's a 2 star because the food tasted fine and the quantity was more than 2 people could eat, but the service and the ambiance was just too horribleto give anything more than 2 stars. Do yourself a favour, ignore the people who recommend this place and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I'm serious. NOLA has TONS of delicous restaurants. Don't waste your time on this dump.

    (2)

  • Leslie V.

    Wonderful extremely casual restaurant. Order after standing in line. Sometimes the line is out the door and down the street but DO NOT LEAVE! There is a reason for the line and they are fantastic at making that line move quickly!!! The sausage is amazing-ham equally so, and the debris...well, I dream of it at night. A little hot sauce and I'm set!

    (5)

  • TC M.

    This place was so so. I got the half fried chicken and the poboy. The chicken was super hot so you know they just cooked it but there inside seemed like it needed to be cooked more. The sandwich was ok. I ordered for pickup. When I got the order I actually ate there because I was so hungry. I took the sides and half the sandwich with me since I couldn't finish it that was at 2p. Now it's 2a and I'm having the leftovers and it is actually still pretty good. I was going to give them a 3 start because of their poor service and ok food. But I gave them a 4 star because there leftovers also tasted good.

    (4)

  • Melissa O.

    Delicious. Loved the fried chicken. And the biscuit! Yum. The chicken takes 30 min so be prepared to wait. Place can get crowded. I would give it four stars but they missed up on my fiancé's order although his food also tasted good. Would definitely go back when visiting Nola again.

    (3)

  • Kim P.

    We all walked here for breakfast one morning on our way to the WWII museum because everyone says you just have to go here. The place is amazing, you will never get tired of looking at the walls. The line was long and awkward and a waitress snapped at me for being in her way. The food was amazing. You seat yourself, and the food is brought to you. Our order was short a biscuit which was rectified immediately. The biscuits are a necessity. Such perfection. The grits were amazing and the black ham was to die for. Definitely a must eat restaurant.

    (4)

  • Camille P.

    This place was rather lackluster. The food was bland and overpriced. I guess since i have had better breakfast plates at IHOP and corner stores, i just expected more. The staff was nice and the space is rather large (seems like 3 spaces put together) and they definitely keep the a/c running. Maybe it's good fir tourists. The pros were large and the vibe is very familial. Probably won't go back but at least I can check it off my places to go list.

    (2)

  • Brian M.

    Get the BOURBON BREAD PUDDING. If you're reading this and don't get it, you made the worst decision ever. Go home, you're drunk. Moving on... The portions are pretty big, so be ready to eat a lot or share your food. There's always a line, but it moves pretty fast. Get the BOURBON BREAD PUDDING.

    (5)

  • Nat M.

    The place is large with lots of seating. You stand on line (it was long when I was there) and place your order and pay. Servers then bring the food. Gave only 3 stars cause while the portions were generous and food was good, it wasn't great. And none of the food was hot. I tried the bread pudding dessert but it was on the cold side too. It might have been warm but they bring everything you order at the same time so can't tell. Good for a quick bite but not for a "nice" sit down dinner.

    (3)

  • Kelsey H.

    This place has great service and Beyoncé loves it (haha). Food is a little underwhelming sometimes so not always worth the wait but I've been going for years so something is worth it. Order the sausage for sure.

    (4)

  • Treetta M.

    If you're looking for good ole soul food Mother's is the place for you. The line moved quickly the food was hot ;however my order was wrong. I ordered a breast and wing and received a thigh and leg. I did not complain due to the constant traffic and tons of people in the restaurant. My husband ordered the famous Po boy sandwich he said the shredded beef over powered the ham which is what Mother's is known for. He did say it was a good sandwich with large portions he just wanted to taste more of the ham. Mother's is a must try while in New Orleans. I'm glad I experienced it and you should too.

    (3)

  • Jim L.

    Had to try it after hearing from everyone about Mothers We went at breakfast and probably would have had a better experience at lunch. We had to have the debris which was very tasty and the crusty ham, also very good. Satisfying, none the less, and full of local flavor, but not likely to be on my repeat visit list.

    (3)

  • Kelsey R.

    I came here with a friend on a road trip. After eating so much weird food and being on the road for a long time I just wanted to eat a home cooked meal. Mother's delivered. I ordered the breakfast plate with grits, eggs, sausages and a biscuit. It was delicious. The grits were just simple and I loved it. Nothing fancy. The biscuit was flaky. The two women at the register were sassy and I loved it. I could tell they were used to tourists like me who had no idea what they were doing. She was sweet but still a little honey get it together. It seemed like this was place for regulars as well. People knew each other. It felt homey and delicious and the perfect thing you need when you're on the road.

    (5)

  • Yasmin R.

    WOW! The reviews on this place really baffle me, it's like when somebody who is somebody say's it's Hot, then it's hot. When it's really Not! That's Mother's to me, a big fat giant NOT!!! After first visiting NOLA as a tourist during one of their annual Festivals, I cruised by Mother's but the line was unbelievably long, stemming from the main entrance door, down the block and around the corner. Oh hellz to the No would you catch me on that line. Then again, I was in NOLA as a student, never made it to Mother's. Years later, the most amazing, random thing happend to me, my alma mater, TULANE, had a raffle contest and I won. It included a hotel stay at the Windsor Court Hotel blah blah blah...AND, a gift certificate to MOTHER'S Restaurant. Finally! I was going to eat at Mother's, and for Free! O-M-G! Thank God I didn't have to pay for that crap. I ordered a Shrimp PoBoy, some potato salad, and whatever else that left no impression on me. Completely OVERRATED. To all those people who waited to give their money to Mother's, I bet ya'll feel like suckas. HAHAHA. A short 10 minute walk away on Chartres, there's a lil shop called Johnny's. That is the place to go.

    (2)

  • Simon L.

