Blue Bayou Restaurant & Oyster Bar on Canal Street is one of those places locals love to claim as their own. It’s got everything we look for in a New Orleans hangout: fun decor, incredible seafood, a bar that knows how to pour, and live music that fills the room with joie de vivre.

We started with the Chargrilled Oysters which are a must—smoky, buttery, and kissed with just the right amount of garlic.

Pair them with their famous Pickle Bloody Mary or a classic Hurricane, and you’re set.

The Soft Shell Crab Po-boy with fries is perfection. Usually, we don’t like to fill up on fries but these were so good.

Our favorite dish was the Cajun Stuffed Redfish. It’s rich, hearty, and full of Gulf flavor. Topped with crawfish cream sauce and served with jambalaya, it really hits the spot.

And don’t sleep through breakfast or brunch. The Blue Bayou French Toast is Texas Toast topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries topped with powdered sugar and served with warm maple syrup.

And the 3-egg Blue Bayou Omelette might just be the best omelette we’ve ever tasted. It’s filled with New Orleans alligator sausage, bell peppers and onions and topped with their crawfish mushroom cream sauce.

The dessert options at Blue Bayou blew us away as well. Being from here, we thought we’d tasted just about every kind of bread pudding out there but their Deep Fried Chocolate Bread Pudding is really special. 

What makes this spot unforgettable, though, is the atmosphere. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming.

On our last visit, we stayed longer than planned just to hear Tubad sing and play trumpet. He moved effortlessly from classic New Orleans anthems like “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans” to Elvis and even Nat King Cole. He had everyone, including the waitstaff smiling and dancing.

Between the food, the cocktails, and the live music, Blue Bayou is the kind of place where a simple meal turns into a whole New Orleans experience.

The first thing you need to know is that, while there are Landry’s all over the country, the restaurants in the French Quarter and at the Lakefront offer dishes you can only get right here — crafted by local chefs including General Manager Joe Spadaro, who grew up just a hop, skip an a jump from Landry’s on the Lakefront. His mother owned her own catering business back in the day so Joe knows a thing or two about what the locals love.

We started with cocktails. There were three of us and we each tasted all three and, luckily, we each chose a different favorite. Honestly, you can’t go wrong. We followed Joe’s suggestion and chose to order a bunch of appetizers instead of entrees. What a fun way to get to experience more!

After raving about the views of Lake Pontchartrain, the thing everybody says about Landry’s is how generous the portion sizes are. The cup of Seafood Gumbo for instance, Joe’s own recipe, is more like a bowl. Because we were sharing, we still ordered more to take home for dinner, but still. This isn’t any chintzy serving.

We also ordered the New Orleans Crawfish Bread which is a meal all in its own. They say Crawfish Bread first appeared in New Orleans at Jazz Fest but, trust us, Landry’s Crawfish Bread blows the kind you can get at Jazz Fest away. It’s loaded with crawfish tails and mozzarella. So good. You have to order this every time you come here.

Their Fire Grilled Oysters with herb butter, parmesan and grilled bread are a must experience, too. You’ll want to order more but save room for later.

Joe told us is favorite thing on the menu were the Crab Cakes with lemon butter and he wasn’t exaggerating. Topped with fresh crab meat, they were a thing of beauty — almost too beautiful to touch — but we absolutely destroyed it, leaving the plate completely empty.

And we highly recommend, if you take the appetizer route, to also order at least one Fried Seafood Platter for the table to share. Yum, yum, yum! They also order a Broiled Seafood. A nice option.

Here at neworleansrestaurants, we’re all about the desserts. Their Cinnamon Bread Pudding à la mode with Foster and vanilla sauce is the perfect ending to an afternoon on the Lakefront. The Triple Chocolate Cake with layers of white and dark chocolate ganache is pretty darn good as well.

Landry’s Seafood House on Lake Pontchartrain’s is the perfect spot to host a crawfish boil or any event. They have inside and outside areas designed to make every occasion special. They also have a Kid’s Menu your kids will love.

Chef Spadaro also wanted us to tell you that if you don’t see something on the menu, go ahead and ask. Chances are they can whip it up for you. We hear his Barbecued Shrimp are out of this world.

Visit their website and learn more.

It’s the law. When you come to New Orleans you have to

1. Visit Jackson Square
2. Ride a riverboat and
3. Share a Giant Seafood Platter from Deanie’s Seafood in the French Quarter

We’re all trying to eat fewer fried foods these days but on vacation, and during Carnival season, all bets are off — or at least they should be.

