NOLA Restaurant

I gave this place 4 stars because my experience was just OK, we went to eat here on our last night in New Orleans for my friends bachelorette weekend, the food wasn’t bad but it was just ok the menu was good but not great over all I think you are mainly paying for the fact Emerils name is attached to the restaurant.

Start with the wood oven oysters and then the Shrimp and Grits is awesome! The grits taste like melted butter mashed potatoes and the shrimp has a spicy barbecue marinade with cured bacon that makes this dish very well balanced and delicious! Had the banana pudding and it was Ok. Overall very nice restaurant, location and food.

I usually stay away from tv chef restaurants as they now turn them into chain concepts and remove the chef creativity from the kitchen. Nola certainly fell into that trap. A great location and very cool restaurant with below average food combined with great service. This was very high priced for the quality. It appeared to me that the business model is to cater to one stop tourists that have the tv chef app and can find emeril.
I wish he would have been in the kitchen.

To start, this is a very cool looking restaurant. There are two floors for patrons to sit with an elevator connecting both those floors and a potential third floor. The service is very friendly and very good.
To start, we were served a brioche bread and a jalapeño biscuit bread with fresh butter. They were delicious, with the brioche bread being 10 times better than the biscuit.
My friend ordered the charbroiled oysters and their barbecue shrimp. The oysters were good but she claims she would not go back for more and the barbecue shrimp was delicious.
I ordered the beet salad, asking that the blue cheese be held, as well as ordering the Burratta salad. The beet salad was absolutely delicious and I cleaned the plate. The Burratta was topped with a very mild raspberry type of coulis jam which was just the right amount and it came with prosciutto and toasted brioche bread. It was outstanding.
For the entrée, both my friend and I ordered the shrimp and grits. The grits were cheesy and pretty good. The shrimps were covered with a mildly spicy sauce that was on the sweet side. To be honest, it was just OK. We both agreed that too much sauce was placed on the shrimp and it not only took away from the shrimp but it took a lot away from the grits. It really didn’t make the dish standout at all but rather less favorable.
For drinks, I had a glass of the red sangria which was wonderful. My friend had the watermelon martini and she had two of them and said they were awesome.
We skipped dessert as we were full and wanted to walk it off before even considering anything sweet.
Overall, it was a nice dining experience yet I would’ve likely chosen a different entrée had I known about the sauce used on the shrimps. It was just too much of it. The prices are moderate/​reasonable. If you like Cajun food, you will really like this place. It is located on St. Louis Street smack dab in the middle of the French quarter. Great location!

I brought a group here for dinner when we were in New Orleans for a Region Meeting (Nov 2014.) I have to comment on how well they handled our group of about 30 people. I had assorted appetizers pre ordered for the group and they separated and brought them out so there was enough at each table. Stuffed chicken wings went over well with my group. The gumbo was awesome!
The thing that impressed me the most was that when the entrees were delivered to the table an entire team of people came out and everyone’s plate was placed down in front of them in s synchronized motion. It was the first time I had experience anything like that. Their service was definitely on point and everyone was impressed with their entrees.
Let’s talk dessert for a minute… please get the banana pudding layer cake! It was equally pretty and delicious!

I ate at NOLA on my first day in New Orleans and it was terrific. The shrimp and grits were so good that I am tempted to go back on my second day. The atmosphere is festive and fun. I found it fairly loud, but a friend who lives here told me that Emeril’s main restaurant is twice as noisy and that they prefer the atmosphere at NOLA. I was with companions that ordered a dessert that I would normally have avoided: something called the ooey gooey cake made with chocolate cake, marshmallows, toasted coconut and coffee ice cream. It sounded over the top and it was… but also delicious!

Bam… this $hit is good. Never had a meal I didn’t like here. And I’ve had plenty.

My friend put this in her priority when in NOLA because apparently, it’s Emeril’s restaurant. The restaurant gets packed and reservations are a must. There are 3 floors, the 3^rd being a wine cellar so I was told after my friend was ear hustling in the elevator. All the servers were really nice and helpful. They gave good recommendations on their entrée’s and appetizers. You can also see the kitchen from the dining room so, I guess if you people watch, they’d be a good to check out.
The stuffed chicken wings was AMAZING. I forget what the server said, but she said it was stuffed with some kind of seafood. And it comes with sweet peanut sauce. Ugh, omgosh. AMAZING. My friend got the fried chicken mac & cheese. The chicken was tender and juicy. Perfect. Just everything. Perfect. Highly recommend.

Smoked duck mushroom ball. Might taste a little of fois gras. Gumbo, bit salty. Smoked rabbit with andouille ettuffe. Crème brûlée trio. Excellent service.

