Cochon

This place is so good, we came twice in one week. I had the chance to sample the wood fired oysters, chicken livers, alligator, boudin, oyster and bacon sandwich, catfish courtboullion, mac and cheese, pork ribs… I can’t even remember if that’s all. Everything was really fantastic. I had a blonde redhead (I think that was the name) which was a strawberry cocktail that was super refreshing. However, they serve it with muddled strawberries in the glass, which is visually pleasing but logistically challenging. The strawberries block your straw. After the first one I ask for it to be served strained, and it was much better.

This food was truly fantastic. Nouveau Cajun style. Be prepared for 45 minute to 1 hour waits but the tables outside makes that bearable. The seasoning in the food was fantastic. Like bed the rabbit and noodles, catfish and short ribs. The fried alligator for appetizer was delicious with the Cajun aoli spread. But service can be slow.

When we were planning out our group trip to NOLA, Cochon was always one of the restaurants we said we absolutely had to go to. So we booked it for my birthday dinner, and it was worth it all.
First of all, the restaurant is gigantic. I didn’t even realize there was a whole back section (and an upstairs). We sat in the back with about a dozen other groups.
Started out with some whiskey because their selection was top-​notch.
For food, we had just about everything and shared it family-​style:
–Fried livers with pepper jelly and toast
–Pork cheeks with grilled squash and peas
–Louisiana cochon with cabbage, cracklins and pickled peaches
–Short rib with tomato, squash, pickled okra over slow roasted grits
–Boucherie plate with pâté, pickeld veggies and their version of a Slim Jim
–Fried alligator with chili garlic mayo
–Wood fired oysters with chili garlic butter
–Rabbit & dumplings
–Mac and cheese
–Creamy grits
Yes, you should believe the hype. The wood fired oysters are every bit as delicious as people say. Big and meaty, with a nice kick.
The fried alligator was definitely worth trying (my first foray with gator). It was deep fried to the point where the cliché «tastes like chicken» applied, but nonetheless excellent.
The short rib was excellent, and I love pickled veggies on anything. It was served atop slow roasted grits, which was a great combination.
The pork cheeks were also a winner. You can’t go to a restaurant named cochon and not get pig. We also did their namesake dish, the Louisiana cochon. The cracklins and cabbage together made for an interesting contrast between crispy and tender.
Honestly, there wasn’t anything I wasn’t a fan of. Of course, at the end of the meal, my friends ordered me a key lime pie and they got half the restaurant to sing «happy birthday» to me. It wasn’t the last time this happened either…
But in any case, if you can snag a reservation for Cochon, definitely stop by. It’ll be one of the more meat-​forward meals, and it’ll be very memorable.

Lovely restaurant with excellent staff. The wood fired oysters were phenomenal, like jaw dropping amazing. Oysters were so creamy and the chili sauce gave it a kick. One of my favorite oyster experiences in NOLA! I also tried the fried alligator, first timer! Didn’t let me down, really great appetizer. The fried boudin were okay but didn’t meat my expectations. I think I would rather try Cochon Butcher since they have more small eats to try. This one is pricier too.

Cochon was very okay, but perhaps if we had a better waiter, our experience would be different.
–he didn’t tell us the specials
–rarely checked in with us
–sucked
We ordered the following:
–wood-​fired oysters with chili garlic butter ($ 14): good, but EXTREMELY decadent. Maybe a little too much even.
–boucherie plate ($ 16): this was a nice medley of cured meats. Unfortunately, there was no explanation to any of the cured treats, but everything was delicious.
–smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle ($ 14): good, but not memorable.
–louisiana cochon with cabbage, cracklings, and picked turnips ($ 24): pork stewed in very muted flavors. I know this was the recommended dish, but there was something lacking about the dish.
I dunno. I wasn’t jaded about my dining experience despite the lack of attention from our waiter, but I didn’t think what we order was that good. No memorable flavor combinations. No interesting combinations. Everything was very safe and I get it.
Hey, come here. It’s an institution, it’s fun, and just kinda off the beaten path if you’re looking for that.