    The famed Feredi Special ($13) is a soft sub roll filled with a mountain of fresh baked ham and house roasted beef topped off with "debris," the pan drippings as well as gravy made from more of the drippings. Simply put? The best sandwich on the planet second only to.....nothing. Ham is sweet and salty. The roast beef is medium rare. The combination of the dressed po' boy (that is served with shredded cabbage, mayo, mustard, pickles and "creole" spice combination) with soft bread, fiery spice, rich gravy and mayo induced creaminess is truly special. Fried chicken - a half fried chicken is a huge bird - thighs, leg, breast, wing. Ultra crispy breading. Salted and peppered so that it is noticeably right. Tender meat. Juices explode without burning the lips. The rice and red beans have a layer of tender rice covered by a luscious and rich topping of red beans. This serving is by no means a vegetarian dish and the thick renderings of ham and pork simmered with onions, chili and beans is self evident. Here's how it works: if there's a line outside, get in it because it moves quickly. Once you get to the door, you're only just getting started because there's going to be another line inside - this one moves quickly too. You're handed a menu and you better be ready to order when you get to the front because you will get skipped until you are ready. Place your order, get your number and take a seat. The food will be brought to you rather quickly so don't fret, it's all worth the pomp and circumstance.

    (5)

  • Jennifer I.

    Breakfast po'boy with andoullie sausage. That's the only thing you need to order here. It will keep you full for the entire day. The line looks intimidating, but it moves pretty fast, and the workers are really efficient. Make sure you know exactly what you want when you approach the cash register - they aren't messing around! Seat yourself, and magically, they will find you. We had an error with our order - a missing waffle, I think (we were in a large group) - and not only did they get us the waffle immediately, they offered us a free dessert and were extremely gracious. Wonderful service and food - the NOLA way!

    (5)

  • K R.

    The experience is unique. You get a menu, order at the counter, find a table and they bring you your food. I ordered a pancake plain and it was yummy!. The biscuits are good, very thick but they don't have any honey to smother them with. I'll bring my own next time. My husband got the ham and biscuit. The ham is mouth watering! They cook them all night long in brown sugar, honey and EJ wine. I'll be buying one to ship home for the holidays. The Bloody Mary was amazing!! Best one I have had so far! The staff was very kind and helpful. The only complaint was their eggs. They taste like they are made with powdered milk. We order fried egg with cheese on top. We got runny scrambled eggs. They were not edible so we sent them back and asked for fried eggs with american cheese on top. We got back scrambled eggs. We gave up! I still recommend it but order a ham biscuit and a Bloody Mary.

    (4)

  • Mary Kay B.

    This is not one of those "walk-in and wait for a table" kind of places. You stand in line, hopefully not outside, read through the menu and decide what you want. When you get to the counter, you order your food and pay. Then, you wait right there for your drink. Once you have your drink, find a table, sit and place your receipt on the table. One of the employees takes your receipt so they can bring you your food. There appears to be a lot of walking back n forth by employees, but they appear to have a system. I ordered the roast beef po'boy pain, it would normally come with mayo, coleslaw and I think tomato. I got fries and a drink. My hubby ordered the special of the day, which was 4 piece fried chicken with dirty rice with a side of greens and a drink. So, the food came out pretty quick. Props to the wait staff. They work their butts off. The fries were the only negative part. They tasted like they we cooked yesterday, but with a little of the au jus and a small bit of roast beef, they were salvaged. The sandwich was two pieces that were equivalent to a foot-long. Tender beef with just the right amount of au jus. My stomach is happy. The chicken my husband ordered was great, too. He liked the rice, but said the greens tasted watered down.

    (5)

  • Vincent L.

    The debris po-boy was OK. Merely so. While it was worth the price given the portion size, it wasn't anywhere near as mindblowing, taste-wise, that I'd been expecting based on word of mouth. It also wasn't worth the interminably long wait, which irked me a bit because it's almost as if the place is deliberately small and short-staffed. While I get that Mother's is a New Orleans institution, when you milk your outsized reputation for years and years without changing the formula one bit, there's a risk that you'll end up looking rather outdated sooner than later.

    (3)

  • Jenn L.

    I don't understand why the reviews for Mother's isn't higher? We were here for three days, came to Mother's every day, and then ordered two entrees and a bread pudding to go. They ran out of crawfish étouffée on our first night and man, was I bummed! When I tried it the next day and dipped my French bread in the étouffée, #heaven, no one disturb me for 10 minutes unless you're bringing me more bread. The jambalaya is also delicious but nothing beats the étouffée. (FYI: Pass on the gumbo.) Yes, this is more or a hole-in-the wall place and its cafeteria style ordering. If that's not your thing or the reason why you're giving this restaurant a low rating, honey, please go elsewhere .

    (5)

  • Corby G.

    Been to New Orleans a few times and kept hearing about this place, so finally went to check it out. No line, walked right in. Ordered a ham and mushroom omelet with a biscuit on the side and a cup off coffee at the counter. The clerk gave me my check and told me to have a seat. Waited and waited for coffee. No one even came to check on my table. After about 10 minutes, I grabbed a waitress and asked her to bring me a cup of coffee. Terrible, undrinkable coffee. Now, I am no coffee snob, gas station coffee is fine by me, but this was the worst cup of coffee I have ever had. It tasted like it had a tablespoon of salt and pepper in it. Took one sip and abandoned it. Good thing it was so bad, because no one ever came back to offer me a refill or see how I was doing. Omelet was fine, average diner omelet. The ham in the omelet was very good, to be honest. The biscuit was an average, fresh, homemade biscuit. However, it came with three pads of butter and about half a teaspoon of house made raspberry jam. The jam was good, but it only got me through about a quarter of the biscuit. I tried to get a staff persons attention a couple times to ask for more, but no luck. I left the rest of my food on my plate and left. Average diner food and abysmal service. You could go to a diner at least this good in every town in America. You can do MUCH better in New Orleans.

    (2)

  • Jessica O.

