NOLA Restaurant

We had the gumbo of the day - braised pork, sausage with black eyed peas - and for dinner, the shrimp and grits. These dishes were by far the best I have ever tasted! The gumbo was unusual, but awesome. We also ordered fried oysters, and they were great as well; fried perfectly so you could still taste them. Service was excellent. I noticed the reviews stated bad service, but my water was refilled without ever having to ask, our plates came out hot and even @ the same time, and the waiter was knowledgeable and helpful to a tourist like us! Only con was the seating was a bit cramped in the section we were in. We could overhear the tables next to us perfectly, and the couple next to us even started talking to us. The restaurant is large, so just ask to sit at a good spot if other are available to avoid this...

Went for lunch on a Friday. Contrary to many reviews, the atmosphere to include the lack of excessive noise was perfect. Well attended to by three staffers. Stuffed deboned chicken wings to start were great. Jalapeno corn bread moist and nicely flavored. Wife had the boneless fried chicken and it was awesome. Breading crisp while chicken still moist. She didn't want the side dishes that accompanied her dish and they gladly brought her other sides to include the house "mac and cheese" and honey baked white beans both of which are must haves. I had the "shrimp and grits" and it was spectacular. 1/2 dozen large shrimp with a great flavor and the perfect level of doneness. Creamy grits with a nice texture and a delicious butter sauce. We lived in New Orleans for 8 years and have been to all the Brennan's family restaurants and the other Emeril's restaurants as well as the renowned Bayona and Brightsen's. This was the most enjoyable meal I've had at any of them. Comfortable atm... Read more

This used to be my favorite restaurant in New Orleans but it really disappointed me on my visit a couple months ago. The food was average a...

So we were looking for somewhere cheap to dine at for lunch today. After spending at least $100.00 everywhere else we went. We chose NOLA, because well.. Its Emeril's restaurant. We were seated by the manager. It took a while for a real waiter to come serve us. We ordered our drinks, and after 20 minutes or longer we were served a choice of bread. I ordered the brisket at lunch and my mom ordered the pulled pork sandwich. My meat was good, albeit the sauce on the barbecue was a bit sweet. I liked how the servers were synchronized at putting things down on your table at the same time. I thought the gumbo and crab cake were delicious. Our servers would disappear for long periods of time and we would be trying to flag them down. When NOLA went South was when we received our desserts. I had the banana pudding cake, which was great. And my mom had the ooey gooey cake. I tasted some of hers and immediately noticed I could not swallow the bite I took. I discovered a medium sized dark hair in ... Read more

Ate at Nola expecting bold flavors and cajun kick. My food was bland and under seasoned. My friend's was salted to the point she could not taste the meat. It was probably the worst meal I ate in New Orleans. Much more disappointing, however, was the service. There was a HAIR in my friend's drink and, though it was taken off the bill, she was not apologized to nor given a replacement. I will never dine there again and recommend you do not either.

this was our first rest for dinner on our first eve in good ol' NAWLINS! The best thing was that this was open till 10:00 pm GOOD GOD every one closes at 9:00 pm on a Fri!! The ambiance was very nice and the service was great! I had the special crab cake that was to die for and my B-F had the salad with feta cheese that was nice as well. I ordered the fish of the day (ehhh it was OK) he ordered the steak and potatoes with was AMAZING!! Wine list was great as well they had a great list for the food that was being served. It was cozy and lively as well. We didnt get to try a dessert due to the fact that we had a OVER SWEET BREAD PUDDING AT ANOTHER PLACE>>> But all in all yep this one was a great great experiance!! The Price Point was great as well for the amount of food you got.

My boyfriend and I went to NOLA as a friend of mine recommended it.. We absolutely did not like the food.. Instead of ordering appetizer and an entry, we decided to just get few appetizers and share... that we can try few different things.. So, first of, I asked the waiter how many we would need to fill up and he said at least 6. We ordered 5. We ordered chicken wings that were stuffed and some people rave about them, they were not good at all...first of all, they were all burned on the outsde and the inside which consisted of shrimp and pork was tasteless.. then we got oysters and crabs that were baked..this dish was ok..and then came the crab cake and the foe gras..wow..I could not believe it was that bas.. Crab cake had a hard shell which it should not.. on top it had an eggplant puree which was mostly made of garlick.. it took me houuuuuuuurs to get the traste out of my mouth and then comes the best part.. it was so over salted that even I could not eat...and I put salt on everythi... Read more

One of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans. It never disappoints. Great variety of local seafood and yummy appetizers and desserts. Not...

