Commander’s Palace

So I don’t have a lot of experience with fine dining, but I get it. Every person working thanked us for visiting and checked on us. Got to walk through the kitchen to get to our table and Chef McPhail even came to check on us, service was immaculate.
Had the shrimp and Tasso, great spicy jelly and okra. Enjoyed the quail, and wife had the crawfish risotto. Had the strawberry shortcake and bread pudding soufflé for dessert and it was all great.

Commander’s Palace is a «special occasion» dining experience that is «just ok.» It is famous and keeps getting #1 ratings, but that just makes it harder to live up to the hype. Relative to several other restaurants we went to in NOLA, this one was, I’m sorry to say, not the best.
I will start by saying that our serving team was super-​polished and impeccable — very well-​trained and it showed. Whoever trains them could teach other restaurants a thing or two.
The cocktails were great. We started with the Soup 1−1−1 sampler. Meh — none of them were exemplary, including the famed Turtle Soup. In fact, I would say you couldn’t tell the gumbo from the turtle soup or the soup of the day. Big disappointment.
I shared two entrée’s with my dining companion. In other restaurants in NOLA, when we shared (mostly because we wanted to sample more of the options than anything else) the restaurant would put half portions on separate plates for us. But at Commander’s Palace we were left to cut and move portions from plate to plate ourselves. For a restaurant known for it’s service, this is surprising and, frankly, not best in class. The food itself was fine (salmon and scallops) but not exceptional. The biggest faux pas may have been the side order of grits — there were dry and set as if they had been under the heat lamp for 45 minutes. The server apologized and took them off the bill. But they were easily the worst we tasted in New Orleans, maybe ever as I am a big fan of the South’s take on grits.
We ordered the famous Creole bread pudding and the Strawberry Shortcake for dessert, both of which must be ordered when your entrée order is placed. I have never been a fan of bread puddings and this did nothing to convert me — just custardy bread. The shortcake was fine but nothing I haven’t had before. It cost $ 135 plus tip for two, including one cocktail each and no wine. In all, not bad but not memorable.
It is in the Garden District and a cab or Über ride from the French Quarter — be prepared for the ride.

«Out of towner perspective»
Commander’s Palace have received numerous awards and accolades for its dining service. This restaurant deserves 5 stars and is a must «experience» while in New Orleans.
1) Service: I have NEVER received this type of service before. The Brennan family restaurants are known for their cuisine and impeccable service. My group was welcomed in at the door and greeted by 10+ waiting staff. The staff was polite and acknowledged you as you walked by. Each meal was delivered and presented to our group by a team of wait staff. Our water glasses never were emptied and were «replaced» with new glasses. I had to tell my waiter that I would keep my glass or he was going to keep bringing me new refilled glasses. I would have 3 sips and he would want to replace the entire glass or refill it!
3 sips?!? I appreciated the gesture though. I asked where the restrooms were located and the wait staff escorted me in the direction. (It’s the small and detailed gesture that make your experience memorable).
2) Seating: Sat in the garden room overlooking the patio. Beautiful sight. Highly recommend that area.
3) Food: I tried everything the locals suggested. Turtle soup, crawfish risotto and bread pudding soufflé.
Turtle soup: By far, my favorite item on the menu. Served as an appetizer, but don’t underestimate its taste. Rich with tomatoes, celery, peppers, dry sherry and turtle meat. It was just the right size and portion of turtle meat that you didn’t think you were tasting turtle meat. It wasn’t too spicy, but definitely flavorful.
Crawfish Risotto: This was my entrée. Although I enjoyed the crawfish and risotto, the creamy white sauce was overpowering the dish.
Bread Pudding Soufflé: The other night, I had the bread pudding at Mr. B’s. I definitely prefer the bread pudding at Mr. B’s than the soufflé. I liked the consistency of the soufflé and the whiskey sauce was a nice touch.
3) Overall, this is one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans. It’s a must try! I will definitely visit this restaurant when I return! It lives up to its legacy and accolades!