Founded in 1961 and owned by the Chifici family since 1982, Deanie’s is the stuff of legend. Everybody who’s anybody has a Deanie’s story. It’s time to write yours in the French Quarter.

Cocktail-wise, Deanie’s has it going on. Their Bloody Mary is a meal. So good and that boiled shrimp! They also make a great Hurricane as well as a delicious Voodoo Punch. Those cherries though!

For an appetizer, they give you complimentary boiled potatoes — a taste of a Louisiana crawfish boil. You’re absolutely going to love this simple but delicious treat.

But don’t ignore the rest of appetizer menu. We love their Barbecue Shrimp, fresh Gulf shrimp sautéed in their signature buttery blend of seasoning. The French baguette is there for dipping. Don’t be shy. Dive in!

You’re in New Orleans, so you gotta try the gumbo. Deanie’s Seafood Okra Gumbo is dark, rich and yummy. One of the best in town.

That goes for their Charbroiled Oysters, too. While there is no oyster bar to belly up to, Deanie’s does offer freshly shucked raw oysters as well. It doesn’t get any fresher. They have Barbecue Oysters, too!

Let’s talk entrees. Their salad offerings are extremely tempting. Their Bayou Seafood Salad has generous scoops of lump crabmeat and boiled shrimp. It’s both healthy and out of this world.

Their Blackened Redfish smothered in Shrimp Etouffée is a real treat. Words don’t do it justice which is fine because it’s not polite to talk with your mouth full.

And of course there are those famous Deanie’s Seafood Platters with Stuffing Balls. Hushpuppies are lame in comparison. The Giant Seafood Platter feeds four.

Speaking of seafood, crawfish season is coming up and Deanie’s is where the locals go to suck the heads and pinch the tails. Eating crawfish at Deanie’s is as much a New Orleans tradition as the backyard boil. Until then you’ll just have to make do with another item like a Deanie’s Po-Boy. Poor you!

What a lot of people don’t know about the Iberville restaurant is that they make their own desserts in house. They also own Victoria’s, a bakery next door. They’re famous for their Coconut Custard Bread Pudding but, if you’re here for Mardi Gras, come early in the day before they run out of Mardi Gras Cheesecake. We can’t stop thinking about it.

Visit their website and learn more.

There are approximately 700,000 restaurants in the United States. After just one spoonful of gumbo, you’ll understand why Conde Naste Traveler named the Pelican Club in the New Orleans French Quarter one of “America’s Top 250 Restaurants.” Celebrities like Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift have dined here. You should, too. If you’re coming this month for the Super Bowl, you better make that reservation fast!

Unlike chefs or groups who own many restaurants, Chef Richard Hughes and his architect/business manager wife Jeanne have poured their hearts into this one restaurant, located in a 250-year-old building on charming Exchange Place. Like all French Quarter buildings, the Pelican Club is reputed to be haunted. Chances are, you’ll be too busy admiring the local artwork on the walls to worry about ghosts.

The Hughes’ dedication to making their restaurant a French Quarter stand-out shows. Chef Hughes was born and raised in South Louisiana, but trained both here and in New York. If you only have only so many nights in New Orleans, you’ll want to spend one of them with Chef Hughes. Park your car at the Monteleone – the restaurant validates – and prepare to be impressed.

There are so many great choices on the menu – where do you start? With a drink, of course. The Pelican Club offers an imaginative and reasonably priced wine list and a fun assortment of hand-crafted cocktails. The Espresso Martini does not disappoint.

Like we said, if you’re a connoisseur of gumbo, ordering a cup of the Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Gumbo here should be your next move. The flavor is magnificently rich and there’s no skimping on the good stuff either.

The appetizer offerings are all so enticing you’ll just want to throw up your hands and ask the waiter to choose for you. The Pelican Club Baked Oysters and the Seafood Ravigote are both amazing, but you can’t go wrong with the New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp either.

The entrée list, too, will make you want to close your eyes and just randomly point to a winner. The Panéed Gulf Fish with Crabmeat is truly sumptuous as are the Whole Crispy Fish and the Half Roast Duck. When asked which entrees are ordered the most, our waiter was at a loss. “I wish I could narrow it down for you, but honestly they are all so popular,” he said.

And when it comes to dessert, don’t order one and share. Oh, the servings are big enough for more than one person but it would be cruel to have to choose between Warm White Chocolate Bread Pudding and the Grand Marnier Crème Brûlée so order both and share. You can work it off with a stroll through the Quarter afterwards. 