I love coming to this restaurant! It is the best. Jorge, the manager, is great with his customers and makes sure they are happy! The shrimp ...

I love you Emeril! We came into town for the NBA All-Star week end. The streets were blocked off and the police were nice enough to let me through to get to this great spot. I had the Shrimp and Grits and all I can say is WOW! I started off with the Smoke Salmon salad /w Caviar and a glass of Emeril?s Chardonnay. The dessert was a nice slice of Banana pudding Cake. The service was a perfect 10. Places like this make New Orleans memorable. I will be back!!!!

I'm just back from New Orleans with 6 girlfriends from the Bay Area. We went down there to celebrate a 40th birhtday and I picked Nola's as the 'special' birthday night dining destination for Saturday evening. We were not disappointed. In fact, it was so good, we came back again the next night (sans reservations) and were accommodated and so well taken care of. Everything about this place is professional, service oriented and most of all, friendly. When we arrived we were promptly seated at a lovely table by the window. Our waitress for the evening was one of the nicest I've ever had and was very helpful with recommendations off the menu. They have a very extensive wine menu and their Sommelier is amazing, very down-to-earth and gave us a fantasic recommendation on a VERY resonabely priced bottle of wine - so well priced we drank 7-8 bottles ooops.... so nice to go to a high end restaurant and not feel pressured into expensive wine. This was $26 a bottle and it ROCKED and i'm... Read more

I took my fiance to NOLA the Friday after Thanksgiving for our anniversary. The restaurant, inside, is sooo cool! It has a nice "old school" feel to it...a lot of exposed brick....we got there 30 minutes early and sat at the bar....bar selection was ok, not great, not bad....we were seated by our really nice hostess and the wait staff was awesome....I had the Fried Chicken (which I HIGHLY recommend) and my fiance had the Filet Mignon....both were awesome. I also suggest you NOT miss out on the GUMBO...was stock full of meat and nice on such a cold night....for desert I had the white choclate bread pudding, which was to DIE for and my fiance' had the pecan pie. My only "gripe" was that I had contacted the restaurant, via OpenTable, to have a special desert made for my fiance' and no one acknowledged that I had even made the request....oh well, our night wasn't as special as that would have made it, but it was a great experience....we will go back when in New Orleans!!!

We dined at NOLA on thursday 11/15. From start to finish everything was fantastic. The host was extremely nice and seated us at a nice table over-looking the second dloor. We have 3 very attentive waiters who made sure we were always well taken care of. I had the baked oyster and crabmeat and my boyfriend had the duck confit pizza. Both were outstanding. For our entrees, I had the filet mignon and my boyfriend had the fried chicken. The filet was exceptional and the portolbello mushroom filled with blue cheese was a fantastic addition. The fried chicked was delicious. We spilt the banana pudding cake, which was layered with fresh bananas and cream. A perfect ending to a great dinner. We eat out quite a lot in NYC and NOLA was outstanding. Definitely eat there if you can. And skip restuarnt August. We ended up walking out because of the atrocious service.

We were really looking forward to dining at NOLA's considering it was owned by one of the top chef's in the Country. Unfortunately, we just weren't 'wowed'! We had to wait to be seated even though we had a reservation. To be fair, we did arrive about fifteen minutes prior to the reservation time but there were a number of empty tables when we did arrive. The overall service was exemplary. Three servers that never allowed your water glass to be less than filled. The pan seared crab cake was slightly over cooked, too crisp on the outside and slightly over salted. The salad and soup were terrific. There was a lull between the salad course and receiving our entrees though. We were seated at a table where we could see straight down the line of cooks. One of the cooks consistantly had a very heavy hand when he salted and seaoned most of the dishes. I had ordered the ribeye steak which was most disappointing. It was very thin, cooked beyond the 'medium' I had ordered and way over ... Read more

I'm from Chicago and I booked my reservation because I wanted to get a true New Orleans dining experience. The service was impeccable from the moment I walked in until the moment I left. The food was great (I enjoyed my shrimp and grits) but other dishes such as the Mahi Mahi were just adequate. In general, the great service and pleasant dining experience compensated for any of the lackluster cuisine. I would definitely recommend NOLA to out of town visitors looking for tasty New Orleans cuisine.

