Martinique Bistro

Third time to Martinique and it’s never really been great. This time was the last time and it deserves a review.
Neither mine nor my wife’s food was good. In fact, I’m pretty sure my filet was rotten and couldn’t even force myself to eat half of it
The bar selection is poor and the service is not much better than the food. Don’t waste your time here. There are much better choices around town.

Only reason it gets two stars is the pleasant outdoor seating. Food is dismal. I am not sure why they can’t find a chef to cook basic French food in New Orleans. I guess they don’t care or their clientele doesn’t care.

This was one of my staple restaurants to take my wife … until recently. Their menu has completely changed, and not for the better. We used to greatly enjoy the Cobb salad with either lobster, crab or other seafood (based on the season) and the scallops entrée, which were by far the best scallops in the city. All of these favorites have been removed and replaced with inferior items. Such a shame! We hate to take this out of our rotation, but it’s simply not the same anymore.

Had a wonderful brunch here with friends last week. I had the lobster roll and the waffle, both were delicious. I also had a great glass of rose.
It was way too hot to sit outside, but the patio looked wonderful. Will definitely have to go back in the evening for a date.

Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten! The scallops were amazing, my sister said she was gunna go on a scallops diet ha — The manager David was also extremely courteous!

The owner, manager & staff here are all fantastic! They really make the restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, the food and drinks are also excellent! It was a fantastic accidental find on Magazine Street! I’m very glad I went back for dinner!

The service was excellent and the food was better. I had the foie gras and duck, both were good. Then, we shared the chocolate cake. It was perfect. I would recommend this place for anything from a casual date to a formal dinner.

This is our 2^nd time here since 3 years ago. We decided on Martinique for my birthday dinner bc we had such an amazing experience before. Last night’s dinner? not so much. I remembered the escargot being amazing! as well as the steamed mussels. maybe their menu changed as well bc the presentation looked different.
Last night we started off with the Escargots and Steamed Mussels. The Escargot was unfortunately very salty. The mussels were good. No complaints there. Dinner my husband and I shared the Duck & Pork Belly… wayyyy overdone. very dry. I do not recommend this dish. For dessert, we tried something different .the rice bread pudding… I did not like this at all. It was like fruit cake.
Overall food probably will be a 2 star… The service probably almost 4 stars. They gave us the breadpudding on the house since it was my birthday. which was very sweet of them. But I just had to give them overall 3 stars because we were not wowed by the food.
Unfortunately.we probably won’t come back. The experience 3 years ago was nice but last nights. not so much.

This was my favorite neighborhood place-​until I got sick there TWICE-​and that was just the icing on the cake.
We had dinner there one night, ordered too much food, so I was going to take mine home. Instead of packing it up (a full meal – I didn’t touch it) they tossed it. When we pointed out the mistake, they offered to replace the meal, but they were out of everything but one chicken leg! Never offered to add something else to the takeout dish, just threw in the one little leg and charged us full price. The manager was not very attentive (and we had easily amassed a $ 300 bill with wine and all the food we ordered, on an otherwise quiet night) or gracious about the mix-​up. We put all of these details on the «customer response» card they gave us to fill out and never heard from them. We will never go back, or send friends there –something we often did with great enthusiasm.

The only reason I know about this place is because my sister’s employee’s buddy is the chef, so full disclosure up front. We don’t live anywhere near NOLA, but get here whenever we can.
Martinique Bistro is located Uptown in a small building. The décor is elegant yet casual. Lots of glass and mirrors and indirect lighting. But it’s small and cozy. The bar makes a mean Sazarac. The bread on the table is rustic and delicious.
The wine recommendation was spot-​on. The service was attentive without being obsequious. The food was consistently excellent. This place is like eating with dear friends in their dining room. Especially if your friends know how to cook!

Everything was dry and tasteless, including the service, and even the ice cream. (How does one make ice cream dry?)