At last count, there were more than 1,500 restaurants in New Orleans. We feel confident when we say that Suis Generis (pronounced: soo-ee jen-er-is) in the Bywater is like no other. But, more than that, it’s not even the same restaurant this week that it was last. 

The menu at Suis Generis changes every week, inspired by whatever’s ready to pick at Tiki Farm in Pearlington, Mississippi, located just 40 minutes from New Orleans. Here the staff personally plants, tends and harvests their own exotic fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. They even keep bees to make their own honey and grow six kinds of sugar cane. What’s more, they’re one of only a handful of restaurants in the world who make their miso from scratch. They’ve taken farm to table to a whole new level.

Most restauranteurs will tell you that it’s crazy to change the menu up every week but owner chef Ernie Foundas and his partner Adrienne Bell who runs the front of the house think doing the same thing over and over again is even crazier–not to mention boring. A constantly evolving menu also keeps their neighbors in the Bywater coming back week after week. 

To keep things even more interesting, Suis Generis also has theme weeks. After Foundas acquired some “purple rain spinach,” the menu became Prince-themed with items such as “When Quail Fly.” During “Jurassic Week,” they served “Deviled Dinosaur Eggs.” They’ve also had an “Invasive Species Week,” and, working with a staffer at the Audubon Insectarium, one Halloween they had bugs like mealworms, dragon flies and water bugs on the menu. According to Foundas, ants, a garnish, have a lemony flavor.

Like their neighbors in the artsy Bywater neighborhood, for the team at Suis Generis, it’s always about creating something new and delicious from scratch. They even make their own dirt here through composting. Their goal is to create very little waste.

The restaurant opened in 2012 and they opened the Food Lab at Tiki Farm early in 2023. The Food Lab is a playground for both Suis Generis chefs and for special guest chefs. It features cooking classes as well as multi-course tasting menus in an intimate setting. Guests can tour the farm with the chef who will then cook a meal for them on site. The whole idea is to see where your food comes from so that you feel connected to it and to each other. See the Fall 2024 event lineup at the Food Lab.

Book your  Tiki Farm Fall Food Lab Experience

Read about Suis Generis Ice & Fire Menus

Learn more about Suis Generis in our Best of Guide: Cocktails and Best of Guide: Brunches.

True: The New Orleans area is filled with world-famous restaurants. Also true: some of the best restaurants are located outside the French Quarter, and they serve the kind of food locals enjoy most because the menu includes iconic Louisiana dishes “just like my mama used to make.”

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop is an establishment that falls into the latter category. Located 16 minutes from the Vieux Carré on the service road just off Causeway Boulevard in Metairie, the Gumbo Stop’s walls are lined with culinary awards, original artwork, and dollar bills from almost every state in the union. The art, like the ingredients in Chef Ron’s award-winning gumbo, is all locally sourced but, we know it’s hard to believe, Chef Ron is not locally sourced himself. He grew up in Rhode Island where he knew from an early age that he wanted to be a chef.

“I’d start out helping my dad with a project, but I wasn’t the handiest guy with a toolbox,” he said with a laugh. “Turns out, I made a lousy assistant, so he’d always end up sending me back to help my mother in the kitchen where I’d watch her make, among other things, her pepper biscuits.”

Chef Ron went on to graduate with a culinary degree from Johnson and Wales University. He was introduced to Louisiana cooking at the Rhode Island’s Cajun Acadia Festival as a young man. Then, while working as an executive chef in a hotel in Tallahassee, Florida, he was offered a position in a major hotel in New Orleans.

“What chef would not jump at the chance to work in New Orleans, the cradle of Creole cooking?” Chef Ron wants to know. The rest is culinary history.

In 2010, Chef Ron was named Chef of the Year by his peers at the American Culinary Federation, New Orleans Chapter. He also came in first at Louisiana’s 2010 Gumbo Cook Off. Then, in 2012, his dream of opening his own restaurant came true. Instead of being just one great restaurant surrounded by many, he chose to open his doors in Metairie, in a location surrounded by five hotels and lots of neighborhoods with hungry families. It was the right call. One year later, he was named one of the 25 Best Chefs of Louisiana by a selection committee that included — get this – legends Paul Prudhomme, Frank Brigtsen, Susan Spicer and Tory McPhail.