    This place is all hype. First off, the lines are incredibly long. When you finally get in the door a security guard tells you if you can go in or not depending on if there are tables available. Then you stand in a line that will take you up to a counter where you order your food. There are signs all over that say "no tipping allowed." Once you order your food you find a table and sit down. Then a "waiter" comes up to you and says he/she is your waiter and that the signs are a lie, that you can in fact, tip. OOOHKAY. Drinks are various canned beer and a basic chardonnay where the brand isn't even published and they served it in a plastic cup. Then your basic soda or tea. I ordered red beans and rice which came with sausage, the collard greens, green beans & tomatoes as a side. The collard greens were especially tasty and surprised me with how good they were. The other dishes were good, but not great. My husband felt the same. Then the prices were $10-$15 a plate, average. Some plates were $20+. The place itself was dirty and poorly maintained. It seemed like there was spilled food everywhere. The only reason I can see anyone wanting to go here is for the experience of this "staple" of a restaurant here in the French Quarter. TL;DR Overpriced cajun food at a dirty non-restaurant.

    (2)

  • theresa d.

    The portions are huge and most of the things on the menu will give you a heart attack if you eat them everything, but they are delicious. The space is like a cafeteria style, but with waiters. The service staff are a quirky bunch and I think that calling you "Baby" is normal here. I had the chicken special and it was tasty, with the left overs lasting for two additional meals. My mother had fried catfish and loved it. I'm not a fan of catfish, but she raved about it. The only downside is that they are so busy that one order was wrong. In addition, it's loud and crowded. If you're not into that, skip it.

    (3)

  • Julie Y.

    This was hands down one of my favorite restaurants that I ate at during my time in New Orleans. The lines are out the door on weekends especially during prime lunch and dinner hours. I ordered the fried chicken with potato salad and green turnip sides as well as an order of their famous baked ham. The fried chicken was perfection. Makes me never want to go eat fried chicken anywhere else again. It came out hot and sizzling. And on the menu it states that it takes 30 min, but don't be scared, because I totally ignored this warning and ordered and it came out with the rest of the food at a reasonable time. The baked ham was also good of course, and very different from many of the ham I've tasted. It was just the right amount of salty and chewy and was thick enough to enjoy. It is also one of the stops Adam Richman made during his show on Man vs. Food. And I totally trust that guy.

    (5)

  • Tia S.

    Please do not waste your money or your time, trust me when I say it's not worth it. The locals warned me against going to this place and it was my intent to listen. However my hotel was directly across the street and we needed to grab a quick breakfast to tide us over until our brunch reservations in the early afternoon, Mother's was quick and easy so there we went. The line wasn't long yet since we went before 8am. When we arrived the restaurant had just opened which was good because the line can get long here. Despite the food being displayed on a cafeteria like line, you place your order at the register and then the food is delivered to the table. We just needed something simple and basic because we weren't trying to get too full before brunch. We shared the breakfast special which came with eggs, grits, sausage and a biscuit. It worked out perfect since my friend wanted just grits, eggs and sausage and I wanted the biscuit with sausage. The sausage and eggs were standard; I don't think you can do too much to mess that up. The biscuit was good too. But those grits, NO SIR! Immediately upon tasting them I knew they were instant. They also were prepared without any salt or butter because they were completely devoid of flavor. To confirm my assumption, the cans of Quaker instant grits were lined up on a shelf in the kitchen and visible from the dining room. This breakfast served its purpose for us and we were not starving before brunch but it is definitely a breakfast that would make me want to return. It was forgettable except for the grits which were so yucky it's unforgettable. I could have spent that $15 and gotten a much better meal elsewhere. If you are just curious about the hype and the history, give it a try but only spend the amount of money you won't be upset to lose.

    (1)

  • Philo B.

    Well, Last night's dinner was just "ok". Wasn't bad, but not any excitement either. Food was better back in Destin, Fl. I had the Large Gumbo and there was nothing large about it. If I were really hungry; would have had to order 3 of them. The flavor was ok. I must say that Mothers has lost their spark and may perhaps be sinking. I give them a rest for a while.

    (3)

  • Jim R.

    I've been to New Orleans before, and done the fine dining thing: Emeril's, Commander's Palace, etc. However, sometimes you just want New Orleans food without the white gloves. If so, Mother's will be hard to beat. It's a serving line, sort of cafeteria style, but you never have to worry about the food getting stale or cooked down on the steam table. Everything moves so quickly, it's fresh on your plate. I couldn't make up my mind, so I had a Combination Platter with Jambalaya, Crawfish Etoufee, Red Beans and Rice, Potato Salad, and Green Beans w/Tomatoes. It was absolutely amazing. The red beans and rice were the best I've ever had, the green beans had flavor that I didn't know you could get into green beans, and the Crawfish Etoufee literally made me want to weep for joy. So much delicious food. The only complaint that I would make was that the potato salad almost seemed wasted. That, however, may just be me. For dessert, I had bread pudding. I love bread pudding, and based on taste alone, I could have eaten another portion. That said, by the end of the meal, I was seriously considering unbuttoning my pants. I used to be a big eater, but forsook such activities a while back. If ever there were a reason to cause myself pain at the dinner table again, Mother's would be it. The food is so good, and the staff does a remarkable job of making you feel welcome; almost like you're dining at a church potluck that's a few steps closer to Heaven than most.

    (4)

  • Tamara C.

    I want to love this place - I do! however, my choice of breakfast was depressing. I like the atmosphere as a down to earth restaurant with a focus on baked ham - however I did order a sad looking plate of pale eggs, flavourless grits and baked ham which was tricky to eat. What a pity!!

    (2)

  • Cipriano M.

    My friend from back home in Orlando, FL, suggested I try this place out because they have awesome food. I'm so glad I took his word for this place because it was amazing!!! It may not look the best outside, but there was a long line to get in though. I waited of course. The menu offers a lot of variety. I ordered the original sandwich with the droppings, red beans & rice, and fries. As a foodie, I wanted to try a little bit of everything. I sat down next to a signed picture of Adam Richman. They brought my food out to me in a matter of a few moments. The sandwich was to die for!!! So flavorful, tasteful, and delicious at a reasonable price. The sandwich alone was a meal in itself so to speak. The place maybe small, but well worth the price and wait! I would highly recommend making a stop here to get some delicious food.

    (5)

  • Laura W.

