I am going to N.O. for the first time - next week - for about 4 days.

I would love to know more about:
1) GREAT FOOD!!! (not too touristy/expensive)
2) Ghost tours (how do you go on one and are they worth it)?
3) Cemetary tours (guided - do I book that through my hotel)?
4) Any other good ideas that will enable us to see the true N.O.?
5) What to watch out for in terms of safety (I read that one should steer clear of shoe shiners)?

Oh, and if that isn't enough - does anyone know how the Maison Dupuy Hotel is, and how good is the restaurant, Dominique's (inside the hotel)?

Thank you!!!!!

I was in N.O for Memorial Day. I had a great time. I didn't rent a car, because my hotel was a nice walk to the french quarter(Intercontinental Hotel).

I ate at:
1) Nola's - Emeril Restaurant. Very pricey and trendy, put the food was wonderful.
2) Oliviers - Reasonable prices, good food.
3) Mike Anderson - Has a Friday's atmosphere. Good Crawfish.
4) Acme Seafood Co. - Best Shrimp Po-Boy I've ever had
5) Cafe Du Monde for Beignets (sp?)
6) The court of two sisters - Lovely atmosphere, but the food was not good at all.

I did go on a Walking tour of the Garden District which included a Cemetery. We didn't need a reservation. We got direction from the hotel. It's a short trolley car ride the garden district. If you go, I read the food at the Commander Palace is excellent.

I didn't have or see a problem with crime. If you behave like you are in a major metropolitan city, you shouldn't have a problem.

Hope this helps

I forgot to mention that I took a cooking class that was great. I learned to make Gumbo, Jambalaya, etc.

If you need more info, you can email me.

I really liked the Maison Dupuy hotel. Didn't eat in the restaurant, as there are so many other choices! It was a nice hotel that was close to all the action, but not in the immediate hub so it wasn't too loud. I got a room on the top floor with a window that actually opened, which was nice because it faced the courtyard and pool. But I should warn you, if you open the windows, you risk a skeeter coming in and eating you alive all night, as it did me!

Have a great trip!

You gotta try a Lucky Dog! DejaVu is also unique, it's in a class of its own! For a good tour try the Gray Line city tour that includes a stop at a cemetery (the history you learn from these is fantastic and you get a trip to the cemetery thrown in). Steamboat Natchez is fun, and the St. Charles streetcar is great for a cheap tour of some wonderful architecture. If you go for a swamp tour, stick with only 4 hours. That's long enough to see gators, nutria and herons. See the French Market, too. Have fun!!!

See my previous post about what to avoid in New Orleans.

For food go to Dooky Chase's and Napoleon House. Mother's has the best po-boys and muffeletta's.

Stay outside the FQ at Maison St. Charles Hotel. It has a nice pool, pretty courtyard, and a free shuttle to the FQ, River Center and the Casino. The streetcar also stops right in front of the hotel.

La Madeleine restaurant is adjacent to the hotel and has the best breakfast in town!

The tours can be booked when you arrive. The Ghost tours begin in the French Quarter. Check one of the brochures about where to meet. No reservations are required for this, but they are for the Cemetary Tours. The best one is the Metarie Cemetary.

Take the streetcar to the river bend and eat at the Camellia Grille. It is awesome.l

Food:

Best Po-boys - Mother's at Poydras and Tchoupitoulas in the Central Business District (about 5 blocks out of the Quarter) - also good breakfast. Go for a late breakfast or early lunch - cafeteria style place at which long lines form. Try the shrimp or debris (roast beef) po-boy.

Good breakfast: Cafe du Monde is a must - either for breakfast or after dinner cafe au lait/beignets and people watching. Also - for a BIG breakfast, try the Clover Grill at Dumaine and Bourbon for good waffles and omelets (open 24 hours a day and also has a good burger). Instead of La Madeleine, try Croissant D'Or in the 600 block of Ursuline for the BEST croissants/pastries the city has to offer.

Best burgers in town: Port of Call, corner of Dauphine and Esplanade at the lower edge of the Quarter. Again - long waits are common, so go for an early dinner or late lunch.

Lucky Dogs in Jackson Square (and at various places in the Quarter) are GREAT!

Cajun/Creole: K-Paul's is good. Go at lunch - same food as dinner but better prices.

Brunch: Commander's Palace on Washington - expensive and coat/tie required. Palace Cafe on Canal - not as expensive as Commander's. AVOID Court of Two Sisters.