I still can't stop thinking about the shrimp and grits! The flavor was amazing, a perfect blend of butteriness, cheese, and spice. The stuffed chicken wings were also great. This place can get rather boisterous, but since we were in a large group it worked out perfectly. All in all the atmosphere was nice, the staff good, and the food delicious.

Emeril doesn't live here anymore (may stop in once in a while) and a lot of the dishes were included in one or more of his cookbooks, but he has left the place in the capable hands of chef de cuisine Michael Ruoss. My wife fell in love with the old standby of Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Burbon Mashed Sweet potatoes, but I was with blown away by the Shrimp & Grits (sauteed Gulf Shrimp, Grilled Green onions, Smoked Chedder Grits, Creole Tomato Glaze and red Chili-Abita Butter Sauce) which the waiter credited to chef Ruoss. Note to Emeril: If I come from New Jersey to NO to eat at your restaurant I expect that the cookbooks for sale at the bar will be autographed. I could have ordered an unsigned book at Amazon

i truly enjoyed my recent dining experience at nola. first, the service was very friendly and attentive. the restaurant does get crowded so make sure you have reservations. although we had to wait 10 minutes after our reserved time, it was no biggie because they explained that they were just waiting for people to pay. second, they were very accommodating. my friends were pretty hungry but they were kind enough to give us bread while we waited. third, the food was great. i had the pork porterhouse with sweet potato glazed with brown sugar. it was very good and juicy. my friends had the fried chicken and they enjoyed it as well. the servings are pretty big too. i would definitely go back.

Got to dine at Nola for my birthday last week. I made a reservation 3 weeks ago but since it was Mardi gras we wanted to eat at the bar.The host were so wonderful when we walked in the door.They knew it was my bithdat and took me arm in arm to the bar.The bartender..TOM was a dream..HE MADE THE best COCKTAILS AND DINNER AT THE BAR WAS ALOT OF FUN. The staff will NOT let a lady walk anywhere in the place without an arm and the food is OUT OF THIS WORLD. You will love this place I hade the wings, the oysters and the shrimp and grits. Yumm! Thank you NOLA I will be back!

This restaurant is amazing. The server's even take your arm (if you are female) and escort you to the restroom. The service in general is impeccable. The food is just as amazing as well. Try the fried chicken, it melts in your mouth!

First timer to New Orleans, accompanied by an expert...LOL! He made reservations about a week ahead of time and said I would love it..he was right! Food was TERRIFIC!! The servers come around with fresh bread and you choose what you want. I had a little focaccia roll; I would compare it to a Lender's onion bagel. (I love those things, though.) I was not into the cornbread, but only because of the jalapeno. If not for that, I would have maybe eaten three or four. My date said he could eat a whole basket of them. (I let him have mine.) For an appetizer we had the pizza with kalamata olives, fire roasted tomatoes, mozzerella, fresh garlic cloves and God knows what else, but it was very good! My man also had a bowl of gumbo that I did not want to try, for fear of having no room for desert. I had the grilled fish of the day, which was Mahi-Mahi on Saturday. It was cooked perfectly with such a light, but tasty sauce, and the ravioli was of course not Chef Boyardee, but Chef Emeril style.... Read more

food was very good. service left a lot to be desired. nice view from our table but was trapped in a corner.