I went a year ago and still fantasize about Cochon. Literally the best food to ever touch my lips. I sound like I’m exaggerating but the food was so wonderful. I’m confused by some of the bad reviews because everything was cooked to PERFECTION. Maybe an off night? The food was so amazing it trumps any bad service (but out service was great).
There was four of us and we ordered a lot.
The oysters, Mac and cheese, alligator, and Louisiana cochon were some of the most satisfying, different flavors I’ve ever had.
But the absolute best food was the ham hock and beans which was fall apart amazing goodness, and the rabbit and dumplings was the most amazing flavor I’ve EVER had enter my mouth.
Also the cherry they put on our dessert was like none I’ve ever had.
We ate our way through NOLA and Cochon was the best restaurant. Which is saying a lot. We left amazed, I’m sure the waiters thought we were crazy.

Yeah ok BOOM.
This place has game. Good lord. Sat at the bar (1^st come 1^st served) for a complete meal. Everything was knock your socks off good.
I had the grilled oysters to start. Excellent although my heart belongs to Felix’s. Then I had the cochon, and I found my happy place.
Wife had a daily special, a roasted half chicken. Good lord how do they do that??? I must figure it out. With the exception of one lunch of Bresse chicken in France 16 years ago (a moment of silence please) this was the best and most memorable chicken ever consumed.
Almost creamy tender. I’m guessing some combination of brine and buttermilk before roasting, but this merits investigation.
Strong hipster vibe on the staff (ink and creative facial hair) which is fine.
Wine list is what I like — lots of choices and variety, but one page, not a book.

We picked out Cochon as one of our must-eat’s in NoLA based on the high and positive reviews and we were not disappointed one bit. My sister and I came with our stomachs pretty stuffed from the previous restaurant we were at… but still managed to demolish all the yummy food we ordered.
The must haves: wood fired oysters with chili garlic butter AND the smoked pork ribs with watermelon pickle. The oysters was top-​notch and the sauce was just bangin’. It’s one of those dishes where you already know you can order another one before it’s even finished haha it’s just that good. The smoked pork ribs was nothing like I have ever tried. The ribs were soooo nicely done with a good amount of watermelon pickle as garnishment on top.
The eh: we had the fried alligator bites since it was considered one of the more popular dishes to try, but it wasn’t really our favorite. Maybe its the texture of alligator meat but it was rather chewy for us. It was for sure real appetizing to the eye, but personally I’d skip this one next time.
As for dessert, if you aren’t stuffed yet from your entrees– please save some room for chocolate hazelnut pudding. IT IS THAT DELICIOUS! Pudding has never been my type for dessert but this is an absolute game changer. The texture of the pudding plus hazelnut being a weakness of mine… mm mm mmmmmmmmm. All in all, I’d come back in a heartbeat for the smoked ribs, wood fired oysters and my now all-​time favorite chocolate hazelnut pudding :)

4.50 stars. Cochon is one of the most heavily reviewed and highly rated destinations in New Orleans and for good reason. Aside from sporting a trendy look with great wood paneling and exterior brick as well as nifty indoor balcony seating overlooking the restaurant, the cuisine is stellar as well. Start with glorious bites of alligator drowned in a thick mayonnaise based sauce featuring notes of chili and garlic or maybe the house boudin balls (essentially, a deep fried pork and rice ball) for a Cajun treat to start. Or, for those seeking a more seasonal treat, we also enjoyed a wonderful pork cheek dish paired with tender slivers of yellow squash, English peas, and green onions.
There are a number of excellent choices for dinner though one would be hard pressed to beat the beef short rib over corn grits. The tender short rib absolutely melts in the mouth and pairs perfectly with the grits. While I only sampled the rabbit and dumplings, the meat was exquisite and this warm hearty dish would make a lovely choice especially for a cold day. The catfish courtbouillon also impressed with a flavorful base subtly adding layers to an already nuanced preparation.
Don’t miss out on dessert either (I think we ended up trying all of them). While the pineapple upside down cake was absolutely devoured by our party, I was perhaps most partial to a rather decadent chocolate hazelnut pudding.
At least on this visit, Cochon ended up being my favorite overall meal (even besting general favorite Jacques-Imo’s). Even with all the places I’ve yet to visit in this city, I would be hard pressed to pass up a subsequent visit.