This is was the best meal we had on a trip to Nola. We started with the butchers block which was great. Service was impeccable. The crowd is a little stuffy and
Conservative. Men are all in blazers and mostly ties. I ordered a signature drink that they had. The name slipped my mind buts it’s a vodka very light drink. I enjoyed it. I ordered the scallops which were amazing! My husband ordered the crawfish risotto also excellent! For desert we got the strawberry shortcake, it was good but I think we should have gone for the bread pudding. u

Pricey but worth it. The food is delicious and the service is amazing. Captain Samantha is awesome. She is totally in control of her section and very relatable. She also makes a mean bananas foster tableside. Our party of three got the turtle soup, soup de jour which was a shrimp fennel and sweet potato soup, strawberry salad with a generous serving of strawberries, pecan crushed fish, and crawfish risotto. All were as delicious as they sound. We unfortunately couldn’t go to the jazz brunch this time but hopefully next time!

We did the tasting menu for two during our culinary tour of NOLA. I got the turtle soup, while my boyfriend had the strawberry salad… his was delicious. The turtle soup was a bit «vinegary». The green curry is not typical thai by any means, but it is good for what it is.
In regards to dessert, I know everyone raves about the bread pudding, (which is kinda required, at least for the experience), but I preferred the strawberry shortcake.

On Valentine’s Day Sunday, I’m not sure we could have had a more quintessential New Orleans experience than we did by taking the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar into the heart of the Garden District and Commander’s Palace.
(OK, we were each on our phone and completely missed the Washington Avenue stop, so much so that we had to cab it to the restaurant. Serves us right for choosing technology over charming scenery!)
Commander’s Palace is a must-​do, and we had a really great meal. But in a city full of innovative cuisine, I’m just not sure that this classic is, for me, a must-​do-​over. The service is lovely and we liked our meal, although I didn’t find the food to be quite as memorable as many others. It was tasty and well-​prepared, but nothing struck me as to die for.
But if your goal is to experience a New Orleans institution, well, this is it. And if you’re heading there for brunch, be sure to tour the cemetery across the street.

This place deserves more than 5 stars — it truly was a perfect dining experience.
There were 3 of us at our table and we each ordered a different main course from Chef Tory’s 3 Course Specials menu. We were ALL very pleased with our choices, so I think the lesson here is that you can’t go wrong with anything you choose.
The staff was super courteous and you could really tell that everyone took pride in the place, from the hosts to the servers to the chefs — who we got to see as they took us thru the kitchens to get to our table! An unexpected and welcome peak behind the scenes.
The prices were surprisingly totally reasonable, but perhaps I’m jaded since a dining experience such as this one would cost more than twice as much where I live in the NYC area.
If you find yourself in NOLA, you MUST go to Commander’s Palace! Book as far in advance as possible, the first time I visited the city we could not get a reservation more than a month out.

I was brought here last night as a surprise for my birthday and last dinner with family who came to town and I must say this place is beautiful!
The service is outstanding, everyone is so friendly and on top of it.
The view outside, the grounds, dinner, dessert (bread pudding), and atmosphere is beyond amazing.
I highly recommend this place especially for special occasions.

I’m feeling a mixed bag of opinions about Commander’s Palace.
Servers (Troy and team) — ***** (stars)
Food:
Gumbo — *****
White Shrimp — *** (one was serve raw)
Pecan Pie — ****
Management — *
Things were going along fine until I realize that one of my shrimp was served raw. I pointed it out to my server who was very apologetic and seemed genuinely upset that I was served raw food. He in turn alerted the manager who came over and asked me if I would like anything else, I said no because all I wanted was for my raw food to be remade and brought to me. He then said OK well I think you still have dessert coming. I had to call him back to my table and correct him that I still wanted my food, I just didn’t want it in a raw state. I’m not sure why a customer should have to ask for their food to be remade when it is served raw. Kind of made for an uncomfortable, awkward experience.

I came 10+ years ago for a work related dinner. Rich, classy, exquisite.
Southern Hospitality isn’t a lie; I love how nice everyone is in NOLA.

Staple of New Orleans, top of the line service along with an outstanding menu, This is a must if you are in the area. My wife and I visited in May 2014.

Delightfully greeted by multiple people upon arriving! 1^st started with a Vodka Collins and the famous garlic bread! We all settled in on the egg Benedict special. This is a must have! If you’ve never been to commanders, make it a point to do it at least once!