In Short Any restaurant associated with Lagasse will be crowded, but Nola has a distinctly informal feel--somewhere between hipster chic and white linen. The kitchen balances a dizzying array of flavors and textures in its deep selection of contemporary Creole dishes. The rotating menu has featured such dishes as paillard (quickly grilled breast scallop) of chicken with portobello mushroom, chevre-potato ravioli and smoked shoestring onion rings, and cedar plank-roasted redfish.

My husband and I spent the Friday before Katrina at NOLA. We had eaten there many times prior to that evening. This Friday night, in particular, was very memorable. Everything.... the food, the service, the wine, the smiles of Jorge, Troy and Mike were especially poignant. We wonder if they're still at NOLA, and if they're safe. They gave us wonderful memories time and again. Hoping someone out there has dined at NOLA recently and if they had service from these gentlemen.

Just 3 days after re-opening Hubby and I strolled in on a Thursday evening to find a half-empty room and no one at our favorite Kitchen counter spot. Lucky us! It is fun to watch and talk to the kitchen staff, not a romantic dinner place anyway might as well have dinner and a show. A couple of little extras sometimes slide across the counter. Our waiter was attentive, recommended a delicious, affordable wine. But the food, Oooo La La! Gumbo had the sweetest shrimp, oven baked bread was wonderful, but my shrimp on cheese grits was simply overwhelmingly tasty. Hubby had baby back ribs which I considered wrestling him for, except my shrimp was too delicious to give up. Sublime coffee creme brulee. Wow, better meal than a week before at Emeril's re-opening, less expensive too. Can't wait to return. Maybe they are trying a bit harder Post-K.

I came into NOLA from out of town and was anxious to try. I have been to some of the finest restaurants in New York City in which if it was not for my wife being there with me, I would have to rank NOLA as one of the finest places I have been to. The food was tasteful and not overdone. Appetizers were excellent and service was key. Make certain that if you go, ask what is the favorite of the server. All of the people that were at my table were skeptical on getting the smoked duck of which this was the best thing served at the table. I look forward to going again!

My husband and I went to Nola this past weekend and I think I'm still full! The food was so amazing, I kept eating long after I was full. I had the arugala salad with bleu cheese, candied cherries and pecans to begin with and I never enjoyed a salad so much in my life! Each course just got better and better. The peanut butter pie was awesome. The service was excellent from beginning to end. I felt like royalty. All I can say is BAM! what a great place to dine!

New Orleans first time vistor. All three Emerils retaurants were recommended by family/friends. Spent a week in New Orleans and had many great dining experiences but NOLA was not one them. Hostess was unpleasant even after we told her we had reservations. Our wait staff of three, range from good to one over explaining how to read the menu and food. Corn muffin was dreadfully dry and tasteless. The rest of the food was just okay. Seating was too close to neighbors and the restaurant was extremely noisy. NOLA ruined any chances of us visting any other Emeril restaurants.

Unlike the previous review, my recent experience at the restaurant was anything but poor. The wait staff was prompt and attentive. The atmosphere was bustling, but not TOO overcrowded. And, the food - incredible! I had steak (I know, who goes to New Orleans for steak?!) but it was cooked to perfection with a blue cheese-stuffed portabello on top for added flava'. My husband had the buttermilk fried chicken - which also comes with a twist: it is served over green onion grits. The flavor combinations of the chicken, unique grits, and gravy were not something you'd think up at home, but were absolutely perfect. Comfort food at its best. Don't forget the desserts...the NOLA Buzz Bomb is a must for chocolate lovers...but the banana pudding layer cake really brings home the prize (the homemade vanilla wafers are scrumptious and really kick this dessert up a notch).

Seated quickly and yummy appetizers - amazing. From there it went downhill. Hickory roasted duck and fire roasted corn salad and candied pecan sounds good but tastes horrible - I may never eat duck again. Husband had buttermilk chicken which was good but you could make at home. Very noisy - could not hear each other nor could we hear the wait staff. There are better places in town.

Emeril owns a few restaurants in New Orleans, and this is one of them. Great upscale New Orleans style food-- we had come crab cakes and eto...