Off of the three dishes that we ordered, I’d say two of them are a must try!
**wood fired oysters with chili garlic butter
**fried alligator with chili garlic mayo
Both of these were extremely flavorful and delicious. DEFINITELY eat the alligator with the mint leaves and onion that was served as a garnish… that gave even MORE flavor and depth!
We were soooo disappointed in the cochon entrée. For our third dish, we were debating between the pork cheeks, pork ribs, catfish courtbuillon and the cochon. We thought that we should at least get the dish that the restaurant is named after – that’ll be safe one, right? NO. The dish was quite strange to me… overly SALTY, unbelievably dry and unappetizingly chewy! What a huge regret. Skip on the cochon!!!
Floor staff/​service was good, the hostesses were decent.
Get the oysters and the alligator!
Oh, and make reservations!

Beautiful restaurant with a rustic yet contemporary feel! This was our first meal we had when visiting Nola, and I’m more than happy it was this place that introduced us to the authentic Cajun flavors that New Orleans had to offer.
We started with the fried alligator and the wood-​fired oysters. Having never had alligator before, we didn’t really know what to expect. The alligator bites were drenched in this delicious chili garlic mayo, but still retained a slight crisp on the outside. It didn’t taste as «gamey» as I expected, but it was still very meaty and hearty. I’d describe the texture as a chewier version of chicken breast. The wood-​fired oysters were amazing. They were dressed in chili garlic butter and came out piping hot. Definitely one of my favorites of our meal. A little after the appetizers were served, we were given a sample of the boucherie plate as a compliment from the kitchen. It came with really good hogs head cheese with a side of pickles and a mustard.
For our entrees, I went with the rabbit and dumplings, and my boyfriend went with their oven-​roasted gulf fish. My rabbit and dumplings were served in a cast iron skillet and had about six «dumplings» in it. The dumplings were more like biscuits honestly. The stew was everything you imagine Southern cajun food to be — bold, hearty, and soul-​warming with tons of flavor. It was a great dish to start off my Nola adventures with. I can’t comment too much on the fish my boyfriend had since I had just a bite, but it was a really generous portion and well-​seasoned.
I’d suggest Cochon to anyone who decides to visit Nola. It is a great restaurant, and the food will not disappoint.

OMFG the oysters are incredible! Orgasmic! I now know why they say oysters are an aphrodisiac… because whomever coined that ate oysters at Cochon!
The group of people I was with insisted we come to Cochon for oysters. I was skeptical, how good can oysters really be? We came around 9:00pm on a Thursday and it was packed and we couldn’t get seated for 1.5 hours. My friends insisted it was worth the wait, so we put our name on the list and went down the street for some drinks. About an hour and half later, Cochon texted that our table was ready. Props already for having the texting system in place, I really like that.
So we sat outside, which was lovely. Our waitress was very personable and funny and the service was fantastic. We ordered a bunch of the wood fired oysters, which were really out of this world. So much so that we ordered more. I also got a salad too, which was very nice. Others in my group got the oyster and bacon sandwich, which they said was fantastic.
So overall, Cochon is worth the wait and the oysters are a must. I’m still dreaming of them. I will definitely come here again when back in New Orleans.

Absolutely one of my favorite meals in New Orleans. I came here for dinner and it was really loud so expect to yell across the table. They have an extensive whiskey collection (including flights!) but I opted for a cocktail. The COLD BLOODED made with vodka (which I subbed out for gin), basil, lime, habanero bitters and blood orange, was excellent. I fell in love with their starter bread, which were these amazing hot Parker house rolls. I asked to take the rest of my rolls home and my server instead packed a fresh batch for me. Yay!
I was dining solo, so I couldn’t finish everything, but I just had to try their much-​hyped FRIED ALLIGATOR. These breaded and fried chunks of alligator were fantastic though they were tossed in a bit too much chili garlic mayo sauce for my taste. The bites with mint were the best. For my entrée, I got the CATFISH COURTBOUILLON. So good! It’s filets of catfish stewed in a delicious sauce and served with rice.
Great food. Great service.