One of the greatest food experiences I’ve ever had. My heart was racing as I gave my name and reservation time. Every member of the staff was lined up and ready to assist us. The professionalism was remarkable.
The walk to the table allowed us to view the kitchen and gaze upon the chefs table as we passed by.
The servers knowledge of the menu was impressive. We started with a bottle of wine and the pork belly. A meat terrine board rounded out the apps. The pork belly was full of meat flavor and had very little fat, a truly delicious pairing with honeycomb on the side too. The terrine board was picked clean. The grilled ciabatta bread tasted like steak!
Entrees were ordered! Pecan crusted gulf fish and the veal tenderloin. The fish was cooked perfectly and was packed with flavor. The veal was moist and melted in your mouth. We managed to save some room for sweets, I highly recommend the bread pudding and the play on king cake in a beignet. Top to bottom this is a must eat location. The rich food history is unlike any other. I can’t wait to come back. Thanks to Matt the waiter, excellent job!

A solid 4 stars. Highly recommend it for lunch and ask to sit in the garden room upstairs. The lighting is stunning.
One of hubby’s local friends recommended lunch over dinner and she was right. It’s also light on the wallet with the 25 cents martini.
Service was welcoming and attentive. We had two wait staff for our table plus those who served the dishes and then the owner I think also came by to check on us.
Now to the food. It was mixed. We loved
— Ceasar salad surprisingly. Ask for light on the dressing so it’s not so overwhelming.
— the crawfish risotto. Very flavorful with complex well balanced taste
— bread pudding soufflé. Awesome. Was gone in 90sec. The sauce was strong whiskey and the bread pudding was fluffy and delicious
What we didn’t like was the turtle soup. It was just ok. With all the hype. I thought it would be better. We also had a veal pastry puff dish. It was okay but not great
What we did love was the bill. The lunch special came with the soup and salad we had and six martinis was $ 3 total.
A must do in New Orleans. Get a lunch reservation at 1130 and just take your time to enjoy.

Im sure there isnt anything im going to say that isnt different that anyone else. amazing service delicious food (very reasonably priced), elegant atmosphere and great wine selection. And for coming on a sunday night at 7 pm, it was packed but everything moved along smoothly. they have 60 bottles under $ 60 which is a steal, i snagged 2. Oh yeah big spender here — it was my birthday so i had to get a lil tipsy.
Come here for dinner and dont be a fool. get the 3 course dinner. For only $ 43, youll get a soup, entrée, and dessert. The turtle soup was very unique, very thick and dark, a decent amount of turtle. Ive had turtle soup twice before it and this felt more like a stew. Was it bad? Nope. It was different, i wouldnt personally get it again, but i would hands down reccomend it for my adventurous eaters. The Lyoneese fish was calling my name, it was juicy and crusted perfectly. A very generous portion too. I only ate half of it that night! The star of the show was the dessert, which is my fave part of the meal. Hands down, the pastry chef here knows what he/​she is doing. The creole bread pudding soufflé was perfect. Southern flavors, with a perfect crust that was filled with soft, gooey and warm bread pudding. it was perfectly puffed up. Also, listen to your waiter/​waitress when picking out a wine. I was very pleased with my waitress while she suggested a wine pairing to my palate.
if youre in NOLA, dont be a fool – come by here and i suggest making reservations at least a month ahead. First time in NOLA, we didnt get to come because we didnt book in time.

One of the best dining experiences we had in New Orleans. Came on a Monday at 1130 for lunch and was not disappointed. First of all, 25cent martinis are awesome. Everyone is allowed to have up to 3. 3 is all you need to start your day. I was curious to try the turtle soup but was scared since I have never had turtle before. They offer small tasting cups for $ 3 dollars so I ordered that. The turtle soup was actually very good. It is a definite must try and the turtle pieces were small so it wasn’t scary at all. It is very comparable to eating chicken.
For the entrees, we had the quail and the shrimp and grits. Both were very delicious. No complaints there. I would totally order either one of those items again on a future visit. For dessert we had their famous bread pudding soufflé. I thought it was ok but not something that I would try again. My girlfriend definitely liked it a lot more than I did though.
Overall, service was very good since they had several people keeping an eye on our table to make sure water was always refilled and we were never left having to wait to get our next martini. I would seriously recommend this place to everyone out there.