OMG where to start. Most excellent meal i have had in years. Table started with escargot and the hummus dip. Then onto salads which were very tasty with lots of different tastes and textures. Next we had the veal shank dish, gulf fish dish, and flat iron steak dish. There was not a scrap left and we couldn’t be happier. We were seated inside by our choice because the weather was drizzly and damp, and that was cozy and romantic. Very well lit and noise level perfect. We will definitely go back and recommend it to anyone wanting an excellent meal for a special occasion.

Located in the garden district amidst a number of eateries and shops, Martinique was a charming restaurant with a small indoor seating area and a beautiful garden with patio seating.
I started with wild mushroom beignets which reminded me of hush puppies. They were accompanied by oyster mushrooms, which were really good. I opted for one of my favorites for dinner– duck. Martinique prepared a sweet tea brined duck with corn boudin. The duck was glazed nicely with just enough sweetness and it was cooked perfectly. The boudin on the other hand had a strange texture and little flavor. I finished with the chocolate cake and Guinness ice cream.
The food proved to be a hit overall (probably 3.5−4 stars) but the freezing temperature inside, the dirty ice in my water and the poor attempt at making a glass of sweet tea made me drop a star.

Martinique is one of those lovely neighborhood places that make you feel good about living in THAT specific neighborhood. One of the charms of Martinique’s is its size. There’s a lovely courtyard lined with vines and vegetation shielding you from the ever so hectic Magazine Street. Then there’s the inside. The quaintness draws you in melting away the fact that you’re sitting in the heart of busy Uptown. *le sigh*
Usually I come here for brunch. Because it’s what I’ve done here the most that’s what I’m going to review. Brunch was started here in NOLA. Martinique does it above and beyond! Certainly for brunch I keep to traditional New Orleans fare when I’m here. I always start with a bourbon milk punch. Always. The slight kick from the bourbon plus a little nutmeg to add a spice, it’s an adult glass of milk. Here’s where I have to decide… will it be the shrimp ooooooor the grillades? Tough choice indeed, huh? Yes, yes, they both come with served on top of their velvety, rich creamy goodness they call grits… the shrimp are bathing in just the right amount of well-​seasoned Tasso sauce… Then there’s the grillades which are not seen in too places. It has the nice rich, tomato sauce coating the perfectly beaten pan fried pork slices… Of course both of these are truly traditional, classical New Orleans brunch dishes. Either way, I win because Martinique’s does them so well. Side bar something else that draws me to these two dishes is the portion size. They are the perfect size for me. I don’t come out feeling as if I should run home.
Outstanding, no guilt cuisine plus cocktails! It’s a fabulous way to start your Sunday!

What a lovely and amazing cozy little spot!
We were wandering around deciding where to eat when Martinque Bistro was suggested. We called 10 minutes before we arrived to make our reservation and were told that was no issue at all. We showed up and were seated immediately.
Martinique feels very European to me. No, I have never been to Europe, but it seems like one of the little cafes where you would go after admiring classic art at The Louvre. Seating is very close, which may be off putting to some, but I didn’t mind at all. It was so close, in fact, that if I had been so inclined I could have held hands with the older gentleman seated to my left, but then that would be just weird.
For my appetizer, I decided on the «special» which was a cold watermelon soup. I know it sounds super strange, but it was actually really good. It was a cold soup with different vegetables and spices in it and in the middle was frozen watermelon ice that made the entire thing delicious and refreshing. It was definitely different, and probably not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.
For my entrée, I decided on the shrimp and lobster which was served over some kind of pasta (super technical terms here). It was light and delicious. The shrimp were nice and big and juicy. I know I am weird, but lobster doesn’t really ring my bell. I don’t dislike lobster, but I prefer shrimp, so that was the highlight of the meal for me.
This is a great spot for a romantic dinner. I will definitely be back!