    Seriously, 3.5 stars for this? Your school cafeteria serves better food than Mother's. Tourist trap. Spare yourself $25 and skip this place. What a disappointment!!

    (1)

  • Khin Z.

    After my friends waited on line in the blistering heat for 30 minutes, this place was a huge disappointment! Everything was either too salty or tasteless. fried oysters, catfish and shrimp- the breading was tasteless, like it had no seasoning in it all, no salt, pepper...nothing! I manage to choke most of it down drenched in hot sauce. At the end I ended up taking the breading off the shrimp and the shrimp had a soapy taste to it. fried chicken- pretty good. This actually had taste and the coating was well seasoned and not too heavy. it was crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. shrimp and oyster poboy- My friend really liked it, she said the bread was nicely toasted and it had taste because of the sauce. My friends had the shrimp creole and crawfish etouffee and they said it was salty. bread pudding- one of the best. It was moist, creamy and not too sweet. greens- there were HUGE chunks of ham in it which made it very salty. red kidney beans- also had huge chunks of ham in it but with no taste; which made no sense to me. It tasted like the stuff that canned beans come soaked in. When you were in line, you can tell that the sides were old and it looked like they have been sitting awhile. corn bread- dry, the whole thing fell apart when I took a bite.

    (2)

  • Brittany L.

    We came here for breakfast, they do not serve lunch until 11:30 so don't expect to get lunch items on the menu. They do however, serve po boys all day so that is a plus. PARKING: Metered parking is free on weekends and there were plenty of spaces close by so no trouble finding parking. WAIT: We got there around 9:30am and there were only a few other people in front of us. You have to wait in line and then they'll ask you how many you have in your party. When everyone is there you can go inside and line up to order. Then, you can find your own able. The restaurant looks small at first but you have to go towards the back where there are tons of round tables for bigger groups. Ordering is fast so know what you want when you get up there. When you are done ordering go to your table with your receipt. A waiter or waitress will come, take your receipts and give you utinsels and bring the food to your table when it is ready. FOOD: BREAKFAST SPECIAL - it comes with grits, 2 eggs, biscuit and choice of meat. They have regular ham, blackened ham, sausage, debris...I got the blackened ham because it has a caramelized black crust on the outside that makes the ham tasty and fatty. It almost tasted like roasted duck to me. The regular ham doesn't have that outside "crust" part. Debris tasted like pot roast or beef stew to me as it was shredded meat in a sauce. The sausage was actually really good and fairly tasty. The grits are basically mushy rice porridge with no flavor. I think the point is to eat it with the meat since it is so salty. The biscuit was OK - it was kind of dry. Overall, interesting to try the ham and a southern breakfast but not something that blew me away.

    (3)

  • Valencia J.

    Mother's came highly recommended from coworkers who are from Louisiana. We were ready to eat after checking into the hotel and asked the Concierge how to get there. I remember him making some kind of off comment about the place, but I still wanted to try it. We arrived about 10:30am and saw a short line out the door. I knew to expect this from other reviews. We were handed menus to look over and waited about 10-15 minutes. Once inside we were told to stand in another short line. It's set up like a cafeteria style line. The pace is hectic and seating is cramped. We placed our orders, paid and found seating in the back area. The building is definitely old, but that doesn't bother me (as long as the food is good). A server sat us at a small table along the wall. She then came back and told us to move because the table wouldn't be large enough for all our food. I thought that was nice. We didn't have to wait long. And I was glad we had a larger table. At one point, I dropped my fork and asked our server for another. She was standing on the other side of the table beside us. She handed two rolls of silverware to a lady eating at the table and sternly told her to hand them to me. I thought it was the funniest thing ever! Her tone meant business! The lady was a good sport and made a joke about it. Breakfast is served all day, so that's what I ordered: waffle, black ham, egg white omelet with onion, green pepper, spinach, mushroom. Ham was delicious, reminded of childhood dinners at my Grandmother's. Waffle was good, omelet was okay. It came with half a plate of grits that I didn't touch. He ordered the Combination Platter: red beans & rice, jambalaya, shrimp creole, potato salad, turnip greens. He didn't seem too impressed. The couple of bites I tried weren't special. It was really loud inside, we could barely hear each other. With tip, (yes, we still tipped) total paid was about $60. I would recommend it to see for yourself. And I'd go back to try something different next time.

    (3)

  • Kate B.

    Well, one star given purely because Yelp requires 1 star and for the touristy quality and history of the place. The fact that Mother's has been open for over 50 years and has the most reviews in New Orleans meant we had to try it as some point. Homey atmosphere. We ate at 6pm on a Tuesday and there was not a long line. Service was subpar. The waitress made a point to tell us twice in a very loud voice so the entire room could hear that though there is a sign about tipping not required, the sign has been hung since the place was opened and tips were gladly welcomed. Rude, inattentive service from start to finish. Rude cashier, rude water filler, rude waitress. Thank you yelpers for letting us know that in advance - so we weren't upset about it at all. We tried a lot of items. Ralph (its the Ferdi (ham and beef) plus Swiss) regular po boy - it was adequate - a far cry from Parkway - two small portions, 5 inches each. Fried shrimp - tasty. Fries - large portion, thinly cut, fried well. Shrimp Etouffee - did not taste fresh. Red beans - over cooked, under seasoned. Shrimp Creole - over cooked, under seasoned. Glad to check it off our list but we will not return.

    (1)

  • Ashley H.