We had my special 40^th birthday dinner here last Sunday. I will start by saying I think we happened to hit an off night as far as service – our waitress seemed angry about something and we were hesitant to ask her any questions. I made reservations for five, my friend called to add one on. We arrived and they had us down for 7. Our first course orders were also messed up, later we heard a crash of glasses break in the entryway, and then our bill was wrong. With all that being said, I ant give this place less than four stars. When I made reservations, I didn’t say we were celebrating my birthday, but as soon as the manager found out, he had balloons brought over right away, and later they sang when they brought out my dessert and gave me a paper chef hat. Nice touches.
The food – amazing gumbo and turtle soup. My scallops were excellent, and others seemed to enjoy their meals too. Desserts were excellent– sweet potato pie, strawberry shortcake were big hits.
The ambience – sometimes it’s really nice to get dressed up and have a fine dining, southern experience and this is a great place to do it.
New Orleans has soooo many great restaurants and this one is a historic gem not to be missed!

Best of the best. Truly. Some places get a great rating, and then just coast. Not here. Make reservations, then come planning to have an all-​encompassing excellent experience.
Our party of four went for brunch. We were seated immediately in the main dining room. The room has an old school elegant look, with balloons tied everywhere to give it a festive appearance. Our server came quickly to greet us, and he was very friendly and enthusiastic. Moving around the dining room was a three piece jazz band playing at just the right volume, and they were amazing. I highly recommend eating brunch here just to hear them.
I started with a French 75 to drink, which was delicious, but then switched to a mimosa since my whole party was raving about them. And rightly so — they were a perfect mixture of champagne and fresh orange juice.
We had been warned ahead of time that the meal would be pricey, however, I found it very comparable to the rest of my NOLA meals. The price was located next to the entrée, but the price also included your choice of appetizer (soup, salad, etc.) AND your choice of dessert.
I started with the Turtle Soup, moved on to a Louisiana Blue Crab Frittata, and finished with the Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé. Soup was rich and thick with a nice serving of sherry splashed in it. My frittata was good, although it had been over-​salted in the kitchen, and had to be sent back. Once it was re-​served to me, it was much better. Dessert was awesome; the soufflé presentation is a show stopper when they crack the crust and dump whiskey sauce inside.
Just a side note — I did have a problem with my meal, but the server was completely on top of it, guaranteed me it was the kitchen’s top priority, and a fresh meal was served to me in no time. Plus — they comped my entire meal, and brought a round of mini French 75s to the whole table. I would have loved the entire experience anyway, but that was really just the icing on the five-​tiered cake.
From start to finish it was a perfect experience, and probably the most memorable of all our five star meals in New Orleans.

Food was good. Service was great.
Bread pudding soufflé, amazing. The commander’s salad was very good too.

