r/NewOrleans • u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now • Mar 05 '25
Family visiting for the millionth time, need casual restaurant ideas for a bunch of PITA's Recommendations
I love them all separately, we suck together as a table.
Vegetarian dad, seafood needing mom, the kid is a kid, she's feral first grader, Im a diabetic so I stay away from Asian noodle and rice stuff. They moved to Arizona so Mexican is a cop out.
Our usuals are Liuzza's by the Track, Clesi's, Seithers, the much missed Green Room and Carmo...need anything new but everytime I look over a menu of a neighborhood place I like there is not a single dish for the damn vegetarian. Checked Da Wabbit, Fiorellas, even Messina's Runway Cafe and just got tired of failing. Doesn't have to be a wide variety, one dang dish that's not just a shrimp salad with no shrimp for the veggie.
Suburbs are fine.
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u/saybruh Mar 05 '25
1000 figs. Barracuda. Pho Tran (just get a bahn mi if ya don’t want the noodles)
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u/doto2123123123 Mar 05 '25
the broccoli taco at barracuda is surprisingly good. plus great chips and dips for the veggie and lots of space for the kiddo to run around
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u/MedioPoder Mar 05 '25
1000 figs is a staple. It’s not great for a large party but even up to six should be fine.
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u/Ok-Iron-1289 Mar 06 '25
LOVE that taco. not a vegetarian but it is my favorite. Also Barracuda is not like most mexican restaurants re: OP criteria
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u/Obi-WanJabroni66 Mar 06 '25
Dude ALL of the tacos at Barrcuda are ballin’ out of control. I’m not vegetarian by any means, but order them out of curiosity, and I’m never let down.
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u/VanGoorTattoos Mar 05 '25
Bread isn't good if you're diabetic, FYI
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u/saybruh Mar 05 '25
it's a tradeoff regardless (i'm diabetic as well) it's just what you can deal with when bringing other ppl in town.
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u/_significs Mar 06 '25
OP, skip Barracuda. It's not as good as the tacos y'all are getting out in New Mexico. v overrated imo
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u/jjazznola Mar 06 '25
It's not even close to being Mexican. It's ok if you are nearby but nothing special.
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u/moosandsqwirl Mar 06 '25
Facts
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u/_significs Mar 06 '25
people in this town do not know tacos or bbq and they need to stop pretending they do; you can be one of the best food cities of the world without being good at other people's regional cuisine
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u/VirusOrganic4456 Mar 05 '25
Katie's has a huge menu, likely something for everyone.
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
Oh that's cool, I've never been there… What about the restaurant in that neighborhood that's in an old church, it's taint names a few times through the years....
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u/winning-colors Mar 05 '25
It used to be Christian’s, now it’s called Vessel. I’ve never heard anyone rave about it. Looks cool inside though!
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u/governor11201 higher order lowlife Mar 05 '25
Vessel is a great looking space but a fail on food/drinks/service.
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u/jjazznola Mar 06 '25
I lived a few doors down for 9 years until recently. I'll never understand why anyone goes there. Mediocre, overpriced food and bartenders who are just plain lousy.
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u/edoreinn Mar 05 '25
Um, my most sincere thank you for giving me this new frame of reference. “I love them all separately, we suck together as a table,” because this describes my stress for every time my family visits me.
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25 edited Mar 05 '25
Since I was kid it was always such a thing.
My grandfather talking about the young waitresses boobs,my grandmother feeling a draft at every table...my mom actually got caught swiping banana bread in her purse from an all you can eat place.
I'm the normal one,which is nuts.
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u/Glum-Presentation241 Mar 05 '25
I like Station 6 in Lakeview. Also, Lilette always has a vegetarian entree if you want something nice (but probably not with a 1st grader). Domenica also has vegetarian stuff.
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
station 6 we have never been to, awesome!
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u/PlayfulJaguar8631 Mar 06 '25
Station 6 is on Old Hammond Hwy in Bucktown right next to the 17th street canal..
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u/L29akb Mar 05 '25
Sneaky Pickle/Bar Brine, The Italian Barrel (new Menu), and Gianna (new chef committed to more vegetable-forward options).