    Absolutely wonderful. Mothers is one of the best meals we've had so far in New Orleans. I had the oyster and shrimp poboy, it was quite delicious. The shrimp were especially tasty and large!! I also had a cup of Mae's Filé Gumbo. There were some great spices and flavors inside. It wasn't all that spicy to me, but then again I'm pretty accustomed to spicy food. Definitely yummy though. Dad had the shrimp poboy, said the bread wasn't the best for a poboy. Although he thoroughly enjoyed the shrimp so anything with shrimp here is apparently a good bet! Mom had the debris poboy, one of their more famous items on the menu. Said the roast beef was packed with flavor. I tried a bite myself, tender and delicious! A large table behind us was raving about the baked ham, which led me to have slight regret that we didn't try Mother's trademark meat! So even though I have not tried it, taking it from the word of people we spoke to, ham is probably awesome here. We also saw potato salad that looked good on people's plates as we were walking by. I couldn't resist trying some desserts while there, considering the line takes forever. We had the bread pudding and the walnut brownie. I am a brownie lover and this one was gooey and awesome....however if you're going to grab dessert I would definitely get bread pudding. It's like eating a cloud. It came close to my grandmothers and that is saying a ton. Can we say sugar coma? Haha :-) Obviously the line is pretty long, we went around 1:30 and it was still packed. People will pass back their menus through the line though! And the price is just about the same as anywhere else around the area, if you're trying to get a poboy or seafood. I cringed when I saw the bill but I'm glad to say it was worth the price and definitely surpassed my expectations. I will without a doubt be back at Mothers!

    (5)

  • David C.

    Over rated, their extra,extra large seafood platter is not so extra extra. Its comparable to the popeyes $5 meal deal. Value very low. I should have looked more carfully at the reviews for this place. Lots of one/two stars.

    (1)

  • Butterfly L.

    This place is def a whole in the wall. To my surprise there was an officer in the restaurant. Now, that wasn't a very good sight to see for two hungry people wanting to eat somewhere safe. The fried chicken tasted like church's chicken. The two sides I had were average (potato salad and cabbage) ..nothing spectacular. The catfish could've used more seasoning, but, it was very tender. SAVE YOU MONEY AND GO TO TWO SISTER IF YOUR LOOK ING FOR A SOULMATE FOOD CREOLE TASTE.

    (2)

  • Heather M.

    Just whoa! We walked in with a party of 6 including 2 little kids. The line was super long, which we expected so we tried to get a table for the kids to sit. I was then told that we can't sit until after we order....OK....whatever. While standing in line waiting to order I review the menu...many options. I personally wanted to try the fried chicken but there was a 30 minute wait to get it....which is after I waited in like a 30 minute line to order it. Just not what I wanted to deal with. If you are coming here make sure you have time. This is not a place to run in and grab a bite to eat. We left!! I can say that the food coming out kitchen looked and smelled great.

    (1)

  • Annie T.

    I recently visited NOLA for my husband's fraternity conference. I had never been and posted on Facebook to find suggestions from friends on where to eat since I was going to be in the city for less than 48 hours. Mother's came highly recommended by almost everyone I spoke to so this was our first spot. We got to Mother's around 8pm and the wait wasn't too bad. The staff was kind and very informative. We went with the Shrimp Po boy & Famous Ferdi Special. We took our seat and the food came out quick. Not being a New Orleans native, I was expecting the PoBoy to come out covered in spicy remoulade sauce so when I looked at the Po Boy I was a little surprised. I asked the server if he had any but they did not. This was crazy to me but I gave it go without it and the sandwich was still AMAZING. I used the hot sauce they offer and it definitely added some good flavor. The Ferdi Special was out of this world and definitely something I wouldn't normally order. All in all it was a great experience! A good place to get authentic New Orleans food and hospitality!

    (4)

  • Maya W.

    Mother's is a staple of New Orleans cuisine and a must try for any tourist. The ambiance is laid back and extremely casual; you may have to wait outside in line but it goes fast. The staff is friendly and helpful. The poboys are their specialty but their classic New Orleans dishes and sides are good as well. All members of our rather large party were pleased with our sandwiches. The tomatoes and green beans were awesome! One member ordered dinner breakfast from the all day breakfast menu and was pleased.

    (4)

  • John C.

    We got a lot of advice to stop in at mothers in NOLA from friends and family so we made sure to check it out and we did for brunch. There was definitely a line, but we expected that and the door attendant does a great job to get you in and in the cafeteria style line. You can grab a menu while you wait to speed things up. The poboys and ham are the highlight here but the fried chicken smelled so good we got some of that too! The portions were BIG! The chicken smelled better than it tasted and was average but well cooked. The poboys were tasty, but nothing that I will distinctly never forget. We ordered a brownie and that was hands down GREAT!! It wasn't exactly inexpensive at $55 for brunch with food that what we felt was very little above average. For the price, the wait, and the quality.....New Orleans has lots more to offer. But if you want the experience and to check it out...bring your appetite, some free time and your wallet.

    (2)

  • Alexandra M.

    Hands down my favorite place in New Orleans!! Went there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and was not disappointed. A must visit!

    (5)

  • Voravut R.

    Me & my girlfriend decided to grab some authentic local food on Mardi Gras night so we pulled out our smartphones & Yelp! lead us here. We luckily found a legal parking spot out front & walked in to encounter the exact place I enjoy so much. We were handed a few thickly stocked menus & a posted staff explained how to order. The line was not too long & steadily moved us pass a station where you can see the food. I simply wanted everything & after looking at their gravy, I was sure that shoukd be poured on everything. It was the end of the night on one of the busiest days of the year yet the staff was cheerful, friendly & playful. A cup of gumbo was a must & I just felt like crawfish étouffée would nicely round out my cajun urges. Their serving system is quite unique. After one orders, you grab a seat in one of the rooms, which there are a few, then a person comes over & takes your receipt so they could bring you your order. We waiting a few minutes & noticed of their staff wandering around & stopping at all the tables until we figured to flag him down. Oh, I almost forgot but they are really known for their baked ham, so I had to order some in addition. The food arrived & the portions were good & the quality was even better. The spices made the flavors complex but not overwhelming. The crawfish was well represented in my dish & no lacking. Now for the ham, it was good but I recommend getting it fried next time. Of course everything tastes better fried. The mix of New Orleans history, nostalgia that lines every wall, the friendly staff & excellent food makes this place a must. I always wish to find local places serving local food everywhere I go. It was also nice that when 10 o' clock came, the doors closed & locked then the staff erupted in cheers for their marathon Mardi Gras 2015 shifts. Good job y'all.

    (4)

  • Ronnie R.

