Bouligny Tavern

Met up with friends here last Friday evening. Ordered oysters and the gouda beignets, both of which were excellent. In terms of a hangout, the inside of Bouligny has one of the best atmospheres in town– a great place to grab a glass of wine or a cocktail. Also, Kate Hudson was spotted sitting at the bar. If this place is good enough for Kate Hudson, then it’s probably good enough for you.

I came here two nights in a row. I love the décor. The food we sampled was all really good. Music choices are a perfect match for the vibe. It is busy enough, without being too busy. The only thing I’m not a fan of is that they told me they don’t take reservations, yet when we arrived a whole section was marked «reserved».

Not at all a young people vibe. Think more along the lines of «Minnesota mom bar»
— they were only playing instrumental versions of the Rolling Stones, who does that?! The place itself looks like a mad men set and not in the cool way; it’d be in an episode where some one is being like inappropriately rude to Peggy and the vibe is off.
Service not spectacular. Maybe it’s because I’m Southern, but I found the bartender weirdly cold because she didn’t want to chat wines with me. Like you work at a wine bar, can we not casually discuss tannins? I just think one word responses coupled with menu pointing and no eye contact doesn’t make me want to trust your opinion. Food itself was good (burger hits the spot, gougères always, fennel salad reasonable portion, short ribs a little on the less generous side), but I doubt I’ll ever be returning due to that lacking atmosphere. Maybe better for 40+ crowd.

Now that I can confidently say I’ve tried everything on the menu I’m prepared for a review. This is a great place for a late night bite or a date. The patio area is very nice and the interior is warm and inviting. The bartenders are always trying to be old fashioned and some of them are a bit too smug. Not rude persay just stuffy.
My favorite things on the menu:
Gouda Beignets
Bone marrow crostini
Duck confit
Short ribs with a rojo chimichurri
But yeah like the other reviews say the service can be intimidating however I don’t care I just get my drink and fare and they can go about their business.

Eh. I wanted to love this place, but just didn’t. It was fine. It was a little packed when we walked in, and the staff just couldn’t care less. Seat yourself, wait to be seated? No idea. We asked and were ignored. Okay, strike one. We decided to sit and found the only table inside with a wet dirty «reserved» sign on it, so we ventured outside. Aside from the ashtray in the table (is that even legal?) it was fine. The waitress was wonderful and very attentive. The food was okay– but not as good as id expect for the prices. The menu mostly consists of fried food. The wine was good, but it’s wine.
I’d go again because everyone says such good things, but the first visit wasn’t good.

Freaking love this place. This is 100% my go to cocktail place. I have celebrated all sorts of events here, from first dates to birthdays to Valentine’s. It’s sexy, the drinks are awesome, the food is killer, and there’s outdoor seating. Seriously, what more do you want?

I am on the fence about the number of stars, because inherently it’s not a bad place, it’s just not the place for me. I’ve been a few times because its my friend’s favorite spot… but all in all there’s nothing pulling me back to this place.
It comes off, to me, as slightly pretentious and unwelcoming. It can also get very loud and cramped, which is odd to me because it comes off very retauranty, almost like they’re grudgingly acting as a bar. The food is just decent and I’ve had a few cocktails that were just decent, but I’ve also been scolded by a waitress for my chair placement (no combining tables) and seen the bartender sneering and rolling his eyes at my rather large and in charge group of drinking lawyers.
I will say this, I like the bar stools, which are comfy and sturdy and can hold your butt and your purse, and
the bathroom is lovely and always clean and well-​stocked.

Wonderful evening celebrating a birthday. Great happy hour small plates. Party of 5 so we were able to try quite a few. Clams with chorizo, fries with aioli, tempura green beans, short ribs, Gouda beignets, hmm excellent wait staff and overall great vibe.

We only came for a beer and a small bite, so this review is based on that experience.
On a lovely early summer night we sat out on the quiet porch. We ordered two craft beers and the gouda beignets. The beers were crisp and refreshing and the beignets were hot and tasty. The service was friendly and unobtrusive. We weren’t pressured to order, and allowed to chill and watch the world pass on Magazine St.
The interior is just as laid back and cool. Next time we would like to try sitting inside if the porch wasn’t so tempting.