Understated. The best description I have for this cozy dining experience. The special appetizer was a crab meat pancake; we coupled it with the sweet potato gnocchi. Scallops seared to perfection on a bed of greens, and duck in a demi-​glacé or au jur sauce. Every menu item was garnished with fresh herbs and/​or edible flowers, delivering culinary inspiration down to the details. Words cannot express the food, the staff, or the great atmosphere.

Martinique was always one of my favorite restaurants, but once I moved further downtown, I hadn’t really gone in quite some time. I went back over the weekend (and then embarrassingly again last night…) and it was phenomenal. The mussels are truly divine — with a green curry broth, roasted sweet potatoes and then jerk-​spiced sweet potato chips on top. It’s just out of this world good. The lamb loin was also really great, as was the shrimp entrée. Though I really do think next time I go (which, at this rate, should be by early next week), I’m just going to do a double order of those mussels for an entrée.
They also now have a cocktail list, which I don’t think they had in years past. I can’t remember the name of the one I had, but it had sparkling rosé, ginger vodka and elderflower, and it was really delightful.
Beyond having fantastic food, the ambiance is also perfect. I hadn’t been since they re-​did the courtyard, and I love the new bar area outside. When the weather is as beautiful as it’s been lately, there’s really no better place for outdoor dining. The interior dining room is also beautiful — extremely flattering lighting, which is very important. Also the service is really wonderful! The only downside is that parking can be difficult, which isn’t even the restaurant’s fault. I would just be sure to give yourself an extra couple of minutes to find a spot.
All in all, I have to say Martinique is once again my favorite New Orleans restaurant.

While part of me still pines for the neighborhood restaurant that was here pre-​Martinique, I have to admit that comparison would be apples to oranges.
Martinique is a lovely but small french inspired spot. I have never tried brunch here (and don’t think I’m really a brunch person) so my review is strictly for dinner.
I’ve had delicious cocktails here and the seasonal menus are lovely. I’ve had excellent fish, vegetarian dishes and desserts. I honestly can’t remember a plate that I didn’t enjoy.
My only complaints are that the dining room is a bit tight and if you end up at a table in the middle of the room it’s a bit hustley. And if you’re near the bar, you can feel the waitstaff frenzy on occasion… which just makes me antsy I must admit. The garden space is lovely when weather permits.
As for the previous restaurant in this location:
RIP Mais Ouis… know that I still long for your crawfish ettouffe, and your cornbread, and your chocolate pudding. OK I’m done now.

Great Brunch!
PAN SEARED HANGAR STEAK $ 18
duckfat roasted potatoes, poached eggs, béarnaise & demi-​glacé
FRENCH TOAST & DUCK CONFIT $ 16
hazelnut– honey butter, macerated peaches
Trio of sorbet and trio of ice cream, all interesting and yummy.
Split it with a friend, paired it with a Gingered Pimms cocktail.
Quiet, not crowded, great service (thank you Trevor and others), great food.
Really terrific brunch.

My Favorite Vegan has declared this the best yet when it comes to the chef «putting something together.»
Every once and a while we get the wild hair to dress all fancy-​pants make reservations out somewhere and have a big date out. Martinique was the choice for our date night of post drinks dinner. It’s situated on Magazine with really nice outdoor dining and a pretty «cozy» (tight) inside. Because of the weather being iffy we opted to eat in the dining room and were seated immediately for our 8:00pm reservation.
Bread, wine, starters: Bea had a salad, I had the gumbo. Gumbo was good, with a nice thick base and a good distribution of sausage and shrimp.
Entrees consisted of the Drum for me, and a vegan compatible dish which included sweet potato slices and a gravy. She was impressed with their ability to come up with something off menu and really enjoyed herself.
The drum was also wonderful in a pinot noir reduction with the mushrooms and spinach. Also the fish was huge compared to other places I’ve been to and left me full.
Overall, I was impressed and while Bea was equally impressed she left still feeling a little hungry.
Waitstaff was great, checking in without helicoptering around us and even calling us a cab to whisk us away to our next destination.
Great food, good wine choices, and very popular outdoor dining along Magazine. I can see us going back,