the Benevolent Society

Mikey & SAS’s NOLA Restaurant Guide

Mike “Sas” Sison’s NOLA Restaurant List

 ! ! !:  Soft Sas Ratings (Food/Atmosphere/Value) – Dined in last couple years

  $ $ $: Most Expensive

Why?: Tulane Alum MBA ‘98; Mikey Sison BS ‘24, Mikos Sison BS ‘26, Marco BS ‘29?

Tulane/Carrolton Area

  • Jacque IMOs – favorite cajun dining/Awesome ! ! ! !/ $ $
  • Boucherie – Cajun French Fine Dining/Mikos Budz  ! !/ $ $
  • Ye old college inn – Casual Cajun/Next to RocknBowl..cajun great for 8+  ! !/ $ $
  • Camelia Grill – Breakfast/Diner  !/ $
  • Brighten – Cajun Fine Dining  ! ! ! $ $ $.Mikey and I 
  • Chaise Delachaise – Cajun Bistro ! !/ $ $ mikey mikos JazzF 24
  • Ciro’s Cote Sud – French Bistro w brilliant oven pizza
  • Ajun Cajun – Authentic Japanese with a Cajun Spice/Twist Poboys / Noodles  $
  • Mother of Pearl – Southern Comfort Food  $ $
  • Riccobono panola st cafe- 8-2 brunch/lunch spot, classic nola vibes, breakfast comfort food

Nola Garden District/East of Napolean

  • Commanders palace – Most famous fine dining ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Atchafalaya – great brunch/cajun fine dining  ! ! !/ $ $
  • Gris gris – Cajun Fine Dining (All 3 boys)  ! ! !/ $ $
  • Gaia – New Steakhouse.. (Mikey/Mikos)  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Mr. Johns Steakhouse – Traditional (All 3 boys) ! !/ $ $ $
  • The Bower – Cajun Fine Dining (All 3 boys)  ! !/ $ $
  • Joey KS – Casual Cajun  ! !/ $
  • Coquette – Cajun Fine Dining 
  • San Lorenzo – Saint Vincent Hotel outdoor brunch  $ $ $
  • Pigeon and Whale – Traditional Seafood
  • Beggars Banquet – Cajun Fine Dining  ! !/ $ $ $ mikey mikos
  • Lilette – French bistro
  • Dakar – Cajun West African, Very hard to get rez
  • Turkey and wolf – sammies coctails

Nola Uptown – Magazine/West of Napolean (South of St. Charles)

  • Shaya – mediteranean fine/casual dining and great brunch  ! ! !/ $ $
  • La Crepe Nanou – Cajun French Fine Dining  ! ! !/ $ $
  • Casamentos – Texas Toast po boys/Traditional Cajun  ! ! !/ $
  • La Boulangerie – Great Bakery for brunch  ! ! !/ $
  • La Petite Grocery – Cajun French Fine Dining  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Appoline..Cajun Fine Dining (Mikey/Mikos)  ! !/ $ $
  • Franky and johnnys – Casual Cajun ! !/ $
  • Haiku Sushi – Solid  ! !/ $ $
  • Medium rare – 1 menu item (Steak Frites)
  • Luvi – Cajun Japanese/sushi
  • Clancy – Cajun Fine Dining
  • Patois – Cajun French Fine Dinning
  • Bistro Daisy – Cajun French Bistro
  • Avo – Italian Fine Dining
  • Saba – Israeli/Mediterranean
  • Osteria lupo – Italian
  • Hungry Eye – Cocktails/wine/Appz/small plates
  • Must Visit: tons of fun local shops.. Peaches Music Store (Amazing vinyl Jazz.Blues)

Nola Uptown – Freret St. Neighborhood

  • High hat cafe – Casual Cajun/Awesome  ! ! !/ $
  • PASCAL Manales – Cajun Italian/known for BBQ Shrimp ! ! !/ $ $
  • Gautreaus – Cajun Fine Dining  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Cure – Cocktails/Wine/Tapas  ! !/ $ $ (N. Amer 50 Best Bars 2023 – 36th Place)
  • Bear Cat Cafe – Brunch Casual American  ! !/ $
  • Mint – Cajun Vietnamese  ! !/ $
  • Charlie’s steakhouse – Traditional ! !/ $ $ $
  • Crescent city steakhouse – Traditional  ! !/ $ $
  • Origami – Cajun Sushi  !/ $ $
  • Vals – Cajun Tacos
  • Good Bird – Casual American/Breakfast/Sammies/Bowls/Salads
  • Must see:  Crescent City Comics

NOLA FQ

  • Dickie Brendan’s steakhouse  ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Brennan’s  ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Pelican club  ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Desi Vegas steakshoise  $ $ $ Mikos 1st steak ever..and his favorite..the porterhouse 
  • NOLA  ! !/ $ $
  • Gumbo house  ! !/ $ $
  • Felix oyster house – Casual Cajun !/ $
  • Cafe du monde – Coffee and Beignets  ! !/ $
  • Galatoire – Cajun Fine Dining  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Justine – Cajun French  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Arnaud – Cajun Fine Dining  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Bayona – Cajun Fine Dining  ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Coterie –  ! ! !/ $ $ great oysters Cajun fine dining
  • Kenji – Cajun makase Sushi for $135
  • St. John (sister restaurant of Gris Gris) – Cajun Casual/Fine  $ $

