Has anyone eaten or has any comments about the following three restaurants in New Orleans.

1) Dicky Brenans
2) Clancy's
3) La Petite Grocery

Thanks for any scoop!!!

You can get decent food at all of them, but you can also eat just as well at about a hundred other restaurants and cafes in N.O. I've been to all of these and really wouldn't go back to any of them except Dickie Brennan's.

I apologize for returning to your question, but I simply can't get out of my mind a question of my own: Why these 3 restaurants out of the many in New Orleans? Have they been personally recommended? In a travel brochure? In a newspaper article? I'm sorry, but I just would like to know how you came up with these names. Thanks.

Yes there are others I am considering but I want to avoid the real touristy places like Emerils restaurants, commanders palace, Bayona....etc.

others that I am considering are Jacques Imos, Cuvee, Herbsaint

I guess I am looking for great restaurants that are not the "big name" ones. Thanks for any input if you have any others you can suggest.

Dougieo,

Commander's palace, and Emeril's ARE touristy.
Bayona is a much different experience, not one of the BIG ones, but worth a trip. EXCELLENT food.

Being in the Quarter, there are tourists everywhere, argueably, there are less tourists in the BIG name places, because they are popular with locals.
If you don't like tourists, why travel to such a touristy spot?

Bon Appetit magazine just did a pull-out section on the 50 hot spots in the States. In NO, they included:

Cafe Adelaide, Zydeque, Jacques-Imo's, Gautreau's and Ralph's on the Park.

Went to Jacques Imos last night and I am sad to report that it's already declining since Chef Austin left. Too bad, because it was fantastic!

Check out Stella! in the FQ. Favourite meal in NO when we were there in the fall..a bit under the radar I would think.
cheers,
CC

Brigsten's

http://www.brigtsens.com/

Please define "touristy." Surely the fact that tourists make up some percentage of a restaurant's business shouldn't automatically label it as undesirable. Don't tourists like to eat at the good places too?

Now...there ARE several places in the French Quarter that I would call a "tourist trap" - a place where locals NEVER go...food, value, and service are sub-par, but they don't care because they have an endless supply of clueless tourists who stand in line to get ripped off (examples... Pere Antoine [no, not Antoine's], K-Creole, French Market Cafe, etc...). These places should be avoided by anyone who wants to get a memorable meal at a fair price.

Simply dismissing Emeril's or Commander’s Palace as "touristy" is a foolish leap into fantasy. Don't get me wrong...I am not a big fan of Emeril's restaurants these days. Emreil's can be very good, or very bad. It suffers from inconsistency. Commander's Palace is a big favorite with many locals and tourists alike. Sure, a lot of tourists go there, but it is still frequented by locals, and both are usually very good.

I know some locals (especially those who live in the suburbs) who never go to French Quarter restaurants. "Too touristy" they say. What a shame. Mr. B's Bistro, Galitoire's, Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, Palace Cafe, Bayona, Redfish Grill, etc... are all fine restaurants that many locals avoid because they get the "touristy" tag. Such a shame.

Then there are places like Jacques Imo. I have been dining there two or three times a month for several years. It used to be a little-known special neighborhood find, that served great food, in a fun "funky" atmosphere, at cheap prices, in an "off the beaten path" location as far as tourists were concerned. Now that word has spread and the place is mentioned in all the guide books and web sites, the place is overrun by tourists trying to get a taste of what we locals like. After all, tourists LIKE cheap, good, funky, and fun too! Unfortunately, I have noticed the prices creeping up, and the quality is on a decline; much like K-Paul's in the 90's. Coasting on fame, in other words. Probably a combination of losing Austin Leslie and the distraction of the other restaurant in N.Y. I hope it will recover, but I have stopped recommending it for now.

I saw no evidence that Commanders Palace is touristy. Have you been there?. Most of the people in the room were local families or business types on expense accounts

Thank you NO Native and Fairhope. I agree entirely! I live in Atlanta now (boohoo), but when I did live New Orleans Mr. Bs and Commander's were favorites. And I am shattered to hear that Jacques Imos is on the decline. When I an NYC friend told me about the new restaurant, I suspected that it was only a matter of time.

But back to the original post... If you are interested in some restaurants that are less frequented by tourists, I would second the recommendations of Brigtsen's and Clancy's. I would also add to the list Pascal's Manale for the bbq shrimp. I don't think the entire menu is particularly good; but if I had to request a last meal, it would without hesitation be bbq shrimp from Pascal's Manale (and nowhere else).

Gumboula--But you have the Buckhead Diner!

Clancy's is excellent -- definitely a local place. Also recommend Herbsaint, Bayona, Restaurant August, Ralph's on the Park. Don't overlook Commanders -- it a lovely experience . And Galitoire's is essential -- be sure to have crabmeat maison and the Godchaux salad.

I was just in NO about two weeks ago and had a fantastic meal at Upperline. I am definitely a foody, and I would say its one of the best meals I've ever had.

A few years ago, I had a terrible meal at Brennans so really can't recommend it. Commanders is excellent, and in my opinion, the brunch is awesome. Another favorite of mine is the Gumbo Shop.

I have to mention Lilette...we had such wonderful food there on the one occasion we were there.

I'd be interesting in hearing what the locals think of it.?

Byrd

I like Dickie Brennans but it is a steak house, pure & simple. Bayona & Herbsaint are both very good. Dominique's is an oft forgotten restaurant that is also very good. Irene's (Italian) is also good for their type of cuisine. If you have a particular type of cuisine, I could be more helpful.