Today Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop is famous for inventing the Stuffed Gumbo (as far as he knows, it all started here). The “Original Stuffed Gumbo” is Chef’s Mumbo Gumbo (a filé gumbo with chicken, shrimp, crabmeat, crawfish, sausage, okra and tomato), topped with Fried Catfish. But you can also order versions topped with fried shrimp or fried oysters (pictured above) or shrimp, oysters, and catfish! We highly recommend the Gumbo Monceaux, the Mumbo Gumbo with poached egg served over potato salad. TDF. Chef Ron’s customers are also crazy about his Boudin Balls.

And they rave about his Jefferson Sauce, served in many ways, including over Fried Green Tomatoes (pictured below). Yummmm.

“What’s better than cream and garlic?” Chef Ron asked.

Chef Ron’s Italian roots have also found their way onto his menu. We’re convinced his Spaghetti and Meatballs is the best this side of Palermo, and his Shrimp Scampi is a popular favorite as well.

Chef Ron has been quoted as saying, “You don’t make a gumbo, you build a gumbo.” When asked for clarification he said, “When you make something, you just mix all the ingredients together. When you build something, you put them together at just the right time, until they come together perfectly to create your final product.”

When asked how long it takes to make his gumbo, he answered, “I have a low-and-go gumbo and then I have a hurry-up-and-go gumbo. Both are delicious but the hurry-up-and-go gumbo doesn’t require hanging over the pot. It frees you up to do other things in the kitchen.”

So how much gumbo does Chef Ron serve in a year? we asked. While he couldn’t give us a definitive number of cups, he could tell us that last Christmas during the pandemic, they sold 100 gallons of gumbo.

Guess that’s the Louisiana version of chicken soup. In a hard time, gumbo makes everything better. Especially when it’s from Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop.

Other Stuff We Thought You’d Like to Know:

• Chef Ron is a member of the Krewe of King Arthur, a co-ed Mardi Gras krewe in New Orleans. (No, he doesn’t recommend eating his gumbo out of a hand-decorated grail.)
• The best compliment Chef Ron gets is, “It tastes just like my mama’s.”
• For the record, Chef Ron isn’t one of those guys who is happy in the kitchen. He likes to come out and meet his guests in person. “I like to know who I’m cooking for,” he said.
• According to Chef Ron, there is no “Gumbo Season,” any more than there’s a spaghetti and meatball season. “We eat warm foods year-round and that includes gumbo,” he said.
• Chef Ron is a big believer in supporting the community, but he does it on the downlow. “I don’t need a camera in my face,” he said.
• The Gumbo Stop is not open on Sundays and Mondays, but they serve a mean Red Beans and Rice so many just wait until Tuesday for their fix.
• Catering weddings and other events is a huge part of Chef Ron’s business as is private parties. Their new back patio is the perfect place to host a bachelor/bachelorette party, shower, team outing, family reunion, or business event. You can even have a crawfish boil there. Call 504.232.4195 for details.
• You can get home delivery from Chef Ron’s through an arrangement with Metry Cab. Just call 504.835.2022 and they’ll get it to you hot.
• Don’t pass up a chance to order his Bread Pudding. Just sayin’.

Carnivore Carnival

Every Thursday night, Chef Ron offers a special pre-Lent menu. Choose from a Thick-cut Pork Chop with Grilled Shrimp and a Center-cut Ribeye with Chef’s Choice of Potato. They’re also offering a half-off Happy Hour Thursdays between 4 and 8 p.m. The good times roll at Chef Ron’s G

View Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop Menu

It’s About the Culture.

“The difference between Cajun and Creole? Cajuns use one pot where Creoles use several.”
— Harriet Robin, instructor/chef 

In July, Tripadvisor named the New Orleans School of Cooking in the French Quarter the #1 “Best of the Best Things to Do” in the U.S. and ranked them #12 in the world. After attending one of their classes this week, they’ve got our vote as well. Whether you’re part of the group or by yourself, whether you’ve come to learn or just to eat, whether you’re a local or from out of town, they’ve nailed the recipe for a good time. 

The New Orleans School of Cooking offers two kinds of classes – demonstration classes where you watch and hands-on classes where you actually do the cooking. We took a demonstration class led by Chef Harriet Robin who, we believe, should have her own TV show. 

Along with learning how to cook up New Orleans dishes like Crawfish Étouffée, Shrimp and Artichoke Soup, White Chocolate Bread Pudding and Pralines, we sipped ice tea and locally made Abita Beer and learned what it was like to grow up in New Orleans, one of the most colorful cities in the country. The food was absolutely delicious (and they offer you seconds!) and the commentary both charming and hilarious. You see, Harriet and the 11 other instructors at the school or more than chefs – they are entertainers. But, most importantly, they’re real people. Harriet gave us some good advice at the start of the class as she was melting butter for a roux. She said, “If you have bloodwork scheduled for when you get back home, you might want to put it off a month.” 