NOLA CBD (Central Biz District)

  • Herbsaint – Cajun Fine Dining  ! ! !/ $ $
  • Luke – Cajun French  ! !/ $ $ $
  • Meril – Emeril Spot.. ! !/ $ $
  • August – Cajun French Fine Dining  ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Restaurant rebirth – Cajun Fine Dining ! ! !/ $ $ $
  • Peche – Seafood Fine Dining  $ $ $
  • Cochon – Casual Cajun  $ $ $
  • Josephine Estelle – Cajun Italian  $ $

Treme Neighborhood

  • Dooky Chase’s Restaurant – Casual Cajun Soul Food  ! ! !/ $
  • Willie Mae’s Scotch House – Casual Cajun Soul Food  ! !/ $
  • Lil’ Dizzy’s Cafe – Casual Cajun/Soul Food/All Day ! !/ $
  • Fritai – Caribbean Cajun/Haitian
  • Addis NOLA – Cajun/Ethiopian
  • Sweet Soulfood – Casual Cajun Soul Food ! !/ $

Fauborg Marigny/Frenchman Street (East of French Quarter) 

  • Three Muses – Cajun Asian Tapas  ! ! !/ $ (Live  Music)
  • Anna’s – Cajun Spanish Tapas  ! !/ $
  • Morrow’s – Casual cajun & korean  ! !/ $
  • The Elysian Bar – Cajun Mediterranean  ! !/ $
  • Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine – Casual Cajun  ! !/ $
  • Who Dat Coffee Cafe – Casual Cajun
  • Budsi’s – Cajun Thai
  • Marigny Brasserie – Cajun Bistro 
  • Ayu Bakehouse – Breakfast
  • Marie’s Bar and Kitchen – Great Burger
  • Great Area for Live Music: The Spotted Cat Music Clyb, “d.b.a”, Blue Nile, Bamboula’s, Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, The Maison, Three Muses

ByWater (Just East o the Marigny)

  • Paladar 511 – Cajun Italian  ! ! !/ $ $
  • N7 – French/Japanese Fushion  $ $ $
  • Saint-Germain – Cajun French Bistro/Wine bar/10 course tasting menu  $ $ $
  • Bacchanal Wine – Wine shop/drink in garden/Tapas to Order $ $
  • Morrow’s – Southern Soul Food w/Korean Twist $ $
  • St. Roch Market – Brunch/Lunch.. Food Hall w Vendors
  • The Country Club – Cajun Fine Dining/Steak  $ $ $
  • The Joint – Traditional Southern BBQ  $ $
  •  

Midcity

  • Cafe dega – Cajun Fine/Casual Dining/Great took boyz and Tulane Girls ! ! !/ $ $
  • Katie’s – Casual Cajun/Near Costco  ! !/ $
  • Felix’s Oyster House – on water Casual Cajun ! !/ $

Tulane/Uptown Bars

  • Cooter browns – 21+ best oysters/crawfish/Sports bar  !/ $
  • The Boot – College bar/Pizza  !/ $
  • Brunos – College bar/cajun pub food  !/ $
  • TJ Quills !/ $ College bar
  • The Palms  !/ $ college bar
  • The Bull Dog  !/ $ great bar food beer selection sports
  • Le Bon Temps Roule – Great spot for live music !/ $
  • Dos Jefe Cigar Bar – cigars and cocktails !/ $
  • F&M’s – Late night bar/club !/ $ fun drunk foods
  • Maple Leaf – Great spot for live Music !/ $
  • The Carrollton – great live music bar ! $

Lakefront

  • Station 6 – dinner/bar vibes  !/ $ highly rated bar & food (Michael Roux fav rest)
  • Crabby Jacks – seafood  !/ $ $ 
  • Felix’s Oyster bar –  ! !/ $ $ – Mikey graduation | top oyster, cool views of ocean

Live Music Venues

  • Tipitina’s – Classic Amazing Live music venue (Uptown)  ! ! ! !
  • Howling Wolf – Great live music (CBD)  ! !
  • Maple Leaf – Great spot for live Music (Tulane/Carrolton) ! ! !
  • Le Bon Temps Roule – Great spot for live music (Uptown)  ! ! !
  • Gasa Gasa – Freret St/Small Live Music (Uptown Freret st)  ! ! (CURRENTLY CLOSED INDEFINITELY)
  • The Carrollton- great live music, cool outdoor patio 

Thrift stores

Bridge House Thrift Stores 4243 Earhart Blvd. and 7901 Airline Dr./Higher end described as clothes from garden district 

https://www.neworleans.com/blog/post/best-thrift-shops-in-new-orleans/

Funky monkey

YEP Thrift Works 1626 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd (program for at risk youth charity)