    Tried to go to Mothers Yesterday afternoon. Had been there once before and had enjoyed it. After standing at empty counter for two minutes went up to classier and ask where we could ace our order. She looked at us and ignored us . We ultimately walked past the two mothers employees on our way out of the place and commented that they had apparently stopped service . They laughed as we walked pass them. Don't need attitude there are lots of Restaurants that want your Business. These people apparently have a very high opinion of their value. Will not be going back.

    (1)

  • Michelle N.

    I don't know why this place is so popular. Food is tasteless. I would recommend going later in the day to try it out. The lines get pretty long in the morning. We had the crawfish étouffée. It was bland. My boyfriend ordered the famous ham, which was pretty good. But some parts were moist and some parts were dry. I wouldn't recommend eating here. There's so many other places to try!

    (1)

  • Beatrice C.

    It was delicious!!!! We went based on a tip from a hotel staff member, it was just a short walk there. We picked up the food to go. The service was very qick. We ordered the Ferdi po boy and the debris made it amazing. I also got some of the chicken and sausage gumbo. That was ok nothing fantastic

    (4)

  • Ryan G.

    Mother's seems to be resting on their reputation. I had the Monday special, red beans and rice with a side of debris (roast beef pieces in gravy), the rest of our party had the Ferdi Special, a catfish po-boy, and a chicken sandwich. The food was mediocre at best. The red beans and rice were bland while the debris was a salt lick. The Ferdi fell apart because it was so soaked in the debris gravy. The sandwich came to the table already soaked and fell apart within the first bite or two. Our dining partner's catfish po-boy was so muddy that she was unable to eat more than a few bites. The service was unacceptably slow. While I realize that it is not unreasonable to wait during lunchtime it should not take nearly 30 minutes for 3 sandwiches and an entrée, two of the plates (the Ferdi and red beans and rice) were out within 15 minutes, the rest of our party waited nearly another 15 minutes for their food. Tables only receiving half of their orders at a time seemed to be a common occurrence at the surrounding tables. The manager did refund part of our order for the catfish and attempted to make it up to us by giving us a bread pudding although a lack of attention meant he spilled caramel sauce down the leg of one of my dining partners. Overall Mother's did not live up to it's reputation. The prices, quality of food and service do not make the line worth it. This is definitely a must-skip on our next trip to New Orleans.

    (1)

  • Casey S.

    I've been here several times and have never been disappointed. It is always worth the wait despite how long the lines may become - great food in huge portions at decent prices. A few favorites include the shrimp po boy, debris po boy, calamari po boy, gumbo, red beans and rice, and jambalaya. The debris is so tender and definitely a must try if your first time in Nola. The po boys come dressed with cabbage, mayo, and tomatoes and are big enough to share. The cabbage is the perfect touch - sweet and crunchy. The biscuits for breakfast are humongous and obviously homemade. Get a HUGE cookie or brownie for dessert. Very good!

    (5)

  • Wendy N.

    mothers was ok. I expected the food to be better than it was. Seemed a little too touristy for us.

    (3)

  • Arielle D.

    I'm not an Po Boy expert but I know what good food tastes like and this was just okay. I ordered the Famous Ferdi and it wasn't that great.

    (3)

  • Jennifer P.

    Really enjoyed our meal here. We went at around 7 on a Sunday night and the line was about 10 people outside the door plus a long line inside, but I'd say we got to the register within 20 minutes (maybe less) and had all of our food within another 10 minutes, so really not bad. We also didn't have trouble finding a table for the 5 of us. The atmosphere was fun/different and we enjoyed the brusqueness of the service - it was a different experience than back home for sure. Food was generally pretty good - the most disappointing was actually the ham. World's best - yeah, not so much. It was serviceable, but a little dry. The rice and beans were also only okay. We didn't notice much of a difference between the baked and fried ham. Catfish, roast beef and sausage po boys were great, sides of turnip greens and potato salad were also fantastic and the pepper vinegar on the tables had a great kick to it. Potato salad was really different for me coming from up north; we don't really have the "mashed potato" texture when we do our salads, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. Bloody marys were also tasty. We wished we'd ordered more than one per person or there was an easier way to get another drink without waiting in the line all over again. A note about the tips - we were discussing the no tips sign on the way out, and the security person at the front overheard this and said it was actually discretionary. So, do with that info what you will...

    (4)

  • Mary Anne D.

    Eat here for the food and not the ambiance. This place has a long unmanageable line that is somehow managed by surely servers. When you get in line make sure you leave room for the staff to move back and forth from the counter. Also make sure you are ready to order when you get to the cashier and are decisive in your delivery. Otherwise you may get a stern response and cry into your po-boy. With that disclaimer, the food at Mother's is top notch. I personally appreciate the efficient service, but I also didn't disrupt their line and get yelled at. The po-boys are hearty, the gumbo tasty, and the grits are perfectly prepared (once you add some butter and salt). Is Mother's worth the line? I would say yes. I would also say the staff moves through the line quickly so its not really as wrong as it looks. Just take my pro-tip and don't be a dumba** when placing your order.

    (5)

  • Lindsay S.

    Is there a negative 1 Star?? Service will always trump food. When the food is good, I can overlook service. When service is good, I can overlook food. Mother's has neither. Not only is the service poor, but they are straight up rude. I felt like I was being punished for dining with them. And it's not even as if the food could redeem the service. My sausage and spinach omelette with grits was bland offering no seasoning or taste. The pancakes were large and fluffy, but dry and suffocating. The coffee tasted like black pepper, and even if it were good, there were no offers of refills. The servers dumped the food off on the table as if we were offending them and offered no words encouraging us to enjoy our meal or even return. I will not suggest, nor return to, this restaurant.

    (1)

  • Samantha M.

    I had seen lines outside of Mother's on previous trips to New Orleans - building high expectations for some of the best foods in New Orleans. I knew it was cafeteria style and very bare bones so I didn't have high expectations in terms of decor. The walls are covered in signed photos and other memorabilia from New Orleans and national celebrities. I ordered the Cajun sampler which came with shrimp creole, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and potato salad. I was not informed that I could have picked another side and ended up with a double helping of red beans and rice. The food was solid - I felt that the jambalaya was lacking in flavor and the shrimp creole was just fine. It didn't have as much shrimp as I would have hoped for and was not as flavorful as expected. The red beans and rice were quite delicious.