Phenomenal! I did the 3 course tasting and had the gumbo, the garlic crusted drum, and the banana pudding layer cake. The gumbo was delicious! Earthy, spicy, savory, I licked the bowl clean. The garlic crusted drum was by far of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever had! Lovely garlic flavor baked into a perfectly cooked piece of fish! The dessert was light and refreshing!
Must visit restaurant! Emeril Lagasse is a genius!

Another fantastic visit to NOLA. We had reservations for 615 and arrive a little after 6. There was a large private party so there was a wait for the elevator. I got the 3 course meal with pork cheeks, shrimp and grits and banana pudding. My husband got the gumbo, fried chicken and chocolate lava cake. I think the appetizer and entrée with the 3 course meal were slightly smaller portions than the regular meals as I recalled a bigger portion of shrimp and grits from my last visit. Either way I was stuffed at the end of the night. Everything was delicious and I tried the fried chicken. It was very moist for chicken breast and had crispy skin. It came with Mac and cheese that was creamy but not overly cheesy. Dessert was good but the textures were off. Everything was soft but then once in awhile you bit into a graham cracker or crumbles that threw my chewing off.

This was our last dinner in New Orleans. The food was good — nothing more, nothing less.
Service was okay — didn’t really experience that «Southern Hospitality» we got everywhere else.
The appetizers were better than the over priced mains… I had the Drumb and my husband had the fried chicken. (Both had better at other places.)
My main complaint — was the blasting air condition that was blowing directly on me the entire meal. When I asked if they could do something, we were told it goes on and off. So when it was «off» I’d get 2 mins of relief, than go back to freezing the entire meal. Did not offer to switch us tables, or do anything at all really.
Also — there were a LOT of empty tables when we got there at 8 not sure why it’s so hard to get a reservation.
The atmosphere is nice — I wish we were on the 1^st floor though seemed more lively.
Overall the food was okay and did the trick, but would probably skip next time around.

Back in New Orleans and back to NOLA. Another 5 star experience. The service and food are just outstanding here. This time had a wonderful duck and andouille gumbo. Depth of flavor was just unbelievable. Wife had a wonderful glazed duck which was so tender and flavorful. You could tell it was a local duck as well. Big portion. I had the drum fish with a mushroom sauce that made me want to lick the plate. Finished with the banana pudding cake with a chocolate caramel sauce. Just outstanding.
Another fabulous meal with 5 star service.

Tell people you’re eating at NOLA and they say «where in NOLA?» «NOLA,» yeah but where??? Emerils in NOLA… French Quarter to be exact. And BAM!!! it’s good. And so elegant… you don’t even realize you’re in the FQ. Just one minor complaint. I had the best fried chicken of my life here (well, actually Bob did but I steal from his plate) and I couldn’t wait to get back and have that all to myself. So as soon as my butt is in the chair I announce «I’ve been dreaming of their fried chicken» only to be told «we have a new chef and he’s changed the chicken.» Well d@mn…another dream out the window.
Not to worry… the food here is outstanding. After having a Bloody Mary that was big enough for lunch, I went to another tried and true fave… shrimp and grits. And it was um um good. This does come with Libby V. seal of approval. I can’t remember what Bob had cause I was so into my shrimp and grits there was no food theft going on… that’s just not like me but speaks volumes.
I do remember sharing a dessert with him… Banana Cream Pie or something. It was beautiful and had chocolate on it. They had me at chocolate. It was love at first bite. Life is good.
If you haven’t been in, you need to go.

Always good and consistent. Very much an Emeril’s restaurant. Had a quick lunch at the bar and glad I stopped. They always have an interesting selection of wines by the glass which went great with a deep rich gumbo and a crab imperial with flat bread.

Bam! Of course I had to hit up one of Emeril’s restaurants while in town! When we got here for lunch, the place was pretty quiet but soon it filled up. Since it was our last day, we were still stuffed from all our previous meals.
So, mom ordered Mrs. Hay’s Vietnamese Fried Oyster Po’Boy, which was amazing and out of this world delicious. It came with some kimchi, which was really on point. The oysters were delicious!!!
For me, I got the chicken and waffles. It was huge. The mac & cheese side dish it came with was super spicy, way more than I’d expect or was used to (and trust me, I love my spice!). I couldn’t even finish it. The chicken and waffles themselves were alright, not as good as I was hoping. I think mom made the better choice!
We split the banana layered bread dessert and it was out of this world delicious. It was the perfect end to the meal. Sweet but not overly sweet. And also, light as a feather. So good that I almost want to write it a love letter.
I also ordered the Sazerac drink, which was pretty good. Not as strong as one would think.
The wait staff are friendly and very on point. They tried to keep up with water intake, which is always appreciated. I also love the décor of the restaurant.
I would definitely return — but next time, I’m going to be the one ordering the fried oyster po boy!