Commander’s Palace: If you’re looking the epitome of a glorious icon of a place, I don’t know if you can do any better. And then there’s that tremendous cookin, atmosphere, and service. You should go.
It was all just straight up dreamy.
Commander’s Palace is super fancy but it’s not highfalutin. Top notch, professional service is guaranteed with nary a trace of snoot or stuffiness. All the staff we encountered were beyond competent and friendly t’boot. You’d be further lucky to have Lorenzo as your waiter. We were treated like royalty, like the queen and king of the thang.
This mansion full of many gorgeous dining rooms just oozes celebration; it’s a special occasion. It certainly was that kinda lunch for us, extra so, during our visit the Monday before Christmas. A trio of carolers made their way through the dining rooms full of tourists and locals alike celebrating the season. There was just such an energetic buzz about the place. I’d go so far as to call it jubilant.
Let’s talk about those alluringly classy dining rooms, one after the next. I did not eeeeven know about the extent of the inner beauty of it all until I took the wrong staircase on our way out, after lunch.
I somehow Mr. Magoo-​ed us down to this magical courtyard of outdoor seating surrounded by Spanish moss draped oaks. Even in such a rainy day the space was gahdamn bewitching! And then there’s that glass-​walled dining room across the courtyard looking out over the scene. So lovely. I decided that’s where I wanna be seated next time! Now that I know what goes on out in that Garden View Room…
Maybe the existence of the enchanted courtyard would not have been revealed to me, through misdirection, had it not been for those 25 cent martinis? It’s possible.
About that amazing martini deal, the menu states, «Limit three (3) per person, ’cause that’s enough.» Though I’m not typically the kinda olé gal who has ever come to terms with the concept of when enough’s enough, maybe they’re right about this… They sure went down easy with the celebratory vibe and killa cuisine. Damn that was an amazing lunch.
We started with light, fresh and flavorful Louisiana crab ravigote which was delicately dressed so as to highlight the crab, so as not to break up the lovely lumps… MmmmHM. Wonderful.
I signed on for Chef Tory MacPhail’s three course price fixe, «Classic Creole Luncheon,» and was certainly happy about that decision as the first course began with a bowl of the most velvety, dark-​rouxed, rich gumbo. It was chicken and mushroom this time. Loved it. As much as I enjoyed several spoonful tastes of my rollin’ buddy’s famous, lusciously savory sherry-​spiked turtle soup, I was all about that gumbo.
Second course for me was the quince glazed quail. That quince glaze was some sticky, shiny, sweet-​tart deliciousness laquered onto a perfectly-​cooked stuffed quail. That little baby was stuffed with cochon du lait boudin and roasted chili, by the way. Great googly moogly. Full o’ flavor. It sat atop a mounded perch of brown-​buttery spaghetti squash. Damn tasty. So good! Thank you lil bird n lil piggy. Thank you chef. I mean, really. That was super enjoyable.
Tip: If you enjoy a ridiculous photo opportunity, be sure to take a picture of yourself or a pal holding that tiny quail drumstick. Caption it: World’s Largest Human Enjoys Turkey Leg.
I really should mention too how much my husband enjoyed the hell outta his seafood kuby. That sauce! Smoked redfish cake… Delectable.
Do the desserts. About the Creole bread pudding soufflé… That dish deserves all the heaps of praise that it receives. Now that’s a heavenly dessert, muh people. The ethereally light soufflé scented with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla is drizzled with a decadent bourbon cream sauce. You need it in your life. Need. It is excellent.
Also, the strawberry shortcake. Need. Do splitskis with your dining partner if it’s on the menu. Another server raved to us about the sweet, fresh strawberries abundantly brimming on this shortcake, and the dude he was not lyin.
You’re pickin up what I’m puttin down, right? We so enjoyed every bit of our lunch at Commander’s Palace. The cuisine, the gorgeous milieu, the skilled and attentive waitstaff: all five stars across the board.
Ain’t it great when a venerated institution lives up to its outstanding reputation? It’s all happening here at this landmark turquoise and white striped Garden District gem of a mansion, full if classic Creole flavors.
Look sharp! Get your fancypants on and have yourself a time.

Wow. I was very impressed with Commander’s palace. A friend recommended this place for brunch or dinner. My group decided on brunch. (45 $ plus tax and tip will get you the following):
The place has complimentary valet. A New Orleans local friend joined us for brunch and said she a very appreciative they have valet service as parking can be difficult in this neighborhood. Just make sure to tip.
The front desk welcomes you and if you’re seated in what I’ll call the greenhouse, you will walk through the kitchen were you see the team at work and they take the time to greet you! What a nice touch.
When yore seated you’ll see balloons all over the place and it is very festive. You’ll immediately notice the jazz band trio going around to each table and asking for requests. They were fabulous! They even played the Second line March and the staff brought out umbrellas for that table to hold while they paraded around. However my local friend did say this was the tamest and classiest second line she had ever seen lol. The band played Mardi Gras songs, Michael bible, Johnny cash, and others.
On to the drinks! Mimosas were nice. My friend’s brandy cocktail was very good and decadent. They bring out garlic bread for you to start. Their brunch menu includes a starter, entrée, and dessert. Will say everyone was pleased with what they ordered. The food will be good, trust that. This review is more for the experience and service.
The place is expansive and gorgeous. Each room is uniquely decorated and has its own touches. Most tables will be celebrating something and they will know if you told them in your reservation (make reservations!) they I’ll bring out a fun y’all chef’s hat for the person celebrating!
And I’m sure you’ve seen the photos but this is the first time I’ve seen leftovers package in an aluminum foil swan! Just like in the movie «The sweetest thing» haha.
The bathrooms are also very nice and are stocked with complimentary items.
The staff truly made this a wonderful experience! They were attentive, friendly, and on their game.
I would definitely recommend this place for those visiting NOLA. It’s a nice walk (long but you get to appreciate the homes in the garden district) from the French Quarter. Most will probably just wanna take a cab or drive there. This place is great for any celebratory brunch and especially great for groups. Even if you aren’t «officially» celebrating anything, just go celebrate that you’re in NOLA and check it out!