First time here on a lady date with my buddy, and I really enjoyed it! New Orleans has its traditional mom-​and-​pop spots, its classic fine-​dining restaurants, and it’s hole-​in-​the-​walls, but Bouligny is none of these categories, and I fear I don’t try places like this out enough so thank you to Katie M. for suggesting I get out of my OCD ways, and try something new (to me)!
Upon walking in around 8:45ish, we were seated immediately at a two top inside, though they also have an low-​lit side patio, seating out front, and a bar as well. I love the mid-​century feel of this restaurant and rich textures from floor to ceiling. The mirror on the wall slakes my thirst for people-​watching, while the low-​lighting keeps me incognito while sucking on the bones of my short ribs (more on this…)
I didn’t peruse their cocktail menu since I was trying to pace myself this long Friday night, but did enjoy a Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, a lighter beer that still has a nice flavor to it.
My friend and I ordered the Raw Fish of the Day (I think it was mahi mahi, but don’t quote me), Gouda Beignets (fried section), Crispy Salami Mascarpone Caper Tandoori Mustard (bruschette & crostini section), and the Seared Beef Shortrib with Chimichurri.
This food came out so incredibly fast, especially for a place like this, where you think you might be of the mindset, you order, chat, enjoy your drink, hang, and eventually eat… but I am definitely not complaining! Don’t be disappointed by the size of the plates… the flavors are rich and robust.
I would say the smallest plate was the Crispy Salami Bruschette on two crostini, but I’d probably order it again in a heartbeat. The slices were covered in perfectly crisped salami, and in two bites you have a full range of the multi-​flavors of meat, cheese, briny capers, and mustard. Like gourmet pizza bites! I know this is going to sound crazy, but I love that none of the toppings fell off! It’s a tragedy when you get bruschette and you go to take a bite and everything goes to shiz.
The gouda beignets are fluffy pillows of cheese, and while I would’ve loved a sauce with them, they’re a perfect dish to pair with the lighter ones. The raw fish was a great crudo with flavors more reminiscent of Italian preparation than any ceviche type dish and a perfect size to share.
My favorite… and I don’t think I can share next time were the short ribs with chimichurri. I think I could drink that delectable green sauce, and the meat was perfectly seasoned. I picked the meat off these little sideways slices of bone like a vulture.
We ordered some fries with aioli to cap off the evening, but really I think we could’ve been good with the above dishes. One thing I did notice is I think they use sea salt for their dishes, so it’s a heavier salt which I enjoy but may want to take into consideration for the fries and beignets if you’re not a salty dog like me-​self, arr…
I think we both paid around $ ³⁰⁄₄₀ a piece which I think was perfect considering I was satiated and greatly enjoyed the space and service! I will absolutely be back!

Very cool atmosphere, which is always a plus in a city with a «new cool spot» on every corner. They run a pretty cool happy hour deal: $ 5 bruschettas and half off all fried items. We got a couple bruschettas and a couple wedges of cheese. Loved the bruschettas but was a little disappointed with the serving size for the cheese plate. I get that you’re paying for the cheese, not the accoutrements (bread, jam, nuts), so I’ll just reiterate… disappointing not unjustified. That being said, sometimes it’s nice to leave a wine bar NOT feeling overwhelmingly full from too much cheese. ;-)
Nice service, and again… both outdoor seating areas (patios on the side and out front) are really enjoyable on a nice day. I’ve never sat inside, but it seems really nice and intimate as well.

A bit too chichi for me. Don’t get me wrong. I love nice places, but Bouligny Tavern feels a bit too much like it’s trying too hard to be cool.
I don’t know. Maybe it was the server.
I’d like to think that I’m rather knowledgeable as a foodie, but I literally had to Google almost everything on the menu, both for food and drinks. And when I asked our server for recommendations, she just gave a one-​word answer and didn’t elaborate. I think she may have been the only server that night, but she made us feel like we were wasting her time each time we had a question.
I had the gnudi, which was pretty good, but I think I wanted it to be a bit fluffier. It was kinda heavy, but the marsala-​mushroom cream was delicious.
As for drinks, none of the craft cocktails really jumped out at me. So I just went with the Aperol Spritz, which was okay. I think I wanted it to be like French 75, which is my go-​to, but it was quite bitter. Maybe I’m just not cultured enough. :P
I’d be willing to go back and try some other things, but I don’t know. I hope they have either more servers or one that’s at least willing to stay and explain some stuff.