The ambiance is way better than the food. Food is still decent, but if I’m looking to spend bank on a classy and delicious meal I’ll probably head elsewhere next time I’m in New Orleans.
Because you can call ahead for a group reservation, this is a good pick for a large party. We were here for a bachelorette party dinner and they were also able to create a custom printed menu with our bride to be’s name on it and a customized dessert. It’s all about the small details, and I really appreciated these nice gestures.
The food certainly wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t knock my socks off either. To start, we ordered the greek veggie pizza, the stuffed chicken wings and a charcuterie plate. The charcuterie plate was probably the standout, and had this awesome pork spread which is something that I’ve never seen before. Didn’t try the stuffed chicken, but the greek pizza was kind of narsty — the crust was really soggy and flimsy.
I was having trouble choosing between the shrimp and grits and braised short rib, and ended up going with the short rib. The actual cut of meat was super lean and I really enjoyed, but the flavor of the sauce over the whole dish just really didn’t do it for me. Once again, not bad, just not the greatest.
Dessert was incredible. Some kind of s’mores brûlée custard pudding goodness. I don’t even know. I just ate it, and did not ask any questions.
The meal was pretty pricey, but between a few shared apps and desserts, an entrée each and some bottles of wine we certainly had plenty to fill up on!

Beautiful NOLA inspired restaurant with a seductive ambiance. Think dim lights, exposed brick, purple and gold bunting cloth, linen napkins, Fiji or sparkling water, open kitchen, 2-​story dining with an elevator and perfect view of the French Quarter.
If you’re thinking this is bliss; you’re absolutely correct! NOLA Restaurant was a delightful dinner experience with extremely pleasant service. I opted for the special salad of the evening which was a thinly sliced, sauteed eggplant stuffed with delicious mascarpone cheese and sweet red peppers, lightly drizzled olive oil, topped with fresh anchovies. This dish was served cold and mouthwatering is the best way to describe it. I highly enjoyed the mussels along with the BBQ shrimp. The portions were small so I was able to dibble and dabble without being stuffed. My dining partner ordered an lovely pasta dish. For dessert we decided on the brulee trio… to die for!!!
Do not leave NOLA without visiting NOLA.
~Christy

NOLA is is not your typical, fussy fine dining!
Upon entering the adorable restaurant, I enjoyed a warm welcome, was seated and served immediately. Daniel, my server, presented himself well. He was extremely friendly and accommodating.
I started with homemade jalapeño cornbread. So delicious and loaded with flavor. From there everything was great and all, and the real draw was the top-​of-​line (the killer shrimp and grits) — Just take my word for it.
No. Seriously. If you haven’t tried the shrimp and grits yet, now’s the time.
P.S: King Cake Bread Pudding was not my favorite.
Four Unilocal

The restaurant is quite charming on two levels. Upon arrival the word that came to mind was «pristine». Everything sparkles. And no wonder. Our reservation was @ 9:45 so the staff was working toward the next day while we were still there. We saw how vigorously they worked to make all the stemware sparkle! I don’t know about you, but this means a lot to me & reflects quality of course.
It’s a very casual restaurant. I believe they call it upscale casual but it’s in a tourist area so the dress code is mostly ignored. i. e. people were in jeans/​tee shirts.
Hubby began w/​oven oysters which were smokey & yummy. He had the pork chop which he felt was better than the one he’d had @ Emeril’s (Kitchen Bar). Our waiter said that’s a popular opinion. He liked the sweetness of the sweet potatoes & sauce.
Hubby noted that lots a fried chicken was being delivered. It must be good.
I ordered a bottle of Le Crema chard’ from California & the waiter delivered it perfectly, bucketed it properly. & unlike @ Antoine’s (peruse that review), he never rushed a pour & suggested that I take it home & double bagged it! Their wine list is substantial. Not a 2 ton book like Emeril’s, but substantial.
I ordered from the holiday Reveillon menu which is Prix Fixe determined by entrée. (See

for explanation/​history)

Mine choice was $ 70. I started w/​the foie gras served on a bed of arugula. Two nice rounds of patè on baguette topped with a dollop of cranberry mostarda. Followed by a rich turtle soup. Where’s the sherry? I asked. And they brought it. Made all the difference – nutty perfection, except the dab of rice was cold. Entrée, drum on cedar plank w/​caramelized onions, fingerling potatoes &. .. Escargot! So good.
Hubby shared my desert of apple tart surrounded by a cranberry sauce, topped with a spiced ice cream. Excellent selection, waiter.
The regular menu is reasonably priced for a moderately upscale restaurant.
It is LOUD. It didn’t quiet down until 10:45p. where we were on the second floor.
Our waiter was knowledgeable, friendly, smiled a lot & answered all my questions w/​a sense of humor. Everyone we encountered was talkative and smiling.
I can’t wait to go back. (4 stars for the rice, I’d make it 4 ½ if I could)