Dress code is pretty strict. I was wearing a sweater, but was still told I had to have a collared shirt. So I ended up going to a random store on Magazine Street for some buy and return action.
I learned when I was inside that not all the gents had a collared shirt on. Felt a little singled out here… So whatever. No big deal.
The creole oyster bisque was heavenly. It’s a must order and one of the best things I ordered in NOLA.
The Eggs Benedict artichoke wasn’t worth it. Pass on that.
The BBQ shrimp and grits was very, very good. Smokey shrimp on a bed of hearty, buttery, cheesy grits.
The twin serving of angus beef was cooked to perfection. The flavors were very good.
The bread pudding soufflé is over-​rated. It’s light and airy yes but it’s not THAT good.
The strawberry shortcake looked beautiful but it only tasted average. The biscuit or shortcake was a bit tough and not moist.
Definitely worthy of a visit. Just stick to the dress code to avoid having a reason to hate them.

CONSISTENCY!!!
I am blessed. I have finally become one of those stereotypical little old men in a Brooks Brothers blazer and Cole Haan penny loafers that has the good fortune to lunch at Commander’s 2 or so times month.
And it is always a delight.
My biggest complaint with all these new bourgie self-​entitled restaurants is that they don’t have a consistently superior, competitively priced product delivered by an exemplary staff comparable to Commander’s. And yet they demand its respect.
COMMANDER’S PRIX FIXE LUNCH IS THE GOLD BAR
by which my friends and I compare all newcomers. If a place can’t consistently meet the quality for the value and festive experience at 1403 Washington, then pragmatically they shouldn’t and don’t get a second chance.

No complaints at all! Each girls trip we try to do one fancy restaurant and this one was highly recommended. Make sure you get reservations (even for lunch) and make sure you dress up.
Upon arrival everyone was so friendly and helpful. We did a mini Photo shoot in front of the restaurant (lol) and the staff member took excellent pictures.
Once inside we were led all the way to the beautiful room at the top (there are multiple room for seating, but believe me you want to be at the top).
From there the excellent service remain. They make you feel like your party is the only one there. We had 4 or 5 people waiting on us at one time. All the items we got were terrific: quail, white mushroom risotto, buffalo shrimp. We followed lunch with the bread pudding soufflé which was delicious. The pecan pie was just okay.
Also side note for lunch Monday through Friday they have 25 cent martini’s. Awesome place, great food and service, and great price point.

Everyone we talked to recommended us to come here and each one of them did not lead me astray.
I made reservations a few days in advance for dinner. Initially I tried for lunch but they said they were booked solid. Thing to note: they aren’t terribly great with picking up their phone calls, I remember being placed on hold to talk to someone for about 8 minutes. But luckily I still got my reservation so I’m not dinging them for that. When we arrived they had a person open the door for us and their staff were courteous with each of them greeting us one by one.
Location: right across the street from Lafayette no. 1 cemetery and on Washington in garden district. A lot of beautiful houses are in the area such as the house that Mark Twaine used to party in and Anne Rice’s house (famous author of horror novels), so if you have time before or after your meal, take a nice stroll!
Food: my girlfriend and I each ordered the 3-​course meal. You choose salad/​soup, an entrée, and for an additional $ 3 one of two infamous desserts!
I chose the 1−1−1 soup for my starter. they give you three of their soups
Chicken and Andouille Gumbo: I thought it was a tad bit salty but with the bread they give you, I finished it in no time!
Turtle soup: they give you the option of adding sherry which I think complemented the soup very well.
Oyster and saffron: my absolute favorite, it was smooth and subtle, but yet fine and delicious. I cannot describe it but it was so good!
My girlfriend got the harvest salad: truffle salad dressing with shavings of either sweet potato or Apple, we both couldn’t tell exactly. Refreshing and tasty to say the least. After a good long week in NOLA, some greens were certainly warranted!
For an entrée I got the jumbo seafood scallops. They came on top of a Parmesan black truffle flavored grits and the scallops were perfectly well made. So scrumptious, I’m surprised that this meal filled me up!
My girlfriend got the speckled trout which didn’t look like much at first but was so flavorful.
The dessert was amazing. I’m not typically a huge fan of strawberry shortcake but theirs definitely hit the spot. What’s more is that they accidentally brought out two strawberry shortcake desserts when we ordered one strawberry and one bread pudding soufflé. They ended up giving us all 3!
In terms of service, they definitely have a great reputation for being very attentive. Sometimes too attentive… waitresses keep refilling our water and trading our glasses of water for new ones even though we hadn’t touched our water glass yet. Coming from California where we’re in a drought, it almost seemed borderline wasteful.
Overall: great food, great service, and the quality of the food was totally worth the price in my opinion. This place did not fail to disappoint!
Tip: try to ask for an upstairs reservation! Downstairs was a lot louder and the acoustics of the building made the upstairs area a lot more romantic.