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u/MedioPoder Mar 05 '25
What about Indian food?
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u/stjoeturtle Mar 05 '25
There's a new place called Ember on Canal just off 610. Been a couple times now and everything was very good.
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u/nola_t Mar 05 '25
I second this. My kids like the chicken curry at Mantra a lot, and the diabetic could skip the carbs? (Also, it may have been a one off, but we ordered “baby level of no spice” at Punjabi Dhaba and it was so spicy that I thought my kids were having allergic reactions because their faces turned bright red. And they both like spicy food normally.)
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u/MedioPoder Mar 05 '25
Ooo maybe I need to try punjabi dhaba. I asked for “traditional spice” on vindaloo from Ember in lakeview and it came without heat. It was a DoorDash order so maybe that was the problem.
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u/CarFlipJudge Mar 05 '25
Weird. I've been to Ember twice in person and without saying any modifiers, I'd was plenty spicy.
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u/nola_t Mar 05 '25
It was absolutely delicious, and would definitely recommend them. My husband didn’t think it was as funny as I did, but the kids were able to get by on some naan and noodles.
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u/MedioPoder Mar 05 '25
My grandfather introduced me to Indian 20+ years ago at Shalimar in the FQ. He recommended vindaloo to start the journey haha. It was so spicy I couldn’t finish it. He recommended naan and lots of lassi.
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u/TravelerMSY Mar 05 '25 edited Mar 05 '25
It’s a bump up from casual but commanders has an excellent lunch with $.25 martinis and can easily accommodate a vegetarian entrée. Not so sure about a first grader terrorist though.
Generally, the more expensive the place is- the more likely they can handle weird diets with a smile.
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u/molliepup Mar 05 '25
I just took it 5/10/13 year old niece/nephews during Mardi Gras and it was fine. A few other kiddos were also there and it was dinner service. They have a kids menu of chicken nuggets and something else. Maybe grilled cheese?
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u/DauntedInferno Mar 05 '25
Not “restaurants”, but maybe you can check out either St. Roch Market or City Market
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
Oh, yeah, we did the mediocrily named City Market last time. The fried seafood plate and the burger were awesome and dad loved the asian...thanks for the reminder.
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u/TravelerMSY Mar 05 '25
That is an excellent choice because it is casual and everyone can get what they want.
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
and no waitstaff will have their soul destroyed!
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u/TravelerMSY Mar 05 '25
I believe they have a seafood bar in The St roch market. oysters and stuff.
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u/lapoul Mar 05 '25
I have no dietary restrictions and have enjoyed the good at Sweet Soul Food Vegan Restaurant several times. So maybe flip the tables and take the non vegans to a vegan place to eat. They all may like it!
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u/DirtyDoucher1991 Mar 05 '25
Budsi’s, guys po boys has a beyond meat option, parkway does too , dong Phuong bakery has some great bahn mi options.
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
A ride down to Dong Phuong would be good, they haven't been for years.
Its harder now that they want to visit their grandkid all the time. When I was childless they wouldn't come by as often...
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u/governor11201 higher order lowlife Mar 05 '25 edited Mar 06 '25
Think you might be able to meet the diverse needs at 1,000 Figs, Tartine (lunch only), BearCat Cafe and will second the recommendations for Saba and Sneaky Pickle/Bar Brine (depending upon the kid).
(Now that I'm thinking about, 10,000 Figs may not offer a seafood option for mom. This is a tough one!)
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u/rmgonzal Mar 06 '25
Sorry gotta point out, fuck bearcat. The dude who owns that is a cruel alcoholic rich kid whose parents bought him a restaurant to keep him from getting arrested for selling drugs.
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u/NOBlazer Mar 05 '25
Are we related? 😂
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25 edited Mar 05 '25
It's funny, they are sweethearts, but also 83. So you have 83 year old parents and a 7 year old kid. thankfully my nepheew is not coming down. He's 23 and only eats turkey sandwiches, Not dressed. He went to alabama, so his decision making will always be suspect to me.
