[mikeridesabike]

We will be in New Orleans for a couple of days in late September. I am too old to hang out on Bourbon Street, but would love to get some of that good food down there. Where do the locals go to eat? I love good Cajun/Creole food, but don't want to pay $100 a head to go to Emeril's or some other touristy place.

 

[Tribble Me]

We were down for a weekend last fall and found a bit of a different kind of restaurant, not what you would expect but it was excellent, Shaya. https://www.shayarestaurant.com
An Israeli restaurant that was delightful. Try the roasted cauliflower.

I would love to go back and see the WWII museum. We didn't have time to visit.

Here is a list of stuff that a couple of our friends that lived there for a while sent us. Hopefully it will give you some ideas:

Things to do
Get in line to see Preservation Hall early - best musicians in New Orleans - only about an hour (or buy tickets ahead) - check out their website (in the French Quarter)
Drink hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's next door to Preservation Hall - sit in the Piano Bar for a few hours - try to get up front - tell them it's your birthday
Go to the live music clubs on Frenchman's Street (you can bar/music hop from one to the other - super fun)
Take the streetcar all the way from downtown to uptown where the river turns at Carrollton (way past Audubon Park and Tulane/Loyola universities)
Go for a run or walk in Audubon Park - if you stay on the side paths/sidewalks, you'll see some really cool houses - facing the park, start on the left border
Take the Steamboat Natchez on a ride up and down the Mississippi (last steamboat in operation)
Café du Monde for coffee and beignets
If you're a history buff, you must see the WWII Museum -- take this to the next level by taking a ride on a restored PT-305 Boat on Lake Pontchartrain (pricey but worth it)
Go on a ghost tour of the French Quarter - you learn a lot about the history of the homes and families (and FYI open containers are still legal)
Tour the Garden District on foot or bike (you can look up walking tours online or sign up for a formal tour)
Drive up to Baton Rouge via River Road and stop to see the plantation homes - Nottoway & Houmas House (10+ others)
Go sailing on Lake Pontchartrain - lots of great marinas and restaurants on the Northshore in Mandeville (you get there via a 24-mile parallel pair of bridge spans known as the longest continuous bridge over water in the world)
French Quarter Market on Saturdays - get there early
Go to City Park for a walk (it's huge -great for a run) - then eat at Morning Call (in the park)
Peek inside St. Louis Cathedral (French Quarter) + Holy Name of Jesus cathedral (between Loyola & Tulane) + Immaculate Conception aka Jesuit Cathedral (130 Baronne) - these are beautiful
Go to Mulate's for live Cajun music & food (downtown)
Visit Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World

Libations & Sustenance
Commander's Palace - awesome, awesome place - 25 cent martinis on Fridays - famous cemetery across the street worth checking out
Napoleon House - very old & cool - order Sazerac with Absinthe or a Pimms Cup & try a PoBoy
Broussard's (great for jazz brunch)
Antoine's
Gallatoire's
Brennan's for brunch (awesome)
The Original Pierre Maspero's (NOT Café Maspero's)
Palace Café
Surrey's (breakfast/brunch - off of Magazine)
The Ruby Slipper (breakfast/brunch)
Sucre (for desserts -- off of Magazine --- must try the king cake if they have it)
Plum Street Snoballs
Cocktails at the Columns Hotel (off the streetcar line)

 

[mikeridesabike]

Wow, that's a long list for 2 days!

the WWII museum is our main reason for visiting. I haven't been to NO in years, but I remember going there with my college band on our spring tour in 1980 or thereabouts. They dropped 3 busloads of sober college band members off in the French Quarter about 8 and picked up 3 busloads of really drunk band members a few hours later. I don't think our concert the next day was our best effort of the week.

 

[Phillbo]

"Café du Monde for coffee and beignets".... DONE.

And Acme Oyster House ...

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

The WWII Museum is awesome and you could spend your entire two days there! Commanders Palace is great but a bit pricey. Ruby Slipper has several locations and is a terrific breakfast place.

Let's see.....two days.....plan on gaining at least 5 pounds!

 

[mikeridesabike]

My wife's dad served in the 82nd Airborne from Market Garden to the end of the war and managed to never get wounded. He was one of the lucky ones.

 

[93EXCivic]

I love New Orleans. I go several times a year. Just to add Tribble Me's great list.

Port O Call- great burgers and steak in a cool little hole in the wall. Get a monsoon. They are amazing. If nothing else go grab a drink here, it is IMO the best drink in town but strong as hell.
Camelia Grill on Carrolton- a diner with great burgers and shakes. Cool '50s vibe.
Parkway Po Boys- my personal favorite for Po Boys in New Orleans.
Appolline- amazing brunch on Magazine St.

Other then Pat O's and the Old Absinthe House (great selection of Absinthe if you like Absinthe and it is the building where Jean Laffitte and Andrew Jackson met), avoid Bourbon street. It is a **** hole IMO. Also don't buy one of those hand grenade drinks they are terrible.

 

[evenslower]

I generally tell people if it’s been open for a while it’s probably good. There’s too many good places for bad ones to last long.

I’ll second Acme Oyster House and Maspero’s mentioned above while adding Mother’s for a roast beef poboy (sounds too simple, I know but worth it).