Mariza

Modern and chic with a hint of Victorian décor in an unexpected part of town. I sampled my date’s dish and greatly enjoyed the black seafood linguini. My drink, Julia’s Cup, from their specialty drink menu was also refreshing. Tall ceilings and roomy surroundings gave us our own space on what seemed to be quite a busy night. Good atmosphere and drinks. I hope to go back to enjoy more of the food.

I am so thrilled that Mariza is nearby us… not ever I have been disappointed with their food, their drinks and oh!!! their service is heaven! Yesterday the fish of the day was spectacular, again, and Mic is just amazing. Love them all!.. and that doesn’t happen when you become a regular…

This was a really nice place to grab a few drinks before the theater. The bartenders were very knowledgable about the wine (and local yoga). I had the short rib rigatoni and my gf had the burrata crostini. I thought the meals were okay, but she loved them (hence the four stars). Very awesome place that makes us venture to the Marigny!

Great food with a rustic, classy, and dim atmosphere. The place also has PARKING in the Bywater !!! WHOOP WHOOP! Getting there around 6:30 on a Friday night the Maitre d’ opened the door for us and we were seated right away. First thing I noticed was a private dinning room with maroon benched seating; that I would love to book for a group of my friends (wonder if I could since they don’t take reservations hum.?). I would love to go back and try more but for my first time I stuck with the Unilocaler’s suggestions and as usual they did not steer me wrong. For example the Bursts crostini and the black linguine you cant go wrong. If you just get that your a happy sailor! I’m a chocolate girl even though I read great things about the panna cotta’ so stuck with chocolate and I was just as happy with my flowerless chocolate cake. I love the light approach to Italian food. I didn’t leave feeling uncomfortable and stuffed. Dinner portions fits the price point and wont break the bank. Hope you try it and enjoy!

I had a wonderful meal at Mariza last night, shared with several coworkers. What a great experience! Kudos to Isaiah, who was our top notch server for the evening (and, as I found out, a neighbor as well!) I can’t wait to go back!
The atmosphere is contemporary, dark, and not at all loud or overcrowded. It was rainy outside, and though we Über’ed ourselves to the restaurant, there was ample parking outside which is unusually nice.
After our first bottle of wine, we started with the burrata crostini, whose delectable first creamy bite can only compared to the heavenly moment of cutting into a perfectly poached egg. Next up was the tuna (also on crostini), which was plated beautifully. Every bite was delicious — and I’m not someone who would typically order tuna-​on-​anything. I paired this with a Julia’s Cup cocktail — worth every cent.
I enjoyed the arugula salad with pickled vegetables, topped with ricotta — enough to have a little bit of cheese with every bite. The beets were a delicious touch to this salad, though the ricotta was definitely the star of the show. I also tasted the bresaola and crispy guanciale salads — both were fantastic. I’m not sure which of the three was the winner in this category, because they’re all so different. What became clear very quickly is that the chef is very conscious of textures as well as flavors, and that put a smile on everyone’s faces as we made our way through the menu.
My entrée was the black linguini with crab and shrimp, the larger size. It was delicious and plenty to share. The short rib rigatoni had flavors reminiscent of Grandma’s beef stew. It was very rich. I also tried the hangar steak (fantastic), and the crispy layers in the vegetable lasagna reminded of a meal of crespelles I made with my partner in our little temporary apartment in Rome a few years back. One bite brought me right back to that moment in a way nothing else had since I left.
A few bottles of wine later, we finished with one of each dessert for the table: chocolate terrine with sea salt, grapefruit sorbet, and apple/​pear panna cotta. All three were wonderful and completely unique to each other, though the panna cotta was by far my favorite.
While I realize meals like this are largely a success [or not] depending on whoever sits at your table, and I was lucky to share this meal with some wonderful people, the staff and atmosphere at Mariza enhanced everything about our experience. This is one of those restaurants that exists almost in my back yard, and I’d never stepped in until now. I’m really looking forward to returning. In a city with as many restaurants as there are diners willing to eat in them, Mariza gets it right.

Favorite local spot for date night or dinner and drinks with friends! Consistently delicious and very friendly, warm service.

