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Best Casual Restaurants in Lower Garden District

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85 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Lula Restaurant Distillery restaurant
1. Lula Restaurant Distillery
4.5
Awesome(1940)
Price: Moderate
• Contemporary Southern • Lower Garden District
Booked 24 times today
In the heart of New Orleans, expertly crafted food, spirits and cocktails come together in a unique privately owned micro-distillery and restaurant.We are quintessentially southern with a distinct Louisiana influence. We are Lula Restaurant-Distillery.As the first and only restaurant-distillery in New Orleans, Louisiana and in the Southeast US, we promise to offer you an incredible experience in the shadows of our copper still and along the historic streetcar line of St. Charles Avenue.Join us Monday-Sunday for Happy Hour from 4-7, Saturday and Sunday 11-3 for Bottomless Vodka Bar
A photo of SeaWitch restaurant
2. SeaWitch
4.5
Awesome(75)
Price: Expensive
• American • Garden District
Booked 16 times today
Experience the MagicLocated on the iconic St. Charles Avenue, Seawitch offers an upscale seafood dining experience like no other. Enjoy fresh, locally sourced seafood, crafted cocktails, and a vibrant atmosphere. With indoor and outdoor seating, a raw bar, and prime views of Mardi Gras parades, every visit promises something special. Dive into the flavors of New Orleans and make unforgettable memories with us.Indulge in our carefully curated menu featuring the freshest local seafood, innovative dishes, and timeless classics. From our raw bar to our signature entrees, every bite is a celebration of New Orleans’ rich culinary heritage. Discover the flavors that make Seawitch a true gem on St. Charles Avenue.
A photo of Birdy's Behind The Bower restaurant
3. Birdy's Behind The Bower
4.6
Exceptional(611)
Price: Moderate
• American • Garden District
Booked 37 times today
Birdy’s Behind the Bower is a brunch spot perched in the back of the Framework building, serving Southern-inspired, locally-sourced American cuisine alongside a welcoming outdoor courtyard. We partner with Sugar Roots Farm in New Orleans to source fresh, local ingredients for dishes that range from comforting, house-made breakfast staples to lighter, health-conscious fare. Celebrate on our chic patio or nestle in for a coffee to start your day.
A photo of Cafe Normandie at The Higgins restaurant
4. Cafe Normandie at The Higgins
4.4
Awesome(69)
Price: Expensive
• French American • Warehouse District
Booked 1 time today
Indulge in sophisticated French-influenced casual fare in the Higgins Hotel's full-service restaurant.
A photo of Meril restaurant
5. Meril
4.5
Awesome(6565)
Price: Moderate
• Contemporary American • Warehouse District
Booked 82 times today
Located in the Warehouse District, Meril is Chef Emeril Lagasse’s lively restaurant in New Orleans. Meril’s casual restaurant interior is marked by a signature open style kitchen and a large bar area, featuring a varied wine selection and craft cocktails. Named after his daughter, the restaurant showcases some of Chef Emeril’s favorite dishes that he loves to eat, featuring everything from Wood Fired Flatbreads to Korean Chicken Wings. Lagasse brings his expertise and distinguished hospitality to Meril, creating a deliciously spirited dining experience.
A photo of Luke restaurant
6. Luke
4.6
Exceptional(9287)
Price: Moderate
• French • Central Business District
Booked 111 times today
Luke is a Creole-inspired Brasserie located in the heart of New Orleans’ Central Business District on world-famous St. Charles Avenue, steps from the French Quarter neighborhood. A lively atmosphere surrounds the raw bar offering the freshest seafood and oysters procured daily from the Gulf of Mexico. Chef Erick Loos is at the helm of the kitchen featuring dishes that highlight local purveyors and farmers’ market ingredients. Behind the bar, a selection of bartender-created specialty cocktails are offered among a carefully-curated list of wines from throughout the world and locally crafted brews.
A photo of 34 Restaurant & Bar restaurant
7. 34 Restaurant & Bar
4.6
Exceptional(174)
Price: Very Expensive
• Portuguese • Central Business District
Booked 34 times today
34 is Chef Emeril Lagasse’s first restaurant dedicated to the cuisine of his Portuguese heritage. He was inspired by his late mother, Hilda, who influenced his interest in cooking when he was a child growing up in Fall River, MA. The 245-seat restaurant is adorned in shades of green – Emeril’s signature color – wood accents and ornate Portuguese tiles. A painting of a rooster, a national Portuguese symbol of good luck, greets guests at the entrance. Once inside, a jamon bar with countertop service and tile-clad DJ booth are focal points of the space. The restaurant celebrates not only the food and design of Portugal but also the sounds, with music from local and touring DJs.
