BRUNCH PRICES:Commanders & Court of Two Sisters
 

2 couples on a budget-be in NO over Labor Day weekend. Has anyone RECENTLY been to either Commander's or Two Sisters for the brunch? Can you share with us the prices you've encountered?
Also, do you know how early Cafe Du Monde opens for breakfast?
If you have other lunch/brunch suggestions, please share! We're staying at the Sheraton-Canal St.(Hotwire bargain($59.) Thanks!

Suggest avoiding Two Sisters and Cafe Du Monde - terrible food and service, lots of attitude, and tourist traps supreme. Commandres continues to be good, and should be at those prices. suggest you do some research and sonsider places like Peristyle and Bayonne.

Commander's Palace offers a three-course brunch for about $30 per person (alcoholic beverages not included). For the level of service and quality of food, I think it's a great deal. This is not your typical hotel brunch buffett. Check on the website to get an idea: www.commanderspalace.com.

I agree with the above post about avoiding the Court of Two Sisters which IS a tourist trap of the first order. However, I disagree about Cafe du Monde because it's cheap and it's a unique New Orleans experience. Yes, it gets tons of tourists, but when all you're buying is a cup of cafe au lait and a few beignets, it's a pretty good deal.

It's been a couple of years since I was at Commander's Palace, but I've been going there for nearly 40 years and have never had a bad meal. For prices of some of their brunch entrees check out their website.

This local mostly agrees with the others - do not go to Court of Two Sisters, it's a tourist trap generally serving buffet-style. Cafe du Monde is fine for the experience and price - open air cafe or indoors A/C seating options, coffee and our local (way better) variation on doughnuts, hard to go wrong. Commander's is a great classic restaurant and has a GREAT brunch! Across Canal Street, don't miss Palace Cafe for dinner- don't know if they serve brunch. Not really budget but worth a splurge. I think they have an early bird special if you're seated before 6 pm. Nearby on Poydras Street is Mother's, a down-home place with po-boy sandwiches and fried seafood.
It's still HOT here in Sept. Pack accordingly and have fun!

I'm going to dissent a bit from all above.

Court of two sisters is not as bad as they say. It is a good place to get a sampling of nearly everything, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg. Yes it is buffet style, but the courtyard is nice to sit out and eat.

Commanders however is one of the best brunches in town, but there is NO WAY your going to get out of there for under 45 a person minimum with tip and a single drink.

Don't go to Commanders if your on a budget.

Apparently the brunch at the Ritz is very good, but I don't know the cost.

If I were on a budget I would go to the Court of Two Sisters.

We were in NO a year ago and we had brunch at the Court of Two Sisters. It is buffet as others have mentioned. The food was good - not to die for, but good. The people were very friendly and it was really nice to sit in the courtyard. Most of the people there were tourists, but I don't know that I'd call it a tourist trap.

Cafe du Monde is something you must experience. It's a NO institution. Just don't use their bathroom - LOL.

We didn't eat at Commander's Palace so I can't comment on that.

I second the recommendation for Mother's. Also you can get great Muffaletta sandwiches at Central Grocery - 1 sandwich can easily feed 2 people. Another restaurant were we had a great inexpensive meal was Pere Antoine's on Royal and St. Ann I believe it was. I don't see this place mentioned on the boards, but we had a really good meal there. My husband had some really good red beans and rice and I had fried catfish that was really good.

I've been to NO twice now and wouldn't miss Cafe du Monde, and I don't even drink coffee. The beigets can't be missed. Commanders Palace was a major disappointment to me. Way overpriced for what we got and a little tired in the decor department. I'd save my money for a great dinner.

I went to Commander's in January. $29 prix fixe 3-course brunch. The decor is nothing to write home about (though it's not bad)...the service was excellent and so was the food! I highly recommend any of the egg dishes, and the bread pudding for dessert.

I agree with some of the posters above. You've just got to do Cafe du Monde! Great cafe au lait and the beingets! Mmmm! Word of warning though ... the first beinget is to die for, the 2nd is really good, the 3rd tastes good going down but ends up feeling a like a cement brick in your stomach. (If you can stop after two ... you'll feel a lot better!)

You should also try the muffeleta at Central Grocery. I was skeptical (I'm not a huge fan of sandwich meats) but it was delish! Another NO institution.

We had dinner at Commander's Palace and the food and service was as good as it gets. I can only imagine what they're brunch is like. I'm sure it's pricey though.

