Feasting is a big part of Carnival celebrations—and we don’t just mean king cake! Before Lent, get your fill of fresh seafood, po-boys, gumbo, jambalaya and other Cajun and Creole specialties. It wouldn’t be listed below if we didn’t recommend it.
Featured Restaurant
The Court of Two Sisters
Second line through the Charm Gates at The Court of Two Sisters and feast in the courtyard. One of the French Quarter’s most famous restaurants, it offers live jazz brunches and a menu where you can sample all the iconic New Orleans dishes you’ve always read about. There’s nothing like Carnival time at The Court of Two Sisters.
Other Restaurants
The Pelican Club
This Internationally acclaimed restaurant on picturesque Exchange Alley has a festive Mardi Gras menu available through February 27. Enjoy three courses from Chef Richard Hughes from $53. The menu includes dishes like New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp, Panéed Gulf Fish with Crabmeat, and White Chocolate Bread Pudding. Let your taste buds celebrate Carnival at Pelican Club. Partial validation is available at the Hotel Monteleone garage.
Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar
You haven’t been to the French Quarter if you haven’t been to Felix’s. Come take a seat at the oyster bar at this iconic seafood eatery and let the shuckers entertain you. And don’t let its location fool you. This is where the locals go, not just during Mardi Gras time but all the time.
New Orleans School of Cooking
In between parades, why not take in a little “food, fun and folklore” at the New Orleans School of Cooking, named the #2 Food Experience in the World in Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Commander's Palace
It wouldn’t be Mardi Gras in New Orleans without a celebration at Commander’s Palace, just a few blocks from the St. Charles parade route. Start your evening with a Mardi Gras Sidecar cocktail and end it with Chef Meg’s King Cake Ice Cream made with brioche king cake and praline liquor. It doesn’t get more New Orleans than Commander’s.
Bourbon Heat's Courtyard Bar & Grill
Along with being a popular nightclub, Bourbon Heat is a really fun restaurant that combines Creole and American cuisine with bar favorites. Looking for some hot wings, a burger, and a cold beer between parades? Go here.
Olde NOLA Cookery
Bourbon Street is more than bars—it’s home to some really slammin’ restaurants like Olde NOLA Cookery. Stroll on in for some Louisiana Crabmeat Cakes, Redfish Cookery, or “Knife & Fork” BBQ Ribs. On chilly parade days, eat outdoors by their firepit.
Landry's Seafood House
Need the perfect break in-between Mardi Gras celebrations? Head to Landry's Seafood House in the French Quarter for some of the freshest seafood around, not to mention the best views of the Mississippi River and Jackson Square.
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