I was in town for business last night, and was on the hunt for a yummy American restaurant with a) a cool atmosphere and b) good parking options. This was perfect!
I ordered a drink called the Tulio — obsessed! Comes in a champagne flute and had a great fruity flavor. The bartender was great too — incredibly friendly but didn’t chat too much.
I then ordered the raw veggie salad and the potato and broccoli gnocchi with kale pesto. I loved both! The raw veggie salad did, though, have an overwhelming onion flavor that I could have done without, and the gnocchi boasted butternut squash but very little was actually present in the dish.
Overall, though, I did enjoy everything. Plus, as a complete food nerd, I realized the chef was a competitor I recognized from Food Network star — very neat!

Two words: Lamb Belly. Two more: Buratta Crostini (I may have spelled that incorrectly). Seriously. I went for my birthday, and then I made my date take me back one week later. And then I made my roommate go for her birthday the week after that. Soothing ambience, really good cocktails… the service has always been spot on. And there’s a parking lot!

I’ve been here a couple of times and on both occasions, the squid-​ink pasta was delicious.
The service was very good as well. Always greeted when walked in and the waiters/​waitresses seem to enjoy there job.
The price is on the higher side but manageable. Roughly, a dinner for two can run from about $ 40 upward.

So my husband and I had date night here a few nights ago. We ate at the bar and were so impressed. Our service was great and the feel of the restraunt was wonderful. The huge windows look out over the river, so sunset was the perfect time to dine there. Our favorites were the red snapper crudo and the lamb meatballs. But really, there wasn’t anything we had that we didnt really enjoy. I think what we were most impressed with was that we had around 8 dishes, a bottle of wine and two rounds of cocktails for only $ 120! We will definitely be back!

Loved my first visit to Mariza last night. My boyfriend and I had 8pm tickets to a show at NOCCA, so this being a block away was an easy decision.
I started with a Julia’s Cup cocktail which was sweet and refreshing on this hot day. We split the burrata crostini, eggplant gnocchi and ricotta, basil, eggplant pizza special. The pizza and gnocchi were good, but the crostini was especially delicious. That crostini might be too much for one person — lots of cheese — so I recommend splitting it.
I have a thing for sitting at the bar, I feel like you’re guaranteed better service. The bartender was attentive and well informed on menu items.
Also, it’s a great spot for a date!

Oh my… Where do I start… First off my meal here tonight was amazing! Almost all the dishes we ordered were to die for!!! I’ll just keep it short… We ordered the black linguine, short ribs ragout, potato gnocchi, duck ragout, yellowfin tuna carpaccio, and hanger steak. I would order everything Again minus the steak… We also order the Panna cotta and chocolate terrine for dessert! It was very delicious! Who knew olive oil, sea salt, and chocolAte make a good combination! I can’t wait to bring my boyfriend here!

My boyfriend and I ate at Mariza Saturday night and the experience was absolutely lovely from top to bottom. The atmosphere is slightly industrial but warmed with glowing candles and comfy service. We were pleasantly greeted and promptly sat by the host. Our servers name was Sara and she was super cute, informative, and delivered exceptional service.
We ordered the Burrata Crostini and Tomatoes with basil pesto, shoots and sprouts. I could eat this appetizer every day for lunch and never tire of its perfection. The cheese was soft and fluffy atop a superbly crunchy crostini. The tomato was so red it was nearing purple and it burst with flavor. I am not always the biggest fan of pesto because it can be a little too herbacious but this pesto was light and amazingly complimentary.
I ordered the short rib rigatoni pasta and it was delectable. The short rib gravy was top-​notch and the rigatoni pasta was cooked just right. My boyfriend had the fish of the day which was redfish with a fennel salad and lemon vinaigrette. The fish was perfectly cooked and the salad was a perfect accompaniment to the fish. I enjoyed watching my boyfriend dive into that fish — he even ate the tail. I just kept looking over at him smirking because you could see his eyes glazed over in redfish heaven.
The appetizer and entrees were so spectacular that we had to try dessert. We ordered the chocolate terrine with sea salt, olive oil and candied orange. This dessert was truly the most gorgeous blend of flavors. The chocolate terrine was soft yet fudge-​like and the olive oil and sea salt were perfect additions. The candied orange was so beautiful because it was the thinnest slice of orange you have ever seen and then tasted like candied-​orange-​rindy deliciousness.
We most definitely shall return!