Hands down the best meal we had in NOLA. THEEE BEST.
Ever had a meal where every single thing you tried was delicious? Cochon was one of those meals.
You can only make reservations over the phone. I’m so glad we did, because the place was packed. We got lucky and scored some seats at the chef’s counter where we were up close and personal with all of the action. It’s seriously so mesmerizing, watching them pump out dish after dish after dish.
The stuff we had the pleasure of ordering:
+ Wood fired oysters with chili garlic butter ($ 14) — there’s a reason why everyone raves about these. We weren’t going to order these at first because it seemed pricey, but they are soOOo worth it.
+ Fried alligator ($ 12) — Shawn C. liked this a lot.
+ Onion braised pork cheeks ($ 12) — same note as above, I tried the grits and liked that, though!
+ Catfish courtbouillon ($ 19) — really flavorful, huge portion
+ Upside down pineapple cake with lime sorbet ($ 8) — seriously SOOOO freckin’ good. The warm cake is TO DIE FOR.
Oh yeah, the complimentary bread is pretty damn good. I’d usually skip the bread basket, but not here. Gimme the damn bread!
I asked Shawn C. if we could come back the next day for lunch, it was a serious question, he said we should try something else. It’s okay, Cochon. I’ll be back for you one day.

My friends wanted to try this restaurant after seeing it on an Anthony Bourdain episode. We came on a Thursday night and the wait was 2 hours long but we stuck with it because we really wanted to try it. Verdict? Too over-​hyped for me.
The food was ridiculously salty here. EVERY.SINGLE.DISH.
Smoked Ham Hock ²⁄₅ — Over cooked and dry. Salty.
Louisiana Cochon ³⁄₅ — If I had to pick one dish I actually enjoyed at this restaurant, this would be it. However, it is still pretty average. Nothing very special about it. The meat was tender but the flavors were lacking. Salty
Wood-​fired Oysters w/​Chili Garlic Butter ²⁄₅ — Tasteless. Can’t even taste the chili garlic butter. Tasted like half cooked oysters. Salty
Rabbit & Dumplings ²⁄₅ — Nothing special. Salty.
Fried Livers ¹⁄₅ — I’m normally an intestine girl but the way that this was prepared had nothing to offer besides the fried batter on the outside. Nothing special. Salty.
Mixed Greens Salad ²⁄₅ — Salty. How the eff do you make a salad salty???
The restaurant is loud as fuck inside. You almost have to scream when talking in order for your party to hear you. The service was definitely a miss for our server was only around when we flagged him down and he never once offered to fill up our waters until we asked. Ummm. hello? Are we invisible to you?
For a restaurant that’s so «popular» it sucks! Save your money and go elsewhere. If I wanted my meal to be extra salty I can always eat a can of salt at home. Don’t waste your time.

Mainly based on the reviews from some fine people here, I headed over to Cochon on a Wednesday night during a visit with my son. We sat at the bar in front of the open kitchen and it was quite a treat.
Service was outstanding led by Ryan and team. The entire staff was integral to the experience and was thoroughly well versed on the menu items. The selections were enough to get a spin on some local dishes but limited enough to know they were focused on all of them.
So let’s get to the food. Fried Alligator had a wonderful coating and served in scrumptious sauce. We moved on to the pork belly and boudin and they were great interpretations. The star of the night was the Cochon. Lovely shredded pieces of pork with cabbage and cracklings. A mixture of flavor and texture that was utterly unctuous.
File under honorable mention the complimentary head cheese plate. This dish can cover the gamut from really bad to what I had at Cochon. It was well balanced between luscious pieces of the most flavorful pork and a texture that supported all that flavor.
This was a gastric experience that I was grateful to share with my foodie son. Thanks to the entire team for making a memorable night for us!