A photo of Sofia New Orleans restaurant
8. Sofia New Orleans
4.7
Exceptional(1962)
Price: Expensive
• Italian • Warehouse District
Booked 70 times today
Sofia is an Italian-inspired kitchen that has an elevated take on traditional cuisine in a fun and funky setting in the warehouse district. Acclaimed chef Talia Diele's menu of inventive small plates, traditionally prepared meats and fish, handmade pasta, and wood fired pizza has drawn rave reviews locally and nationally. Our Italian inspired cocktails, craft beers and Italian wine list have been carefully curated and will appeal to the most discerning palates.
A photo of Compère Lapin restaurant
9. Compère Lapin
4.7
Exceptional(2747)
Price: Expensive
• American • Central Business District
Booked 44 times today
Compère Lapin - noun - "kom-pare la-pan" - 1. anthropomorphic rabbit character who served as the mischievous protagonist in Creole and Caribbean folk tales; 2. Chef Nina Compton's restaurant at the Old No 77 Hotel & Chandlery in the Warehouse Arts District of New Orleans. Meals aren’t about trends, shock value, or opulence.Meals are about moments, memories and those who surround you at your table.We believe in the complexity of simplicity, and the power of pure flavors. Our histories, vast and varied, deserve to be memorialized and romanticized by dishes that at once remind us of home and transport us to somewhere new.We don’t make food for everyone else, we make food for you.
A photo of Domenica restaurant
10. Domenica
4.5
Awesome(7517)
Price: Moderate
• Italian • Central Business District
Booked 99 times today
Domenica translates to “Sunday,” in Italian, it is the day of the week to explore and cook leisurely, abundant meals. At Domenica restaurant, our chefs seek to transport guests to those coveted moments, offering passionately prepared dishes that marry pure, local ingredients with revered techniques.While the menu is rooted in tradition, our chefs focus on elevating Italian ingredients and classic flavors to create modern classics, adapted for the contemporary palate of New Orleans. The fresh pastas made by hand daily, roasted vegetables, meats and Napolitano style pizzas, all prepared in the restaurant’s iconic wood oven, are perfectly complemented by custom-brewed beers, seasonal craft cocktails and an Italian-focused wine list.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
  • Jack
    Indiana •1 review
    5.0
    Dined 2 days ago
    My partner and I came for our Valentine’s Day brunch date. The food was great especially for the price. $20 per person endless vodka with juice/mixer bar was definitely worth the value. We tried the pomegranate lemonade, fresh OJ, and Bloody Mary mix with the vodka which were all great. Our server (I believe named Edward) was nice and attentive—poured drinks or got refills for us as needed even though the juice/mixer bar was technically self serve, gave us helpful recommendations, and was overall very friendly. We will for sure be coming back to try lunch, dinner, and cocktail menus eventually. Overall, great vibes, great quality, great value—would recommend. (Oh, and definitely try the crawfish queso with the fried wontons!)
    More info
    Lula Restaurant DistilleryPrice: Moderate• Contemporary Southern• Lower Garden District
    •
    4.5
  • Eric
    Alabama •7 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 2 days ago
    Fantastic! Great food, good portions, atmosphere is great! Share the dessert though… they are huge! We will be back soon!
    More info
    SeaWitchPrice: Expensive• American• Garden District
    •
    4.5
  • Ryan
    New Orleans / Louisiana •2 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 3 days ago
    Wonderful experience. Staff was awesome, including the secondary waitstaff who assisted with drink refills/other items. Upside down cornbread wasn’t awesome, BBQ shrimp sauce was a little overpowering, but flatbread, fries, and dumplings were fantastic. Cotton candy was a cute and fun addition - made the kids feel special. Will absolutely return to try different items - about to choose from.
    More info
    MerilPrice: Moderate• Contemporary American• Warehouse District
    •
    4.5
  • reina
    Philadelphia County •3 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 7 days ago
    This was such a hidden gem on our visit for the Super Bowl . Can not say enough good things as the coffee, breakfast and pancakes were the absolute best !!! Can’t wait to go again on our next visit !
    More info
    Birdy's Behind The BowerPrice: Moderate• American• Garden District
    •
    4.6
  • Steve and Edie
    San Antonio •4 reviews
    5.0
    Dined on Jan 4, 2025
    Such great food! We ended up eating some breakfasts and dinners here and were never disappointed! The food was served hot and fresh and so delicious!
    More info
    Cafe Normandie at The HigginsPrice: Expensive• French American• Warehouse District
    •
    4.4

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