Mariza is a place I’ve had bookmarked for a while, driven past many many times and just never took the time to stop in until this past wknd. Starving and wanting to try something new, we moseyed our way over to this fine little establishment and were seated immediately.
The inside like other reviews stated gives you a warehouse, loft type feel. Very inviting and sleek. The bar is awesome in itself too.
Getting to the menu, it’s not your traditional Italian, but it does have a variety of dishes depending on your mood. Different kinds of pizza and pasta which all sounded great, along with other creative items if your feeling a little more adventurous. We started off with a ½ dozen of raw oysters which came with a variety of house made dipping sauces along with cocktails. I can’t remember what my husband had, but I had some type of drink with prosecco which was pretty good. They have a full bar and an extensive wine list so if their house cocktails don’t tickle your fancy, you’ll be sure to find something else.
For our entrees, I ordered the black linguini just because it sounded so stinking good and I had seen plenty of pics to tease me. My husband ordered the smoked duck breast pappardelle which came with duck prepared 3 different ways.
I LOVED my linguini. I really could have ate two helpings because it was that good. Both of us agreed the duck was missing something. The pappardelle noodles were excellent but the duck itself, good but not great. Overall I would definitely return to Mariza. I’m looking forward to coming back and trying more of its deliciousness.

Continuing on my mission of eating at all of the restaurants on the NOLA Eater «38 Essential New Orleans Restaurants, January 2015″(
), for my next place to try, I chose Mariza.
This is a restaurant I had not only never been to, but I hadn’t even heard of it. Reading the reviews here on Unilocal,made the place sound very promising, so I was excited to check it out.
We stopped in pretty early– about 7, on a Saturday, and there was a 20 minute wait. No problem at all, as we weren’t in any rush, so we decided to take a seat at the bar. I decided to sip on a nice glass of wine as I looked over the menu.
First of all, I like that the menu isn’t overwhelming. You get a nice selection of food without feeling inundated with choices. After we were seated, we decided to start with the cheese plate. This came with three delicious cheeses with some bread and some blueberry sauce, which was a nice touch. The cheese was delicious and not too rich (does that make sense?).
For my entrée, I decided to try the black linguine. I had always heard how fancy and fantastic black linguine is, so I felt quite posh ordering this dish. The linguine came topped with a yummy sauce and crawfish and shrimp. I decided to get the large bowl, because apparently, there is no shame in my game. The dish was amazing! It had a lot of flavor and was unique and unlike anything I had had before. I couldn’t get over how much I loved it. The shrimp were nice and plump and the crawfish were juicy and cooked perfectly.
I have to mention the atmosphere of this place. It’s cozy, but not loud. It’s pretty dark, which would make it an excellent spot for a romantic evening. I loved the whole vibe of the place and it felt more like a New York restaurant, than a New Orleans eatery.
All in all, I loved it here and I would definitely return.

What great atmosphere and the food is great. We started out with Yellow tuna carpaccio and really I could have ordered 4 of this appetizer. Fresh fish with arugula, olives and parmesan. For entrees we had the braised lamb belly served over polenta and a tomato sauce base and Qual and pancetta which was my favorite. Quail was cooked perfectly and served with wilted greens, saba and red onions. Finishing with panna cotta was a great way to end the meal. We ordered a nice bottle of Lorinon Crianza which was a great pinot noir with this meal. Overall, great meal!

BLUF: Really nice atmosphere with great service and clientele. Good times but average food.
Went on a whim. I love the neighborhood and it is set in the back where you wouldnt expect a nice place like this to be. Inside is gorgeous. They were really busy so we went to the bar for what we thought was going to be an hour but ended up just being 30 min. Got my usual martini and it was good.
For dinner we split a pizza and a pasta dish entre. Both were slightly above average but reasonably priced. We were still hungry so we each got a dessert. I dont remember what we go but that kinda speaks for itself; not every exciting. (still left hungry)
Overall the place itself is really awesome. However, the food is only average.