Fried alligator was fun — nothing crazy but we got it just to say we did. Cocktail menu was fresh. Habanero Bitters!
Everyone love their entrees… Pork, rabbit, ham hock… plates were locked clean.
It’s crowded. Loud. Casual but full of tourists.
The food was 4 but we had poor poor service. We ended up with free appetizers and drinks because they were forgotten and we had to ask. :(

This place was certified el fuego. The cocktails had me doing all sorts of impressive calisthenics across the refurbished wood bar. Take your lady here to remind her you aren’t a total scumbag (it’s not your fault you occasionally follow thots on Insta my G). Flex on.
The table had fried oysters as an app. Not sure what kind of contract you have to make with the Dark Lord to procure giant multiple oysters per each shell, coupled with straight SINFUL chili garlic butter sauce for your restaurant, but I wholly agree that whoever’s soul was signed away for it was well worth the price. I myself ordered the namesake. The meat was so tender and succulent I swear it must’ve been braised in sow tears. The fritters were on some Funyuns-​of-​the-​gods level-​type ish. My girl’s oyster and bacon sandwich had me passive aggressively resenting her later for not bringing home leftovers.
The only negative was the large and loud table of basic frat daddy brotoypes who were seated next to us and unable to maintain their composure post 2 – 3 Bud Light Limes. They were obnoxious and insisted on interacting with me and my party despite us repeatedly politely declining their company. Normally this offense is grounds for docking of a star or two but our waitress seemed even more tired of their ish than we were and ended up verbally slapping them down to size quicker than a single mother at Chuck E. Cheese on her last nerve.
Go here my G.

Cochon was the very first place I tried in New Orleans, and this place did not disappoint. I had things that I have never had before, I definitely got fatter.
*Fried Alligator — Definitely something I would think of ordering, but in actuality, takes like chicken. It tastes great with a hot sauce.
**Oysters — Fried oyster also a tasty option. They were not that memorable compared to the other NOLA things I have had.
***Pork Roast — THis thing was a huge monster of a pork piece and it was very sweet and tasty. I believe this was a special, and we had the opportunity of having it. It was great for a party and I loved all of it. THank you.

Oh Cochon, how I miss thee!
I had many fun memories from my trip to NOLA, but my favorite food experience belongs to Cochon. Boo and I managed to book a hotel within walking distance from the restaurant, so we casually walked in a little after lunch time. Despite not having reservations and the place being pretty busy, we were seated within a few minutes. The interior is clean and bright, yet welcoming. I like the brick and wood design.
While we waited on the entrees, we devoured some delicious rolls. These were soft and buttery with the right hint of sweetness. For my main course, I got the Ham Hock. Surprisingly I’ve never had pork on a bone outside of ribs. My curiosity was rewarded with some deliciousness! The meat was super savory, and the accompanying sweet potato, pickled greens, and black eyed peas were fantastic. The bitterness of the greens, the sweetness of the potatoes, the different textures– it was exactly the balanced meal you would want in a high end restaurant. No wonder Bourdain recommended this place. I really wish I could verbalize it better, but this meal was one of the best things I’ve ever had! I even got a T-​shirt from the adjacent store to commemorate my experience.
Whether you’re a local or a tourist dropping by for a weekend like I was, PLEASE make it a point to try Cochon. (Probably wise to make a reservation in advance).

There are two different restaurants under this name, one next to the other. This is a more formal restaurant and the other one (the butcher) serves sandwiches.
The food here is not great and a little bit pricy. The pork checks were the best thing we ordered, and the alligator was interesting an very well fried.
There are way too many tables and you end up sitting awkwardly close to the other tables.
Next time we will try the butcher.

Bön restaurant pour les états-​unis, mais relativement cher.
Le «Louisiane cochon» est très bon.
Je déconseille l’alligator, il est servi pané (et donc très gras) dans une sauce type mayonnaise (elle est aussi très grasse) de faite impossible de découvrir/​ressentir le moindre goût de l’alligator

Une excellente adresse où tous les produits sont frais et cuisinés.
Je recommande aussi le Butcher juste à côté.