My husband and I spent a long weekend in New Orleans in April 2005. It was a first to NO for both of us and we wanted to make the best of it by eating at some of the best restaurants in NO. To save money, we did most of our 'fine dining' during the lunch hours. We made reservations in advance and were promptly seated. The rolls and muffins are excellent - we highly recommend the corn bread with jalapeno! Excellent! I had the swordfish, and the sauce it was in was phenominal!! My husband had the grouper & shrimp and absolutely loved it! The service was great - I even got escorted back to our table after going to the restroom!!

Our waiter was Great the sommelier was even better suggesting a fabulous wine I had never tried.The service was amazing we felt like Cinderella's at the ball. Then the food came and it was love at first bite. The jalapano cornbread is a must. Roasted Garlic Bisque is our new favorite thing. We all had the Filet all cooked to the perfect tempature and so tender you could cut it with a fork The "Buzzbomb" is almost a sexual experience. We had so much fun can't wait til our next trip!!

Any visitor to NOLA will be overwhelmed by the myriad of choices to eat at in the Quarter, but you simply can't go wrong if you choose to eat at this chic yet classy Emeril mainstay. Expect a wait, even if you have a reservation, that's what comes with popularity. The duck is the stuff of dreams. The seafood stew is chock full of fresh Gulf seafood and comes simmering in a heavenly broth. Go straight for the jalapeno cornbread when the bread basket comes out. NOLA is noisy, so if you are seeking a quiet meal, this would not be your place.

Emeril's boisterous eatery pack's 'em in on the weekends so reserve early! Before the meal you are offered your choice of breads. Pass on the french roll and the jalepeno corn muffin and go straight for the sweet potato raisin bread - it's heavenly! We split a duck liver mousse with greens, stilton and walnuts to start and it was very good. Next we sampled the roasted garlic soup and the turtle soup and both were simply excellent. Next we tried the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Crispy Polenta Cake, braised fennel, roasted peppers and grilled wild mushrooms on a roasted garlic-parmesan cream and my wife had the wood oven Cassoulet of smoked duck, sausage, and lamb brochette - smoky and rich! Both were outstanding. Service was terrific and the wine list extensive. Skip the banana layer cake - not worth the calories. A great value for this quality of food.

I had the pizza and wasabi taco, both of which were average. Pecan crusted flounder was good. Service was spotty, but generally good. I have eaten here twice, and was not overly impressed on either visit.

Overpriced, boring dishes with lack luster service. My wife and I had barbeque gulf shrimp, duck liver mousse pate' with white truffle vinaigrette. where's the truffles? Seared scallop for appetizer, I try their flag ship entree, hickory roasted duck butter milk-corn bread pudding and fire roasted corn salad and candied pecan. Sounds good but taste horrible. I couldn't find any corn or candied pecan at my dish instead stalk of green peas and duck is so overly done. my wife had cedar planked fish of the day Fish wasn't even edible, so under cook, and flavor was very confusing??? what a tourist trap! I have been to other food networks chefs' restaurants like Mario Botali, Bobby Flay, Morimoto; however, Emeril's culinary skills doesn't even come close to them. Very disappointing!

My husband and I came here for a celebratory dinner. We chose this Emeril restaurant since it was his most casual and affordable. We were not disappointed. First of all, the service was incredible. We had three servers working with us all night who anticipated our every need and were quite funny to boot. Dessert took too long to arrive and we were not charged for it. We had the crabcake appetizer, turtle soup, parmiggiano basil soup, filet, and ribeye which were all outstanding. The table next to us had seafood and were also raving about it. Overall, highly recommend this place for both the service and the entrees. PS. make a reservation and call the day before to confirm it so you can get in smoothly.

Everytime I come to New Orleans, I eat at least one meal at this place. You won't find better service, quality of food or food presentation in the French Quarter. The menu is always completely different when I go but you cannot beat the Taste of New Orleans. Wine variety can be overwhelming but it is nice to know that you can still get a delightful bottle of wine for under $30 at a restaurant of this quality. The only complaint I have with NOLA is the noise. If you want to have a quiet, romantic dinner for two this surely is not the place to have conversation. However, if you are there to eat and enjoy a dining experience, it is a must try. The place also seems to be managed in tip top shape. The wait staff seemed more polite and less annoyingly attentive.