“We love our butter and lard is alive and well in the city of New Orleans.”
— Harriet Robin

She truly is a New Orleans gem. At the end of the class, when Harriet asked if anyone had any questions, a 20-something at our table asked, “Can we give you a hug?” It’s that kind of one-of-a-kind experience. 

You leave the class with recipes for all the dishes you’ve tasted that day along with a promise that, if you try one at home and send them a pic, they’ll send you a diploma from the New Orleans School of Cooking. How cool is that? 

If you only have a short time in New Orleans, these 2 1/2 hours cover at least three experiences on your list…Food, Fun and Folklore! And, along with classes, the school runs a wonderful little General Store where you can buy fresh pralines and all sorts of fun gifts and souvenirs, such as onion-chopping goggles to keep the tears away during prep. It was summertime but we couldn’t resist picking up some stocking stuffers. So much fun. They also sell cookbooks, of course, including their own. Check out their online store.

“If the doorbell rings when you’re making a roux, take the pan with you.” 
— Harriet Robin

If you’re looking for a fresh take on the sports bar experience, LOFT18 in Old Metairie is where it’s at. This interactive sports bar & grill offers great food and drink and year-round simulated golf and multi-sport action, making it the perfect spot for golfers and non-golfers alike. The atmosphere is super welcoming, with a staff that makes you feel like you’re hanging with old friends.

Food

Let’s talk food. Along with some really tempting main dishes such as Hanger Steak, Crispy Crunchy Chicken and Bayou Alfredo Pasta, LOFT18 offers some great apps, wraps, tacos, flatbreads, salads, and burgers. We don’t know if he’s a golfer or not, but Executive Chef Ladareus Jones is on his game. View menu.

Apps like the Fat City Nachos are TDF.  They come with queso, beans, corn jalapenos, diced tomatoes, pickled onions and queso fresco. You can also add chicken, pulled pork or steak.

We can’t say enough good things about the Oozy Burger, a smashed brisket blended burger with melted American Cheese, sautéed onions, crispy bacon, pickles and mayo. If you’re looking for a burger that melts in your mouth, this is it.

And don’t wait for a Tuesday to treat yourself to some LOFT18 tacos. Their Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Peruvian slaw, pico, pickled onions, crema and queso fresco really hit the spot.

Cocktails

LOFT18 is a great place to go for cocktails as well. The Sexy Lexi made with Altos Reposado, prickly pear, lime and Sprite is super refreshing and if you love a good Frosé, head on over.

Finally, you’re not going to want to leave without ordering some Beignet Fries to share. Along with powdered sugar, they’re drizzled with caramel. These alone are worth the trip.

Groups

LOFT18 is great for bachelor/bachelorette parties, reunions, and families looking for something fun to do together on a hot or rainy day. You can rent a bay for 1 to 10 people for as little as $20 an hour! And it’s the perfect spot to gather on game day.

Finally, LOFT18 has some amazing lunch specials, Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. You can get 8 Birdie Wings and fries for $10.99 — that’s less than you’ll pay at a fast-food restaurant! And Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Come in for $4 draft beer, house wine and Jameson shots and some discounted apps.

For more info or to book a table or a bay, visit their website.

As locals, we tend to forget how amazing Creole and Cajun food is. If it’s been a while since you said to yourself, “OMG, I live in one of the best food cities in the world,” you need to head to Olde NOLA Cookery for a refresher course or three (after all, why should tourists have all the fun?). Here in the heart of the French Quarter, you can reintroduce your palate to dishes like Gumbo, Jambalaya, Cajun Etouffee, Red Beans and Rice, and other New Orleans staples made like mama always wished she could!

For cocktails, we had a hard time choosing – the drink menu is not just fun, it’s extensive. We decided to try the New Orleans Cosmopolitan, a sweet pink treat made with Three Olives Orange, Cointreau, Cranberry and Lime juice. We also sampled the Dark & Stormy, even though there was no sign of rain that day. This concoction is made with Lime, Ginger Beer, Don Q Rum with a float of Dark Rum. They were both delicious.