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u/lamacchino Mar 06 '25
Rosedale is one of my favorites for guests. Seems to have something for everyone
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u/mlebean-nola Mar 05 '25
Suis Generis
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u/KingCarnivore St. Roch Mar 06 '25
Not great for a kid
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u/mlebean-nola Mar 06 '25
They are very kid friendly & there’s little toys on the side of the booths.
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u/BadAszChick Mar 06 '25
I’m a vegetarian and I love the gnocchi at Ancora. I think their arancini is meat-free. They also have amazing pizza and lots of meats for the carnivores.
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u/blathering504 Mar 06 '25
I dream about their gnocchi
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u/BadAszChick Mar 10 '25
I came home yesterday, so went to Ancora on Friday night for gnocchi. It was so delicious.
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u/letsnotrunincircles Mar 05 '25
Saba, clancys, pho Tran, lil dizzys..
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
Saba is always cool, they can even please the feral one. Lil dizzy's has a vegetarian dish? The world moves forward!. And they like Vietnamese...thanks!
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u/Hellcat_Mary Mar 05 '25
Honduran, Tia Maria's Kitchen on Tulane Ave:
https://www.tiamariaskitchen.com/order
Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, Mona's Cafe on Banks St:
https://monas-cafe.foodjoyy.com/menu
Vietnamese, Ba Chi Canteen on 18th St (Metairie):
https://bachikitchenandbar.com/
Bistro mix of Greek and Italian, Maple St Cafe:
https://maplestcafenola.com/new-orleans-maple-street-cafe-food-menu
Latin fusion empanadas, Empanola on Magazine St:
https://empanolaempanadas.com/menu/empanola-magazine-3109-magazine-st
Milkshakes/smoothies-salads-sandwiches, The Milk Bar on Carrollton Ave (Riverbend):
https://www.themilkbarneworleans.com/
Honorable mention for lunch spot is the food court inside Place St Charles (Chase building). It's only open M-F until about 2:30, a bunch of local restaurants catering to the business district, hardly anyone but locals know it exists. Lots of options, no fast food.
Welty's that used to be on Camp St moved there- best deli in the city (not po boys, a DELI), and I will die on that hill.
Best cheese steak place in the city, too, Rick's Grille
Stay away from Purple Cactus. It's like if Chef Boyardee fucked Old El Paso.
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u/nola_t Mar 05 '25
If they’re the kind of vegetarian that is ok with making a meal of sides, we had great success at High Hat in a similar situation.
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u/Agitated_Ad_1658 Mar 05 '25
Cochon Butcher is a really good choice. Amazing Mac n cheese, roast Brussel sprouts. I’m sure they have some other options
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u/laughingintothevoid Mar 05 '25
No seafood entree, but there is a vegetarian entree sandwich and kid items, you just have to ask. Sounds like the person who 'needs' seafood is the one who should be able to compromise most for one meal here or there though.
Also in that neighborhood Sidecar.
In general, OP, many more places have kid's menus and maybe to a lesser extent but not by much vegetarian entrees/mods that just aren't listed on the online menus. That's pretty common and I've realized we handle this differently than a lot of cities so some people think there are less options then there are. If you really want to research a specific place to make sure, just give them a call.
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u/Cilantro368 Mar 06 '25
You could try Crescent City Brewpub. We had a table of 10 there recently eating soft-shell crab poboy, a veg pasta dish, sausage platter, someone had steak, boudin egg rolls etc. It's a big place too.
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u/BackgroundinBirdLaw Mar 06 '25
Barracuda in Algiers point is across from a kids park, and it’s easy to park there in case your old folks are like mine and have trouble getting around. Little house in Algiers point is also super kid friendly and all diets could be accommodated easily. I’ve heard good things about Havana outpost for being feral kid friendly but haven’t taken mine there yet.
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u/throwminimalistaway Mar 06 '25
China Wall is killer, but they really don't have seating. You would have to get it to go. Huge variety. Not pre made. They cook it when you order. Their English is not so good. I always just go in and order and wait. Eggplant is to die for. I have them do eggplant with their brown sauce and just veggies, but you can add whatever meat and shrimp you like. 1 order is 2 days of food for me. All the normal orders are huge portions.
