NOLA Trip This Weekend

If the party is at Pat O'briens, have a hurricane or two, Pat O'brien invented the drink.

Walk across the street to Luke (the restaurant inside the St Charles St Hilton). It's John Besh's oyster bar with a tinge of German expat influence. Sounds corny but the best Shrimp & Grits I have ever had and of the top 5 hamburgers I have ever eaten as well.

Also try:
Peche
Domenica's
August

Herbsaint is really close to where you are staying

Also have drinks at the rooftop bar of the pontchartrain hotel that opened up last summer.

Take a street car ride down st Charles at night to enjoy the Christmas lights

Beers at avenue pub, courtyard brewery (walking distance from each other)

I am not that crazy about Domenicas. Love Peche though. Have not made it to August yet.

Pizza Domenica has a happy hour from 3-7 pm on all of their pizzas, half price. To me it's one of the best steals in town, almost criminal

SoBou is a great place to eat and grab drinks. It's owned by the Brennan's (Myles Brennan's family).

Cure is a fun uptown bar to go to. Laffite's is a fun NOLA staple off Bourbon

Salon by Sucre is a little feminine as far as the layout is concerned and all of the speciality desserts, but their food is fricking great. Also check and see if they're doing a bottomless mimosa special. It's only like $27 bucks but well worth it and nice view to sit and put a few drinks down. I'm not a sweets fan, but if you're craving anything sweet that's probably far and away your best route

If you want to shell out some cash, Shaya is phenomenal Israeli food that's probably one of the trendier restaurants in NOLA right now. Probably my favorite restaurant right now

Oxalis is a must go for great whiskey and a great burger. It's in a very gentrified area, so lots of hipsters and whatnot. the food and drinks are excellent though.


DO NOT GO TO WILLA JEAN. Ole Miss people levitate to that place. Such a classic sorority girl insta moment. It's just typical Southern cousine (biscuits, fried chicken, mac and cheese, etc). It's a total waste of time from someone who is looking to experience something NOLA uniquely has to offer. Needless to say I know so many Ole Miss friends who just have to go. It's seriously nothing you couldn't get at Big Bad Breakfast

District Donuts is a solid route if you like sweets. I'm not a sweets fan, but they have great burger sliders too. I've been told their homeade queso is fricking crack, but I haven't tried it

If you're actually craving Tex-Mex, Johnny Sanchez is a John Besh restaurant that has some great food that's pretty well priced. Maybe the only fresh margarita I've had in Louisiana

Of course you have the classics like Commander's Palace, Galatoire's, etc but I'm just not sure what you're looking for and how much you want to spend


Anyway I'm just rambling and it's late. There's a lot to do and obviously countless places to eat. It would take multiple posts to compile a proper lists of must try places, just thinking of a variety off the top of my head when I go to town

Thanks for all the info guys! Appreciate it!

There's some awesome suggestions here. These might seem like common sense and not exactly NOLA's best kept secrets, but figured I'd mention them since you've never been there before:

Cafe Du Monde - Breakfst for beignets and coffee
WWII Museum - Really well done and my favorite museum in NOLA
K-Paul's - One of my favorite dinner spots in the quarter
Drago's - grilled oysters
Felix's - Oysters and beer snack
Mothers - Great hangover lunch spot
Central Grocery - Mufalettas to die for

Elizabeth's in the Bywater has the best breakfast I've had in NOLA. There can be long waits but it's tolerable if you get a bloody mary at the bar and there's nice weather out.

Peche
Commanders palace
Cafe du monde
Pirate bar for bloody Mary's
Willie Mae's scotch house
Cochon
Atchafalaya
Pelican club

Like cochon a lot get the oyster appetizer.

If you can get the soft shell crab at Jacques imos do that.

Parkway surf and turf is my favorite poboy.