Then, instead of ordering an appetizer, we ordered the Taste of New Orleans which includes Seafood Gumbo, Crawfish Étouffée and Red Beans and Rice with a big hunk of sausage. While many restaurants in New Orleans offer up samplings like this, Olde NOLA Cookery’s portions are extremely generous, not to mention delicious. While filled with a medley of interesting spices, we didn’t find that anything was too spicy – just hearty and delicious. This is Southern comfort food at its best.

For entrees, we ordered the July Special – a lightly Blackened Redfish Filet served over Penne Pasta and topped with BBQ Shrimp. We wanted to die and go to heaven, but we still had time on our parking meter and weren’t about to go anywhere.

We also tried the slow-cooked, “Knife & Fork” BBQ Ribs. They weren’t lying when they said they were fall-off-the-bone good. They tasted like the kind you’d make at home if you had all day to do it and everything turned out exactly as you’d planned. These were served with coleslaw (perfect) and some seriously good French fries. This dish is proof that you don’t have to be a seafood eater to fall in love with Olde NOLA Cookery.

For dessert, the New Orleans Bread Pudding served with their famous Praline and Rum Sauce was calling to us. We, as good New Orleanians, naturally answered. Decadently rich with plump warm raisins bursting with flavor, Olde NOLA Cookery’s version of this New Orleans classic is surrounded by whipped cream to cut the sweetness. While we swore each spoonful would be our last, we just keep going back in. If you’re tempted to say, “we don’t have any room for dessert,” find some!

Old NOLA Cookery is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. The place was packed full of happy people when were there so you might want to make a reservation. They’re also on Uber Eats or you can pick up.

Louis Armstrong famously said, “If it hadn’t been for jazz, there wouldn’t be no rock and roll.” You can celebrate both art forms at Hard Rock Café New Orleans in the French Quarter. Come see a trumpet once owned by Satchmo himself, the top of rock legend Fats Domino’s grand piano, and more artifacts from New Orleans-born artists while dining on dishes like the Bourbon Street Burger and sipping on a killer Hurricane, one of the best in the city.

If you’re thinking Hard Rock Café isn’t New Oreansy enough for you? Think again. It actually doesn’t get any more New Orleans than this.

Local bands take to the stage several times a week. It’s like a New Orleans musical festival 12 months a year. See event calendar.

Hard Rock Café first opened in New Orleans in 1987 and, like the city itself, it just keeps getting better. This May, it’s the place to be on Cinco de Mayo.

And for Mother’s Day, they’ll be serving a festive brunch featuring drinks like the Momosa and the Momarita. Sound good? You bet it is.

Hard Rock recently introduced an After Hours Menu to satisfy the cravings of the late-night crowd between 10 p.m. and closing. It features $7 Premium Beers, $10 Premium Wines, and $15 Signature Cocktails with fun names like Last Dance and Second Wind. Munchie-wise, they offer $15 Late Night Bites. We highly recommend the All-American Sliders topped with American cheese, creamy coleslaw and a crispy onion ring. You get three to share.

Their Smash Burger Taco, which also comes in threes, is a burger in a tortilla. Nummy!

If you’re looking for a place that’s kid-friendly on Bourbon Street, this is it. Their new Messi Kids Menu, created in partnership with soccer legend Lionel Messi, features the Messi X Burger, the Messi Golden Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Tenders, Mac & Cheese and more, and it comes with a choice of a side, beverage, a complimentary mini golden soccer ball, a collectable poster, and an activity sheet and stickers. Your fam will love it.

There are also Messi items for adults like their new Milanese-style Messi Chicken Sandwich with provolone cheese, herb aioli, tomato, and arugula, served on an artisan bun with seasoned fries. While we’re at it, let’s talk about those fries. They’re TDF.

Of course, Hard Rock is known for its Legendary Steak Burgers. There are at least 10 options to choose from, including the new Bourbon Street Burger, the Messi Burger, and the one that started it all, the Original Legendary Burger.

But while the burgers are out of this world, we can’t say enough about their new Chicken Flatbread offering drizzled with honey. OMG. We devoured every bite!

We also want to do a little raving about the Blackberry Sparkling Sangria, pictured on the tray here. It’s so good, y’all.

And whatever you do, don’t skip dessert at Hard Rock Café. We’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite, but the Hot Fudge Brownie is very special. Grab a spoon before it’s gone!

The Hard Rock Gift Shop is also fun. Don’t leave New Orleans without your t-shirt.

Naturally, Hard Rock Café New Orleans is also a popular spot for bachelor/bachelorette parties, weddings, school groups and other gatherings. Learn more.