    (3)

  • Gary D. S.

    This is the kind of place I love. Cookin just like Granny and Grand Mother use to do. The sides have all the "lovin" goodness they use to put into there meals. My son got a real taste of the past and I got to go home again. Your gonna have to wait in line but what the hell. Mama didn't raise no dumbo. If it wasn't that good there wouldn't be a line. This is where all my Nawlins visits start with brakefast or lunch. Greens and Cabbage red beans and rice. Love it. Miss you all. God Bless Mothers.

    (5)

  • Lauren M.

    As a tourist, when told by others what food to try when in NOLA, Mothers was high on the list - especially for brunch. We called ahead and they do not take reservations, though the wait at that time was only 10 minutes. Perfect. We Ubered over and were dropped off on the corner. We accidentally walked into the exit door, which yes, is clearly marked. We were instantly chastised by the person at the register. We get to the correct door to be "greeted" by another person who hated their job, letting us know where to stand in line. We get in line and then are immediately yelled at by the waitresses because we are "in the way". What the heck... Seriously? I decided on the turkey ferdi with Swiss cheese and a cup of crawfish étouffée. Our party gets to the register and the person says "Shit" when she ran my friend's credit card and disappears. With her credit card, no less. She finally comes back and pretty much stares us down while she waits for someone to fix whatever is going on without ever letting us knowing what is going on. While we are waiting the people behind the counter are cursing at one another and being extremely disrespectful towards one another. Speaking about each other's children? All of this is in front of customers! Extremely unprofessional. Also before a certain time crawfish étouffée is not available despite the fact you can get crawfish étouffée omelet? Um okay. We finally go ahead and pay in cash since they are so technologically behind. Also before I even got my change, she was taking the next person's order. We get our drinks - which by the way, don't forget to get before leaving the register - and find a spot to sit down. Only five people can't sit at a high top table? So we are forced to move to an 8 person table for 5 people... Uh. Okay. This table is not clean so we sit down and they clean it while we are sitting there. I got someone else's breakfast all over me because of the way they wiped down the table. I was also told "gimme that cup" by the person cleaning the table. No please... Anyway. They collect our receipts and begin bringing our food. Our food was delicious. They hype for the food, in my opinion, is up there but do not go in here expecting customer service on any level. Thank goodness we didn't have to tip the waitstaff. Every person that worked in this establishment hated their job.

    (3)

  • Dustin H.

    We live in New Orleans and had never gone to Mothers since it's very touristy and no one had ever specifically recommended it. A friend visited from town recently, though, and wanted to go. We were expecting a typical poboy place, albeit one that was more expensive than normal. We had to wait for a table a significant amount of time, no one was nice or friendly throughout the process, and the total for two poboys {sized between a half and full, stingy on the meat) and an order of fries was north of $40. The actual poboys themselves were incredibly disappointing, ranking around or below some of the worst poboys I've ever had. They were light on the meat (shrimp in this case, about half of what Parkway or similar would provide), the bread wasn't fresh and had gone flaky and hard, and everything else was at best typical. The most heartbreaking thing about mother's is that tourists visit New Orleans and think this is emblematic of what a poboy should be. Please go somewhere else! Tons of amazing places are a streetcar away and typical but better places are just a walk away.

    (1)

  • Philip V.

    Everyone and their mother talked about Mother's before AND during my trip in NOLA. Because of that, I had to give it a try. ----The Food---- Famous Ferdi Debris Special ($13.00)- This is the signature item. It's a po' boy jam packed with baked ham, roast beef, shredded lettuce, and debris with au jus gravy. Debris is the roast beef that falls into the gravy while baking into the oven. So imagine the most tender piece of meat you've ever had and multiply that by 10. That's how supple the roast beef is here at Mothers. The gravy is good, but I felt it needed more seasoning as Johnny's Po-boys had better tasting gravy, in my opinion. My major complaints would be how the ham contained bits of ligaments, making some bites unenjoyable and the bread used here could be softer. Other than that, pretty good roast beef--I'd be happy to eat that alone with some rice. Combo Fried Shrimp and Oyster Po-boy ($18.00)- I've never seen a place be so generous with their fried shrimp and oyster! Both are large, filling and overly battered with what tastes like Creole Seasoning. I'm not one to complain about something being too battered and deep fried, but I think Mother's scales the line with that as their stuff took time to chew. At meal's end, my jaws and inner cheeks were in pain. I know...first world problems. Lol. I finished this item, but felt the fried shrimp is better at Killer Poboys and the fried oysters are better at Stanleys. Still admirable here though, especially how they give you so much. ---- Conclusion: Closer to 3.5 Stars and kind of a tourist trap. Despite being named Mother's, I did not receive any motherly type of care at this establishment. The service here is poor, pushy, impatient, and unfriendly. Maybe they should rename this place to Step-Mother's Restaurant. Lol. Anyhow, both the sandwiches are worth a try, just be prepared for a heavy meal. Extra Notes: -Accepts credit card -Inside may make you feel claustrophobic as it can get crowded. -Decor seems outdated and slightly dirty. Wish it was brighter inside too. -Atmosphere is kind of hectic and employees aren't the best -Restrooms could be cleaner

    (3)

  • Jeff S.

    Mother's is so good I had to do it twice over a three day trip. Love the ham whether it's part of the Ferdi po boy or inside an omelet. Not the best grits in the world but add a little pepper and butter and they will make you feel all warm and gooey inside. The biscuits are another great touch. Large and warm with a side of Mother's homemade jam or butter. So why not five stars? Well, I'm not a huge fan of the debri which is weird since I tend to love my roast beefs and gravys. It's okay but tends to overpower the Ferdi. Minor quib and next time I will change up my sandwich selection. Now if only I could save room for dessert.

    (4)

  • Brandi P.