If you are interested in cougar hunting or looking to hang with some fellow cougars, you have found a great hunting ground! That might be a bit harsh. Honestly, Bouligny Tavern is a very nice spot Uptown spot to grab a light bite or a fancy cocktail before dinner. The bartenders here are pretty friendly and the remainder of the staff is decent and at least civil. This is not the place to bring a big group of friends or the friends that might complain about a place’s lack of selection of domestic beers. The majority of the crowd is pretty well dressed, lots of middle-​aged fancy ladies throughout, so you showing up in a hoodie and jeans might feel more comfortable enjoying your cocktail on the porch (I know I do). I like to order a Manhattan and sip it while enjoying the lovely atmosphere and ambiance. And most of that atmosphere is people watching on Magazine Street.

Came here for dinner/​drinks on a Friday night. It was crowded, but didn’t take too long for our party of 3 to be seated. The space is a little small, so it got awkward at times as people were trying to maneuver their way to the bar or their table.
Both food and drinks were great! We ordered nearly everything on the food menu (this is only a slight exaggeration) and my favorites were: the spare ribs, the garlic & bone marrow bruschetta and the fries. I was sadly disappointed by the gouda beignets; too much dough and not enough cheese.
Overall, a great place for dinner, drinks or both after work!

A hip bartender who knows his way around NoLa’s upscale spots of the tourist track suggested this was his favorite once a week stop for «the best burger» — which although I didn’t try it, is cheap at $ 12. Lite plates selection was interesting, and the Gouda beignets were great. Sleek atmosphere. I think the mid century design creates a nice backdrop to a limited but innovative cocktail special list. I enjoyed a White Melrose, a light refreshing scotch based drink, nicely presented — but small at $ 10. Cozy outdoor patio on the side, and a few front porch seats to people watch.

Gouda Beignet… All the way!
I’m sure I clogged an artery; but these were pretty freaking tasty!
Great drinks as well. They brewed my coffee fresh for the baileys and coffee. A nice touch and even more so given how dang cold it was that night.
Has a pretty nice atmosphere and I’d say it also is a great place to hang out if you want to escape from the quarter.
Like most places in the New Orleans … Just super nice staff.

A little slice of heaven in the most beautiful location. I couldn’t love this place more. I sure hope they will extend their hours soon and maybe even consider a lunchtime version of what they are doing now.
Gouda beignets that melt in your mouth, beautiful, delicate fried green beans that pair beautifully with any of their sparkling wines and a scotch menu that makes me really, really happy.
Waitstaff is sweet and always on point. They have consistently great ideas for pairings and were very kind and helpful to my elderly mother.
This place has become my go to and I just hope it continues to be so amazing! A+

I can’t really go into details about this place, because I was pretty intoxicated for most of the time I was here. I’m giving it 5 stars because:
1. They had some really good wine and the bartender knew what s/​he was talking about.
2. No one cared that I was being that loud talker that people roll their eyes at and think, «dude, just be quiet all right?»
3. A nice patio.
4. Good service.
I’d definitely go back.

This is a favorite happy hour spot. Very classy and definitely a great, reliable standby place to take a date, out of town friends, colleagues, etc if you’re wanting a nice «let’s have a drink» location uptown.

Fancy cocktail place that is WAY less pretentious than Cure.
One of my major complaints about Uptown is that there really aren’t any cocktail bars. Well, this is pretty much as close as you are going to get. Nice place that caters to a somewhat older crowd. Smart and capable bartenders that are happy to help you figure out exactly what suits your tastes.
I do agree with Joi when she said that people here are casually dressed, considering the atmosphere. It really feels more like one of those places that you would dress up and make a night out of, but maybe that’s just me.
I definitely want to go back and try some of their delicious (looking) food.