The iconic Commander’s Palace was where I wanted to seal our gastronomic trip to the Big Easy. Hence, we celebrated our last evening here after a month in advance reservation. With different dining rooms that are all so grand, formal attire is only appropriate (though I saw some stragglers in denim). If you don’t like being the under or overdressed person in a party, I suggest you dress appropriately.
Instantly we were whisked away to la la land feeling the VIP we wish we were from the moment we pulled in to the valet. Their staff was warm, welcoming, and on their A game all throughout. As a matter of fact, one of the Brenner family was present to do her rounds and made sure each table was having the prime experience expected.
The plates dished out that evening were nothing short of impressive. My better half and I went with Chef Tory’s Three Course Specials which was surprisingly priced reasonably. We picked different things for each course to try a variety of items on the menu.
1^st
TURTLE SOUP — The ravings are true. Finished tableside with dry sherry, the soup was robust and rich with a punch-​in-​your-​face effect. It had a depth of flavor that was hard to resist.
GUMBO — It only makes sense to have the best gumbo here.
2^nd
SCALLOPS — Though this dish was delicious with the scallops cooked beautifully, I wasn’t really impressed. It may have been the combination of miso, black beans, pickled red cabbage, rapini and salted peanuts, sesame sugarcane syrup and black garlic purée that didn’t work for me or everything else was just superior in taste compared to this.
SHRIMP and GRITS — If I thought John Besh’s shrimp and grits at Luke’s was excellent, this was phenomenal! I wish we both ordered this as our main entrée.
3^rd
CREOLE BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE — No doubt this was the highlight of our meal here. The soufflé was executed in pure mastery — texture was pillow-​y and it tasted heavenly. Loved how the sweetness was on point. Yes! Another best thing I ate in NOLA.
BOURBON PEACH COBBLER — It’s hard to follow a dessert so remarkable as their soufflé and yet the cobbler proved to be a strong contender nonetheless.
This was one fine dining experience that exuded a vibe that was homey and comfortable yet the elegance was not amiss in both their food and service. Dinner was great but I wonder how their Sunday brunch is or better yet, their .25 martini lunch.

This was my first time visiting New Orleans so I knew and was told this had to be a stop on my vacation. I believe we made our reservations a few months in advance to get a table in the garden room around noon.
I started with a 25 cent martini because that seems to be the big seller here. The limit is three a person and you know I did the max. For my appetizer I did the famous turtle soup with sherry on top. It had great spice and really great flavor. One of the better soups I’ve ever had. My entrée was barbecued shrimp over a mushroom risotto. This dish was amazing. The shrimp were very tasty, the risotto cooked to perfection, and the mushrooms and cream on top were perfect. The dessert I got was a rum bread pudding soufflé. My favorite dessert is bread pudding so I always order it whenever I see it. This is my favorite one yet. Great flavor and cooked perfectly. The rum sauce you pour over is warm and delicious.
Dining here is a great experience. I recommend anyone visiting NOLA needs to stop by here and enjoy a great meal.

This was a five star experience in my life.
We went all out with our group of 4 and had Ella’s 90^th Birthday «Favorites» which is a six course meal of all her favorites over the last few decades. $ 90.00 a person and the whole table must participate. I’m so glad we did. Was wonderful to not even know what was going to come up next on your plate.
We started out with a few jumbo shrimps and a tasting of the turtle soup. The turtle soup is made with 48 ingredients. How crazy is that?
I loved the courses except for the dessert which tasted like a runny egg at the table. None of our party enjoyed the texture.
Don’t eat Ella’s menu if you’re looking for a primarily culinary experience because it’s so much more than that. It’s more about wanting to try new things and wanting to have a LIFE experience.
We also got to go back in the open kitchen which was such a cool thing to finish our meal. Service is excellent. Especially one of waiters, Benjamin Pickett. A descendant of General Pickett from the Civil War.