We lived in New Orleans for 7 years and WE still did Cafe du Monde on a Saturday or Sunday morning while living there. It's silly to refer to it as a tourist trap, what with locals and tourists alike hanging out and enjoying the people watching and the beignets. Sometimes you've just got to give up being too cool for words and get caught up in the spirit of the city, not worry if what you're doing is "touristy" or not, but whether or not you will enjoy it.

My first lunch in New Orleans was at Court of Two Sisters. For a Yankee moving down there to be able to eat out in that lush courtyard in January comfortably was just shy of being in heaven. I was clueless as to what Shrimp Remoulade was, but knew I loved it. Now whether theirs was any good, or is now, I have no idea, but it is one gorgeous setting. Like Savannah's River St...which I detested while I lived there, maybe it's one of those things tourists *should* experience.

Central Grocery...oh those mufflettas! Mothers too, outstanding...and though it gets mentioned here a lot, it's also one of the restaurants we frequented while I was working in the CBD, and popular with locals and tourists alike. Commanders is an institution. So is Antoinnes. Both have been around for years and will be years more--tourists or no.

Having been to NO a couple of times this year, may I offer a suggestion or two about places to dine.

Commnanders is still an institution. Reserve well ahead. The garden area is lovely. The issue is how long will this place remain.

If you wish to see how one of the old-timers has reinvented itself, Arnaud's is superb, with modern dishes. And an excellent cookbook by a reporter.

Brennan's for breakfast - simply over the top. Comfort food all the way, and great wihites to start the day, how different.

Now, for the new, Bayonne and Peristyle simply cannot be beat. The women who manage and cook are at a new level.

Cafe Du Monde, certainly, by all means, it's easier to go and not have to explain why you didn't. But do read the CDC Traveller Advisory on precautions.

The Two Sisters"? Wel,, yes, by all means, but only to aspiring football greats who want to practice breaking tackles. Yep, this is not a standoffish management, they want the trade. And they are willing to come onto the sidewalk to grab it. It's a great opportunity to develop another party story to enchant your friends.

Have fun in NO, and remember, post results upon your return.

I promise to post trip report when we return. Guess we'll flip for the Two Sisters for the brunch. I don't care about the tourist-trappings-I'm game for anything that'll be fun and reasonably priced. Cafe Du Monde for sure-bricks or no bricks, I'm gonna eat all 3 of 'em. We're staying at the Sheraton on Canal St.($59.hotwire deal)I can't wait!

Thanks so much for all your wonderful advice. Next, we're headed to Italy in Nov!!!

OK, Italy will be even more fun to talk about.

See you on Europe later this summer.

But if Venice is not in the mix, hasty la vista.

Sorry-it's Rome and then on to Sorrento and the Amalfi coast for us!

Brymo', Kauai and Italy in Nov?
Adopt me...pleeeeez!

Cafe DuMonde is a great "tourist trap".
One of the few pasties I will eat.
we actually got there one morning around 6:00 and watched the area wake up. Awesome.
Do not wear black there, tho or split a table where one table is in another waitperson's zone! We almsot got "the voodoo" from one waitress a few trips ago.
J_Cor, I hear ya about the restroom!
Mrs Kal will walk down the block and use the pub restrooms down by Aunt Sally's.

Had an excellent brunch at Le Meridien a few times but I don't now if they had it every time or if it was a special for the 49er fans booster club we were with?

Oct. 23 can't come soon enuff!
Let da goood times rolllll!
Kal

Kal.........what the hecks going on in the restroom at Cafe Du Monde?

Oh, we're empty-nesters, no kids any more and lots of time on our hands. We got the travel bug about 4 yrs ago. Just depends on how you want to spend your money. After feeding the retirement funds, all our dough goes on the road with us!

Byarmo',
Nothing going on, just yucky!!!

We're DINKs and I have about 5-6 weeks vacation per year and Mrs Kal is self -employed but still has a problem getting time off from her greedy Boss, so we hear ya((Y)).
We're shooting for a return to Italy in SeptOct '04 as part of Mrs Kal's 50th birthYEAR celebration. There go any retirement funds we have!
Kal

Had lunch at Commander's Palace today. Yummy as usual. Not sure why people are disappointed in the place unless they just place unrealistic expectations on it.

To answer your other question about Cafe Du Monde its open 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. I wouldn't call it a tourist trap just as many locals as tourists. If you want to avoid the crowds check out their location on the River Walk. My stomach is envying yours just thinking about it. Have a great time.