New Orleans Hotel and Dining Recommendations

[Quellman]

https://hotelmonteleone.com

A quite historic hotel with a neat history, roof top pool, and is still just a street removed from bourbon street. It sits right along the fancy shops, is a short walk to the streetcar which will get you to the garden district and is a pleasant walk to the jackson square area.

Monteleone is a win for us as well.

 

[KermitRocks]

Thank you very much for the recommendations! I want to try them all but with only 3-4 days I think we won't even make a dent into all that New Orleans has to offer. LOL.
We will be arriving Feb. 7 on the Wonder.

 

[DCL_Wonder]

We really like the old-New Orleans atmosphere of Le Pavillon. It's also close enough to St. Charles that you can catch parades easily without being caught up in the insanely crowded French Quarter. When we stayed for by birthday one year, my DH especially loved their complimentary pb&j sandwiches every evening.

I stayed at the Le Pavillion in the 1980's when I was in New Orleans for the first time on business. It's a wonderful hotel and I'm glad they are still doing the pb&j sandwiches.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

We really like the old-New Orleans atmosphere of Le Pavillon. It's also close enough to St. Charles that you can catch parades easily without being caught up in the insanely crowded French Quarter. When we stayed for by birthday one year, my DH especially loved their complimentary pb&j sandwiches every evening.

My adult son lives for those PB&J sandwiches and the rooftop pool with the ridiculous statues. You really can't much more classical New Orleans than the Pavillon. And they run great special rates in the non-tourist seasons too.

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

I'm looking for hotel and restaurant recommendations now that the Wonder will be sailing out of New Orleans next year. First time to New Orleans and looking for a central location to experience as much as possible in a short amount of time. No kiddos on this trip. Thank you in advance for your recommendations and help.

We've eaten fantastic authentic NoLa food at Stanley in the French Quarter several times! I highly recommend it!

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

New Orleans is one of my favorite places to use Priceline or Hotwire for a blind booking. I search for a 4 or 5 star in the French Quarter (or sometimes the business district, but usually the quarter), and I had had great luck! I usually walk everywhere in New Orleans, except when I travel with a friend who doesn't like that much walking - then we Uber or Lyft everywhere. I usually don't move my car after we arrive.

A few of my dining spots:

Arnauds. Make reservations ahead of time and be sure to get either the Bananas Foster or the Cafe Brulot for a table side experience. There is also a little walk-through Mardi Gras museum upstairs.

Cafe du Monde. Yep, it is a tourist trap. But I still love it. Get there early for breakfast have a beignet and some coffee then take a walk to the French Market and/or around Jackson Square. The non-French Quarter locations don't have the same atmosphere, IMO.

Muriel's has good food AND a haunted table. Ask to see it.

Mother's is good for a lunch-type meal.

Commander's Palace, Antoine's, Galatoire's - you can't go wrong with any place with an 's in the name. lol These are all old, classic New Orleans restaurants.

Better yet - go schedule the ghost tour with free tours by foot and learn about Muriel's.... then eat there!

 

[tidefan]

Bottom line is that it's hard to go wrong with food in New Orleans. Heck, we were down for one of the Mardi Gras parades and I took my DD over to a Rouses Market just to find something quick and she got a made-to-order panini that she said was one of the best thing she's ever eaten...

Also, do yourself a favor and pick up some Community Coffee. Golden Caramel and Mardi Gras King Cake are our favorites...

 

[Trera]

https://hotelmonteleone.com

This is where we always stay.

For dinner, we always get one night at Antoine’s that an earlier poster recommended. Famous doe oysters Rockefeller and Baked Alaska!

We are never disappointed

 

[caylene44]

Food - GW FINs is great for nice seafood restaurant.

If you like seafood, I second GW Fins! We went for our anniversary dinner last year and were blown away by the food/service. If you do go, make sure men are wearing long pants and a nice shirt (I believe polos are acceptable). They will make you change.

We stayed at the Omni Royal Orleans and thought it was beautiful inside. Good location if you want to be in the French Quarter.

 

[disdel]

Bump, hoping for more input. Really looking forward to our arrival on the WONDER.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

There are numerous hotels in the French Quarter, most of which have been mentioned in previous posts. We like the OMNI Royal Orleans. It is a great place to stay in the French Quarter. It is a historic building and the roof top pool deck is really nice. I suggest getting a balcony room. The Rib Room is the restaurant in the lobby and is quite good.

Having lived in south Louisiana all of my life I have been to New Orleans hundreds of times and we always go to Cafe du Monde for beignets (family tradition). It is the quintessential spot for beignets and coffee. We are not coffee drinkers so for us it is hot chocolate(winter) of chocolate milk(summer). Go early to beat the crowds. We love the Quarter in the early morning.