    I was told this was the place to be for Breakfast, but I skipped out on Emeril's brunch and I left Mother's feeling unsatisfied. Mother's is your run-of-the-mill diner food, no frills, with a homey vibe. I'm all about supporting small businesses and I did go to Mother's, as promised but that doesn't mean that I'll go back.

    (3)

  • R R.

    Definitely recommend you add Mother's to your list of places to eat at if you're gonna be in New Orleans. I walked into Mother's about five minutes before lunch started (10:30am) which turned out to be the perfect time because the wait was minimal. I had the oyster and shrimp po boy with Bloody Mary....both were DELICIOUS. The Bloody Mary was very spicy and full bodied. The oysters and shrimp on the po boy are a great combo....so good, I wanted to order one to go :) If you get to Mother's after 10:30 am be prepared to wait. When I left the restaurant the line was out the door. Like I said earlier, you definitely need to add this place to your list...enjoy. That's my two cents.

    (4)

  • Don N.

    This place blows...I think that it relies solely on its reputation. Fried catfish is horrible...with only two lousy pieces. Fried chicken is even worse. The batter has no flavor. Cabbage is gross and potato salad was horrible. The sweet potato pie? Wasn't baked...some kind of ready made concoction. Only good thing? The biscuit. This is one big tourist trap...don't waste your money!

    (1)

  • Keith C.

    Great food at a reasonable price! The breakfast platter is great. A definite place to visit when in New Orleans.

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    Visited 2.16.15 Well worth the wait people!! It was windy and cold and I was thinking wtf am I doing in this line bc it moves so slowly..... I had the oyster po boy and crayfish étouffée. I want to an IV of the étouffée it's so damn good!!! I really wanted their fried chicken but I was toooooo hungry to wait the ~25 minutes it takes to cook since the fry to order. I'm sure it's worth it though.

    (4)

  • Marceline V.

    I learned very quickly that in NOLA where there are long lines chances are the food is delicious!! Probably the best breakfast spot I've ever visited while on vacation. The staff are very efficient in getting the orders through and the food comes out hot and fresh not too long after. I ordered the vegetarian omelette which was all veggies and no cheese, it came with grits and a fresh biscuit and raspberry preserves. My friend ordered an omelette with sausage and veggies with American cheese. Everything was delicious and if we had more time we would have visited this restaurant again before leaving!

    (5)

  • Jasmine P.

    The line can be a bit of a turnoff, but it's completely worth it! The people who work at Mother's are incredibly busy, but very hospitable. I love the seafood platter! It's so much food and comes with two sides on top of it. You can totally split this with another person! The catfish is perfectly fried; not greasy and the fish is light and flaky. I love their turnip greens and the red beans and rice. I've also had the étouffée and it's AWESOME. Tried the bread pudding and wished it wasn't as oily as it was. The Bloody Mary is also fantastic.

    (4)

  • Uncle Ernie ..

    Our last night in NOLA. Sunday night Thunder Storm on the way. The streets of the French Quarter are crowded with tourists for the Memorial Day weekend. Mother's it had to be My Vote. Soft Shell Crab Seafood platter Fried Chicken all dark Red Beans w/rice Green beans bread pudding sweet potato pie for the Plane "To GO" Roast Beef po'boy 2 Fried Chicken po'boy sweet potato pie Packed in my suitcase: they travel well in plastic ZIPLOCK bags double bagged of course Red beans w/rice Turnip Greens Crawfish Etouffee Thank you Keyanna !!!

    (5)

  • Jillian S.

    No frills, just good food. Be prepared to stand in line, but the actual process of ordering, finding a seat, and receiving the food is on par and often better than a sit down restaurant. We were referred to Mother's by other visitors to NOLA. Food ordered: a order of the red beans and rice with hot smoked sausage, turnip greens, and potato salad and a order of the 2/3 Ferdi PoBoy. Unsweetened tea to drink. It totaled to almost $30, but with no tip (if that's your thing). All in all, very good food. The turnip greens were delicious and the much boasted Ferdi PoBoy lived up to its reputation. The rice used in the red beans and rice was had that very bland, over starchy taste too it, but the red bean gravy was good. Sausage was very good as well but has a typical taste one could find at market. Next time (and there will be one) I'll skip on the potato salad and just order French fries. Onto service: you must know what you want by the time you reach the end of the line. The cashier is very matter of fact with you and will not put up with anyone slowing down the line. She about bit the guy-in-front of-me's head off for trying to order the Two Egg Breakfast special as a one egg special and trying to argue with her about it. She did miss hear my husband's order of lemonade to drink as a tea with lemon. Usual order of this is once you finish ordering and the cashier tells you the amount, the cashier begins taking the order of the next guest as you fish out your wallet. Cash and credit cards are accepted. To continue, once you order, you find a seat. My husband and I found a small little two-top in the next room. It was comfortably cool. The server came to the table and took out receipt. In about ten minutes, she returned with our food. Tea refills are allowed, but you have to ask. Best thing: Ferdi PoBoy and the Turnip Greens. I could of ate a huge plate of those turnip greens and drank a cup of that turnip juice. Other interesting facts: there are signs around the restaurant telling customers not to tip. All in all, a very good trip. We will be returning.

    (4)

  • Candy B.

    Save your money and time! This was definitely a terrible experience. The staff was so rude. I think some of them actually thought they were at home. Yelling at the customers to get in single file line like we are in Pre-k. Ask for one pancake the cashier orders 3 instead. Staff carrying large bag of trash while people are eating. Just nasty! Crowded and not family friendly.

    (1)

  • Bryant R.

    Maybe I didn't order the best thing but the baked ham sandwich was nothing special. There also was not much ham and the sandwich took a while to come out.

    (3)

  • Kelly L.

    Stopped in for breakfast this morning. Great service. Ordered Mae's omelet and it came with a homemade biscuit and jam. The ham in the omelet was amazing, but the mushrooms did not taste good. The omelet came with grits too. Again, service was great and very friendly.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :7:00 am - 10:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Lunch
    Parking : Street, Validated
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : No
    Caters : Yes

Mother’s Restaurant

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