I am a true foodie and dining in various restaurants is a hobby of mine, which I do on a weekly basis. Being from New York, I have had the opportunity to dine at many excellent restaurants when at home as well as when I travel. Nola was one of my best dining experiences. The food was fabulous (and compared to New York reasonably priced). I had the 4 course tasting menu of the day while I was there. Each course was different and incredible. The service was the best I have ever experienced. Incredibly attentive wait staff. I highly recommend Nola. Make reservations as far as possibly in advance.

I disagree with the "User Provided Information" provided for NOLA Restaurant. I've eaten at NOLA several times with my wife and found it to be very romantic.

Dined at NOLA about 5 months ago. The service was great, while the food was only good. I would not consider NOLA to be a romantic spot to dine. Excellent atmosphere, but not romantic. Quite casual and fast-paced.

After watching Emeril's shows on the Food Network, I expected that his recipes be more inventive and the atmosphere slightly more exclusive. Even with a reservation we, a party of 6, waited an hour for our table. Though the servers all but feed you, they are rude and scarce when you need them. I must admit I did not enjoy the meal I had, but I did enjoy the atmosphere for the most part (noisy and very busy). I have a hard time imagining NOLA being much of a romantic restaurant, for sheer fellowship with old friends it would work.

Emeril's has the best food and the best service. Bar none. It is slighly over-priced, but you will not find anything better. Make reservations, or sit at the chef's table and watch the kitchen come alive. Do not miss this experience if you have the chance while in New Orleans.

The best Em's restaurant, and truly one of the best in the country, is Delmonico. "Nola" is a trendy spot for yupp, business, & tourists diners, but Delmonico is glorious! The decor is period-elegant, & the food and service, which (together) are unequaled! THE most attentive, accommodating, amazing, friendly, showy (non pompous) waitstaff on the planet! I won't ruin the surprises for you, just go & enjoy! Note: Delmonico is one of the pricier spots in town (more so than Nola & "Emeril's), but this is one of those rare cases when you get MORE than you pay for. Pack the plastic, experience the kitchen, tip the staff well, and remember to request a tour of the restaurant WHEN you make your reservation. After you've completely indulged, & then gorged yourself with a sinful dessert, the maitre 'D will then top off your visit with a cherry of a tour.

I love this place! Excellent food - try the smoked duck pizza for an appetizer. I was MUCH more impressed by the food and service here than at Commanders Palace.

Even though we planned it late we were able to get reservations for the evenning, when we arrived they were running late and were told it would only be another 10 min. we ended waiting 45 min. instead. We didn't mind the crowd, or the fact that the tables were very close to each other, the turtle soup was too salty and the entree was good but a bit expensive. good wine selection. our waiter was very nice and helpfull.

While I enjoyed eating at Nola's, I would not return. The tables are too close together to have an intimate, romantic, private meal. It was very loud and long wait even though we had reservations. Maybe they shouldn't take so many walk-ins! The soups- turtle had way too much sherry, the gumbo was not as good as mine. The salad was excellent and loved the dressing. The entree was okay...certainly not worth the cost.

My experience at Nola was a nice surprise. We were able to make a reservation the day before during prime summer convention season. Even though the place was quite crowded and noisy, we were advised ahead of time to expect so. We were seated almost immediately. Our waitstaff were extremely helpful, friendly, and immaculate to detail. All in all, quite excellent! Our waiter even sent us a postcard thanking us for visiting! The food was also incredible and a great value for a city with such great restaurants as Commander's Palace and Galatroix's. Maybe those expecting a quiet, formal establishment like Commander's or Emeril's will be upset, but Nola's is true to the spirit of the French Quarter and to Emeril's spirit of "kicking it up a notch!"

During a recent trip, we ate all over and found NOLA to be at the top of the list. Can't stand Emeril, but... Food was innovative and special. Service was fantastic (we'd heard bad things aabout service; I wonder if they are trying harder). The shrimp and andouille over pecan crusted sweet potato cake may be one of the best appetizers I've ever had. Great evening. Go here before Com. Palace or Brennan's.