There are almost endless possibilities for dining in NO. Some of our favorites are The Chophouse for steaks, The Court of Two Sisters for brunch, Brennan's, The Gumbo Shop(Creole style), Cafe Maspero's(on Decatur St). Whatever you do, make sure to get some fresh Louisiana Gulf shrimp(in gumbo, fried on a po-boy, anyway you can). Also, Drago's charbroiled oysters are to die for. Central Grocery will give you a genuine muffuletta.

In the evenings a Pat O'Briens Hurricane is what we like. Get it to go and walk the Quarter. Royal Street has a nice selection of shops, antique and other and art galleries.

Ride the street car. It is a true taste of NO. If you have time, ride the St. Charles line to the end and back. You will get to see a different side of the city than the French Quarter.

Have a great trip! Cheers!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DisneyEcho]

Thank you very much for the recommendations! I want to try them all but with only 3-4 days I think we won't even make a dent into all that New Orleans has to offer. LOL.
We will be arriving Feb. 7 on the Wonder.

Please leave the Wonder in good shape because we’re sailing on it Feb. 7 after you deliver it on your cruise! So excited to be sailing on the first Disney cruise out of New Orleans!!

 

[jeffbeardreams]

There are numerous hotels in the French Quarter, most of which have been mentioned in previous posts. We like the OMNI Royal Orleans. It is a great place to stay in the French Quarter. It is a historic building and the roof top pool deck is really nice. I suggest getting a balcony room. The Rib Room is the restaurant in the lobby and is quite good.

The Rib Room is responsible for the worst case of the "meat sweats" I've had in my life ... and all I ate was the SMALLEST serving of prime rib on the menu. That place is an American treasure.

 

[minnie4ever]

Torn between the Bourbon Orleans and the Omni Royal. The Bourbon is cheaper (and near the NCIS "set") than the Omni, but the Omni is closer to Court of 2 Sisters and Antoines and Brennans.
What to do?????? I am a solo senior so I will probably cab it to a lot of places. Am from the wilds of Vermont so Uber/Lyft are not as popular here so I am wary). Will be doing the Wonder PC in March 2020. Suggestions are appreciated.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Torn between the Bourbon Orleans and the Omni Royal. The Bourbon is cheaper (and near the NCIS "set") than the Omni, but the Omni is closer to Court of 2 Sisters and Antoines and Brennans.
What to do?????? I am a solo senior so I will probably cab it to a lot of places. Am from the wilds of Vermont so Uber/Lyft are not as popular here so I am wary). Will be doing the Wonder PC in March 2020. Suggestions are appreciated.

Honestly, the French Quarter is so small and easy to walk that I would just pick the one you like best overall.

 

[CrazzzyforDisney83]

Willa Jean for brunch is delicious as well. One of our newest faves. And Johnny Sanchez!

 

[Joel0917]

Warehouse district for sure. We just stayed at Cambria. Brand new and quiet!
Mother’s is one block away the best jambalaya around.
We did cafe bigness in royal. The breakfast looked great and inexpensive at $7/$8 for an omelette and only $4 for three beignets

 

[Disneycruiser17]

Hotels: Monteleone, Roosevelt or the Ritz are personal favorites

Restaurants: for beignets = Cafe Beignet - good ambiance and better coffee than Cafe du monde, plus it’s not a packed mad house

Cafe Amelie is great for brunch, cool courtyard seating and really great food. You’ll need a reservation...

Emeril’s Nola, Deanie’s for seafood (huge portions), Acme Oyster House for chargrilled oysters, Mahony’s has good po boys

Lots of good options for both food and sleep. Enjoy.

 

[Happy99]

The Gumbo Shop is the best gumbo I've ever had and if you're vegetarian, they even have a veggie one available. Sooo good!

I know everyone talks about Cafe du Monde, but I'm going to be honest, I think their beignets are mediocre and their coffee terrible. I've never understood why that place is mobbed and everyone says you have to go there. Not that I can provide a good beignet alternative, but there's got to be one that's better than that tourist trap.

I agree did not like Cafe du Monde at all. We tried Cafe Beignet this year and we enjoyed it more.

 

[lilmc]

Central Grocery will give you a genuine muffuletta.

I can’t believe it took so long for someone to bring up my favorite muffuletta! I wait in line for cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe du Monde (yes, it’s a tourist trap and yes, there’s often vomit on the floor, that’s why I wear washable or disposable shoes in NOLA, but they’re the best!), then head over to Central Grocery when they open, grab a muffuletta, then walk around for a few hours, then have a picnic lunch. They’re really better after a bit and not right away when the olive oil has throughly soaked into the bread......