New Orleans Rec's

[dstgolf]

Anyone have any favourite can't miss places to eat/things to see or jazz bars etc. Never been before and have a few days downtown to experience this place for the first time. Thanks in advance.

[spikegrhm]

Try to leave the quarter at some point....Mandina's on Canal is my favorite local restaurant. Again, away from the quarter try Maple Leaf Bar, Tipitina's or Chicky WaWa's (Spelling?) for local music. If you don't leave the quarter then you will not taste the local culture. Also, try the Parkview Bakery for lunch/Po Boy's. Happy to answer other questions for you. Spike

[dstgolf]

Thanks Spike much appreciated. Welcome...haven`t seen you post about wine on this board before.

Staying at The Saint Hotel off Canal St. Leave very early from home so 1st night right around corner from hotel is Domenica(Italian) that had some good reviews and close by. Needed to try one of Emeril`s places so Monday is Emeril`s! Sunday and Tues still open and undecided. Will head out to Maple Leaf Bar one night and will check the others.

Have you been to Rebirth??

[DavidG]

With a caveat that I haven't been to NO in 5 years and a lot can change, for traditional NO/creole restaurants I liked Clancy's and Brigtsen's. On the modern side are August, Bayona, and Gautreau.

[Jay Winton]

Herbsaint and Upperline (take the street car and then a short walk or uber) come to mind. I wasn't too impressed by Shaya. Drinks at Absinthe House in the Quarter is old school Easy. House of Blues has a nice outside performance area in the rear. New Orleans museum of Art is quite good with an excellent sculpture garden as well. Snug Harbor is a great jazz venue on Frenchmen street which also has lots of music clubs.

[dstgolf]

Thanks David. All of those have very good reviews and still highly rated. Gautreau lost their star chef apparently in 2013. We're looking at August for Sunday night but looks like it could be anywhere rather than NOLA. Any word on Commadore's to say we've experience OLD NO or is it a tourist trap? Sill listed in the top 10 along with Clancy's and Brigten's.

How do you usualy get around town, to and from airport etc. Cab or rent a car? Clancy's/Brigsten's a little ways out of the main stream. Is it safe to walk around after dark let alone during the day?? We've heard mixed reviews on safety and one of the reasons we've held off visiting NOLA til now. No need to go looking for troubble!!

[DavidG]

I've also heard good things about Herbsaint and Upperline but haven't been myself.

Commander's Palace? Never been. Heard various opinions - it's great vs it's touristy.

I loved August but you're right it is not uniquely NO.

There are also casinos if you're into that but casinos are not uniquely anything. Can you tell I'mnot a fan?

I take cabs in NO. They're readily available in the quarter and CBD and if I've gone to an out of the way restaurant it's a short wait if the restaurant calls for one.

Never felt unsafe walking even at night in the Garden district, Riverwalk, CBD or French quarter, other than the risk on the weekends of accidentally stepping in someone's bodily fluids in the quarter. I'm sure there are not safe places to walk. The hotel concierge should be able to guide you.