12 Awesome Places For A First Date In New Orleans

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The dating scene is nothing like it used to be, with actual outings to grab a bite or drink. When you put down your phone, where can you go in New Orleans for a good date?

The Crescent City has some very nice places for two people to get to know each other over a meal or drink. In this article, we’ll list some of the best places for a date night.

These New Orleans Restaurants Are Perfect For Date Night

First things first, let’s go over some rules that can make your date a success:

Always meet in a public place on a first date.
Never accept a drink that doesn’t come directly from the bartender or server.
Always drink responsibly. Know when enough is enough.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, it’s time to talk about date-night options! Ready to check out our list of best date night restaurants in New Orleans? Let’s go!

Coquette

2800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115 | (504) 265-0421

Here’s what one customer says about Coquette: “Every dish was a well balanced pairing of local flavor and impressive culinary capacity. The way they put these dishes together is going to stick with me for a while. Everything was wonderfully paired with the other components on the dish. Perfect for a nice dinner on a quiet night. Stick around for dessert and the Amaro list. We will be coming back again!”

Herbsaint

701 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 524-4114

Here’s what one diner says about Herbsaint: “The food deserve 5 stars, but I had to go with 4 because when we ate, almost everything was quite too salty. However we got there at almost 9pm with no reservation, and still they managed to give us a table, which was awesome. For VEGANS don’t be afraid to come eat here, the chef will prepare something at his discretion. And what I go it was Soo Good! My husband asked for 3 portion of short ribs, that’s how much he enjoyed them. My husband actually returned a dish back because it was too salty, and we appreciate that we were not charged for it. Service could have been more personable, but no complaints.”

Maypop

611 O’Keefe Ave, New Orleans, LA 70113 | (504) 518-6345

Here’s what one customer says about Maypop: “In a sea of restaurants that are [more or less] putting out the same types of food, it is guaranteed you will find completely unique and incredible eats at Maypop

“I’m not even sure what you’d classify this type of food. Definitely Asian fusion but it’s simply better than that. Everything here is simply delicious and unexpected.”

Panchita’s Mexican Criolla Cuisine

1434 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118 | (504) 281-4127

Here’s what one reviewer says about Panchita’s: “First Time me and my Boyfriend Came here.Small Place Outdoor Sitting as Well as Indoors.Authentic Mexican Food.I had There Vegetable Burrito and He had the Carne Asada Plate.I Had a Glass of Chardonnay he had 2 Corona Lights we Both Had Water.The Waitress Was Also The Owner She had Other Employees Cooking. Very Clean and Quaint. Will Be Back. Thank You.”

Gumbo Ya-Ya

600 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 291-8600

Here’s what one customer says about Gumbo Ya-Ya: “We stopped by this gumbo place as we were walking toward the French Quarter. It was supposed to be a 30 minute wait but we were seated in about 10 mins. We ordered a seven steaks gumbo with jambalaya rice topping and a seafood and okra gumbo also with jambalaya rice topping for $6.50 each. It was a good portion, tasty, and filling. The view was very romantic and beautiful! And the service was fast and awesome – Kori was our server!”

Olde Nola Cookery

205 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 525-4577

Here’s what one customer says about Olde Nola Cookery: “The wait staff was very friendly. I loved the atmosphere of this place. As for the food, my shrimp was greasy and had too much breading. My husband got the fried oyster la and said the same thing. Also the collard greens were good but a tad too salty. I would visit again and maybe try the crab cakes.”

Atchafalaya

901 Louisiana Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115 | (504) 891-9626

Come for the Crab Cake Benedict, stay for the brunch Bloody Mary.

Here’s what one diner says about Atchafalaya : “Shrimp and Crab Cake Benedict special, Bananas Foster Waffle, Five “A” bloody Mary and mimosa. Everything was delicious and the outdoor seating area was perfect for us to enjoy the beautiful weather with our dog. Our waitress was amazing. If you want to hear the live music you’ll want to sit inside. Mask required inside and COVID vaccine or negative PCR test proof required. Pets allowed outside.”

Avila Grill French Quarter

817 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112 | 504) 478-0796

At this Venezuelan restaurant, come for the Catira (shredded chicken dish), stay for the Pabello Criollo (beef stew).

Here’s what one patron has to say about the Avila Grill French Quarter: “We ordered a chicken patacon a delicious sandwich that uses plantains as the bun and the chicken arepa which has a corn based pocket stuffed with goodness. We wanted to try the empanadas so ordered a couple of those too. We ended loving those so much we ordered six to go to enjoy for lunch while we were driving the next day. Oooh and get the green sauce that comes with the empanadas for whatever you order! I want this in economy size!”

Final Word

Getting to know someone over lunch or dinner can be intimidating for many people, but hopefully the awesome restaurants we’ve listed can make it easier.

If you really want to take things to the next level, you can pay for exclusive dining by renting out a banquet room for a small group of family and friends.

Want to make it official? Here’s how to sweep her off her feet.

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Keisha Smith

Keisha Smith is a Contributing Writer who attended college at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge. She is currently writing a book on south Louisiana culture.