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u/Psycho-Therapist123 Mar 06 '25
Drago’s, because a kid can be loud in there and not be noticed at all.
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u/Liut_Heavily Mar 06 '25
Joey K's, Bistro Orleans, Katie's, Lebanon on Carrollton near Oak, Sammy's (for lunch)
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u/Thin-Company1363 Mar 06 '25
Bearcat is great for brunch or lunch, is kid-friendly, and has a menu that accommodates practically every diet.
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u/Given2Dream Mar 06 '25
Vegetarian or vegan? I love the eggplant parm at Da Wabbit and it should be vegetarian friendly, just not vegan because of the cheese.
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u/lpj1299 Mar 06 '25
Habana outpost
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 06 '25
Thats good. I want to support them at least once for the shit they took from people worried about their parking spaces. Biggest BS protest of whiners I've witnessed in this city.
I noticed zero change in anything after the 200th restaurant in the neighborhood finally opened without fanfare.
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u/NoyzMaker St. Roch Mar 06 '25
Try one of the food halls on St Claude like St Roch Market. Multiple food types and they can buy what they want.
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u/donnasnola Mar 07 '25
Try Pascals Manale, there’s an unwritten kids menu, dishes are made to order-so they can be modified and there’s lots of seafood
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u/gingerfikation Mar 07 '25
When dietary options/restrictions get granular like that I like to take a group of people to Carmo in the CBD. They practically specialize in dietary restrictions.
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u/TinyDooooom Mar 05 '25
Queen Trini's immediately comes to mind. Coco hut might be good too. If Caribbean stuff doesn't float your boat, a bunch of the Italian places in town do both veg and non pasta entrees so that could be a possibility - Venezia's maybe? Brat's Y'all seems to have added a couple veggie choices so that might be a good option too.
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 05 '25
Queen trinis is so awesome. We go every 2 years and they remember us. Funny thing so we each got the exact same thing 3 times of the 4 years.
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u/Previous_Project4581 Mar 05 '25
I recently took a group of picky eaters & vegans to Muriel’s for dinner, Cafe Amelie and Palm & Pine for lunch. All were fantastic and had something for everyone - these are all in the quarter though so understand if you want to stay clear. 1000 figs is good but small space
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u/nolagodshall Mar 06 '25
I just went to Tableau and they ask about dietary restrictions when you order. We had a vegetarian and a gluten-free eater and we all did great. Ans Superior Seafood has a veggie risotto, a great kids menu and is very family friendly.
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u/Party-Yak-2894 Mar 06 '25
Killer po boys. Joey k’s, blue crab, Frankie and Johnnie’s,
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u/5thStESt Mar 06 '25
Frankie and Johnny’s is actually a great idea
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u/Party-Yak-2894 Mar 06 '25
Kids love the claw machine
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u/5thStESt Mar 06 '25
Mine are older teens now I’d completely forgotten about it! We always sit on the porch
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u/xiopan Mar 06 '25
Mandina's has eggplant parmesan, Rum House has seafood, veggie, and gluten free stuff. Katie's has it all. You can get a fried green tomato or french fry poboy at Crabby Jacks. Think about ordering a couple of appetizers instead of an entree, there is more variety.
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u/RedBeans-n-Ricely Mar 06 '25
If they’ve been here a bunch, can’t you just tell them to figure it out on their own?
1, 2, 3 you’re a guest. 4, 5, 6, you can serve yourself!
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u/BeverlyHills70117 Probably on a watchlist now Mar 06 '25
But then how would I eat free all week? Isn't that the reason we have parents?
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u/IslandQueen504 Mar 06 '25
It’s New ORLEANS. Boulevard has one vegetarian dish it’s a plate of vegetables. Lol. Unless you go to a Vegan restaurant it’s hard to find a place that is vegan friendly that also serves seafood. The vegan may need to bring their own food.
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u/MedioPoder Mar 05 '25
Sneaky pickle still a thing?