Un clásico al que no podés dejar de ir en Nola. Todo el mundo nos habló genial de este lugar y tiene un por qué. Comida bien tradicional, cajún, con una pizca de elegantísimo nivel de la ciudad. De hecho, tiene un dress code intacto donde dice que tenes que ir bien vestido, y asi fuimos. Obviamente, fuimos con reserva –hacerla!!!- y para el almuerzo, que tiene precios menores pero con una buenísima carta.
Lo que más nos llamó la atención fue que podés pedirte los famosos martinis por menos de 1 dólar. Si, así es. Podés pedir hasta 3 si no sos local, pero realmente con 2 ya estás lleno. Los hay de melon y clásicos. El de melón, muy bueno.
La atención es un mega hiper 10. Pocas veces me sentí tannn bien atendida, siempre hay alguien que te sirve más agua, que te trae otro martini o simplemente está atento a la mesa. Nos ofrecieron pan con ajo, estaba buenísimo. Además por mesa hay un pan calentito, raro en USA.
La carta: tenes menus de dos pasos, y clasicos que todos piden: como la sopa de tortuga. Si bien no la comi, ni la comería suena a un plato distinto, pero no lo promovería mucho porque me da cosa que maten a tortugas.
Pedí carne asada y tenia mis dudas porque tengo altos estandares sobre la carne. Venía con un puré con manteca con hierbas. Mmmm, estaba todo buenísimo.
Como postre, pedimos para compartir un cheesecake que estaba bien bien rico.

Me and some friends came here for their Sunday jazz brunch on Halloween and had a great time. They’re right across the street from Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, so we were able to catch a tour afterwards.
Service was predictably friendly and attentive. We were taken through the kitchen and the courtyard before being seated in a gorgeous ornate room overlooking the greenery outside. A three piece jazz band comes around the room, taking requests at each table.
The food was delicious, the gumbo was one of the best I had in NOLA. It’s thinner than other gumbos, which I didn’t think I’d like, but the flavor is complex. I tried turtle soup for the first time and apparently still need to develop a taste for it!
We ordered the Louisiana Blue Crab Frittata, the Abita Beer Braised Beef & Eggs, and the local fish entrée. Everything was delicious. The fish was tender, the eggs poached perfectly, the frittata covered in mushrooms onions and greens.
I even loved their Queen of Creole dessert– the bread pudding soufflé. I finished all of it, I don’t even like sweets. It was absolutely amazing.
Attire is dressy, we saw three piece suits and evening wear even for the brunch crowd, but business casual is just fine too and there were plenty of folks dressed in-​between that spectrum.
It’s a lovely place inside and out, with friendly people and delicious food. Plus you get to pass through the garden district!

We came to Commander’s Palace with a party of twelve girls who were in New Orleans for a bachlorette party. The restaurant was able to accomodate us in a very lovely area of the restaurant and the space wasnt tight at all. Woody, our server, was fantastic! He was so knowledgeable about all the drinks, food, and desserts and he was super nice.
Our appetizers, meals, and desserts were all served a course at a time but all our food came out and on to our place at the same time. They made this happen by having at least six waiters surround our table to serve our food all at the same time. We were so impressed by this.
The food was amazing and I got to try a lot of what was on the menu. The place is definitely on the fancier side, so be prepared to spend money for fine southern dining.

Nous avions réservé un repas au Commander’s Palace pour nos dix ans et y avons passé une très agréable soirée. Je retiendrai particulièrement le service classieux que l’on attend d’un endroit de ce genre. La déco est aussi particulièrement réussie; classique d’apparence mais avec des petites touches de folie lorsque l’on y prête un peu d’attention.
Au niveau de la nourriture, je n’ai par contre pas réellement été bluffé. C’était très bon mais je m’attendais à mieux pour ce qui est considéré comme le meilleur restaurant de la ville. Seul le magret de «aged duck» avait ce «wow factor» qui mérite l’addition un peu salée.
Au niveau des boissons, les cocktails sont à tomber. Les classiques comme les plus originaux sont des petites œuvres d’art à eux tout seul. La carte des vins est une des plus réputées du pays mais compte de nombreux vins assez abordable ce qui est à souligner pour les US.
Donc 3 étoiles pour le rapport qualité prix de la cuisine et 5 pour le reste.