I just discovered this place and I’ve already been there twice within one week! I really enjoy «wine bar» style places. This place has a beautiful interior décor design. Very pleasing to the eyes style lighting. The workers are super cool and friendly.
The meat and cheese plate is something I look for around the city. I have a mental list of places that offer meat and cheese plates and I try to hit up one of these places when I dine alone.
So far, I’ve brought two of my girlfriends here. Very much looking forward to bringing my husband.

I always try to visit this place on a Sunday. But just my luck, they’re CLOSED on Sundays! Finally had a Saturday night off & was able to stop in & enjoy this little gem.
We were immediately greeted & seated at a community table. I love community tables! It’s a great way to meet new people. So, man friend and I ordered a bottle of white wine & ordered:
Red Snapper Crudo w/​Cucumber salad & Pesto (12 $). I felt like this dish was missing some acidity. Maybe a lemon wedge on the side would’ve been just right. Other than that, it was a good dish.
Burrata, Tomatoes, Pesto, Sprouts, & Crostini (10 $). In short, this is similar to a caprese. If I had put 1 & 1 together, I probably wouldn’t have ordered it. It’s an OK dish, but not really my kind of thing to eat. The burrata is definitely more fluffy than mozzarella. But there’s just something about the blandness that I can’t get over.
Duck Ragout Pappardelle (10 $). Comfort dish at it’s finest! It reminded me of Campbell’s Beef Stew soup. IDK if you like that, but I love it. So, I loved this dish! I imagine myself craving this on cold winter nights (if we ever get that in NOLA). Or when I’m fighting a cold.
Shrimp&Crab Black Linguini (13 $). Manfriend’s favorite dish. If you’ve ever tried Domenica’s Squid Ink dish, this is the better more creamier version of it. They did not play cheap w/​their crab & shrimp.
Braised Lamb Belly w/​Polenta (18 $). Good dish. Lamb wasn’t gamey. It needed something for texture though.
Quail & Pancetta on Wilted Greens (12 $). My favorite dish! The wilted greens added acidity. The sauce on the quail gave it the right touch of sweetness & everything was cooked well.

Atmosphere:
Modern and elegant. Located in the Bywater in a beautiful warehouse renovated into apartments. This restaurant has high ceilings and dim romantic lighting. Music is not too loud, but upbeat to create a nice vibe. The restaurant manager frequently works as a host to make sure your intro and experience at the restaurant is off to a good start. Great for a date.
Service:
I went by myself and sat at the bar because I was only there to satisfy one particular craving. The restaurant closes at 10 pm on Tuesdays, and I was sneaking in at 9:30 (no worries though, I was out the door at 10 on the dot; although many tables were still enjoying their dinning). The bartender was friendly and good to talk to. I had met him before on one of my craving visits. He kept my water filled and made me feel comfortable. Job well done.
Food:
Now to tell you what I was craving; the Burrata Crostini and Tomatoes!!! So delicious, that sometimes I dream about it, other times I need to get myself out to that restaurant ASAP to eat one. It is exactly what it sounds like Burrata, drizzled with oil, on top of a crostini, on a bed of tomatoes, shoots and clover, accompanied by a basil pesto that draws a delicious design on the plate. I have tried their other food before and it is delicious, BUT the Burrata keeps me coming back in that door more than the average person.
That is all I have to say about the food for now. You should definitely go to this restaurant and try out their menu though!
Drinks:
No drinks today. Water only policy during the week (the liver needs a break when you live in NOLA). They do make delicious signature cocktails though (pictured below). Although I do not recall the name of that particular cocktail, the bartender was kind enough to write down the ingredients for me and I have re-​created it at home many times!
Random:
Tenants in the Rice Mill Lofts are prohibited from altering the building’s original graffiti. If you live in the Rice Mill you get the beauty of
masonry brick walls, complete with the graffiti that was there when it was taken over for conversion. A really cool look for your home!