Fancy smancy places: If you want to splurge, try Bayona's in the 400 block of Dauphine, Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse on Iberville between Bourbon and Royal; Bacco in the 300 or 400 block of Chartres for contemporary Italian - or NOLA's on St. Louis - one of Emeril's places.

As for things to do: ride the streetcar uptown to see the homes on St. Charles. A good stop is Washington Avenue which is in the heart of the Garden District. If you want a couple of blocks toward the river from St. Charles, you pass Commander's Palace and Lafayette No. 1 Cemetary which is a good cemetary to wander alone. Any other cemetaries should be seen with a guide. Walking tours are abundant in the Quarter. Go on a morning tour or night time tour - it's too hot the in the afternoon. The ghost tours at night are interesting - lots of history. Your hotel can direct you to the walking tours. A few blocks past Lafayette No. 1, you run into Magazine Street which offers interesting shops for shopping and good places to eat - my favorite red beans & rice and FABULOUS onion rings can be found at Joey K's - 3001 Magazine Street.

I also recommend seeing the Aquarium of the Americas. It's a great facility and a good place to spend a hot afternoon.

Day passes for the French Quarter Shuttle and St. Charles streetcars can be purchased for $5. I think the pass also includes the riverfront streetcar. These forms of public transport will get you almost every where you need to go. If you want a taxi, they are abundant and cheap. Avoid walking alone late at night on deserted French Quarter Streets. If you feel uncomfortable, call a call - United is the best company - 522-9771.

Please e-mail me if you want more info.

Thank you all for the helpful information!

I leave tomorrow and had the concierge make a brunch reservation for us at Brennan's for Sunday. I had to try it.

Also, other reccomendations are Yugelfitches (sp?) and Jacamo (sp?).
Any thoughts on those?

I hope the tropical depression doesn't hit N.O. while I'm there!

Again, many thanks!

Lauren: You mean after all the recommendations that were posted, Meg especially gave you excellent advice, you are STILL trying Brennan's for breakfast? You will be very disappointed.

Take the advice from those of us who lived in the area. We give this advice to help fellow travelers.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my previous e-mail...

That's all I COULD get a reservation for at the time I wanted.

The concierge also recommended Palace Cafe. Is it worth it to call him up and have him change it to a different time to go there instead?

I've been reading about staples found in eggs at Brennan's and $85 for breakfast and I am getting a little nervous about eating there. But then I figured, not everyone is happy at Le Cirque either, but it wouldn't stop me from eating there (as long as someone else was paying, of course).

Meg - Thanks for taking the time to share the great tips on N.O. Copied them to a Word document so that I'd have them for my next trip there. -- Steve

Lauren - I think you should drop your reservations for Brennan's. The prices are outrageous and the food mediocre. The "breakfast at Brennan's" thing is a tourist con.

No problem, Steve. Please let me know if you need more info or have any specific questions.

Well, I got back from N.O. a few weeks ago and here is my food/fun report...

Ate appetizers at the bar at NOLA's - a great idea if you want something small and not too expensive - and LOVED it. Great bar service too.

Sunday Jazz brunch was at Palace Cafe. Made a reservation for 10:30 and the place was empty. It quickly filled and I was glad that I got there when I did. Was serenaded by the Jazz band - LOVED THAT! The food was in abundance! I wasn't thrilled with my entree, but the mimosas made up for that. Oh, and the white chocolate bread pudding helped too!

We ate dinner one night at Irene's. It was incredible. We waited outside in the heat until it opened and it was well worth it!

We had oysters and po boys and hurricanes and mint juleps - it was sublime.

Wish they would hose down Bourbon Street once in a while though. Phew.

Loved the Hotel Maison Dupuy. Got a HUGE beautiful, clean room with a view of the beautiful courtyard and went swimming twice - once in the dark!

The "Voodoo" tour was anything but. But it was a good history of the city. Expected to be spooked - wasn't.

Went on a river cruise to the battle ground of N.O. Good history lesson. Did the street car to the Garden District. Went to the D-day museum and talked with a WWII veteran who was in the Battle of the Bulge - very moving. More good history there too.

Mainly, ate and drank and ate and drank...

Anyone know where I can get good Jumbalaya in NYC?

Ahhhhh......

Thanks everyone for the wonderful tips on N.O.! As for where to get good Jambalaya in NYC, I like Acme and Great Jones. Don't like Cajun at all though (the restaurant not the cuisine), overpriced and underinspired.

Marlena