Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Lower Garden District

The best thing about this dining experience by far was our waiter, Mason. He was extremely fun and engaging. Witty and all around pleasant. I just cannot say enough good things about him and hope managment see this and give him kudos. He was probably the best waiter I have ever had. The dining room was not crowded and the food was very good, except for my husband’s ribeye which was a bit overcooked and not very tender, and they did comp us his port at dessert as an apology, which was lovely of them. Everything else about the evening was wonderful. We received an amuse-bouche to start and were each sent home with a box containing two flavors of scones as a lagniappe. My friend and I had the short ribs pappardelle and they were excellent, and we shared a burrata with balsamic pearls and air bread which was spectacular. My husband’s app was the Summertime Surprise, a fried soft shell crab, which he said was “sublime” and the presentation was quite beautiful. It was a quiet dining room with the hotel bar adjacent, so we could hear lots of good music and revelry coming from there which enhanced our experience but didn’t intrude on it. We enjoyed the mural of Jackson Square with famous folks drawn into it, and when we mentioned our interest in it to Mason, he brought Ken, the resident expert on the hotel’s murals, over to answer our questions. Overall it was a lovely evening of upscale dining with really phenomenal service.

The food at M Bistro was all exceptionally delicious. The service was superb, and the ambiance is fantastic- a truly beautiful venue, as is the entire Ritz Carlton. Our only 2 minor complaints are that the restaurant is difficult to find in the hotel. It's on the third floor behind the bar. We wandered around a while trying to figure out where it is, as directions are not displayed anywhere. The second is the coffee is similar to New York coffee- more watery than we're used to in New Orleans. But all in all, I heartily recommend M Bistro, and we'll be happy to return. As for the food, I had the redfish, which was really outstanding. The oysters Rockefeller were a unique recipe, but excellent.

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.

Downstairs is very nice and the bar is lovely. Cocktails were excellent. We sat upstairs and it isn’t as nice as downstairs. There is little ambience as it’s very very bright. They should turn down the lights a bit to create a mood. It’s like cafeteria level bright. They have a lovely balcony that overlooks Royal which is great. The food was good. My burger was delicious but fries were cold. My husband’s shrimp and salmon were excellent. Service was wonderful. Our server was attentive and polite.

Ms. Chalaine was friendly, helpful, and attentive. The food was delicious. We recommend the Eggs Benedict, Eggs Sardou, and, of course, the Bananas Foster. The Brennan's Bloody Mary is one of the best, if not the best. Dining at Brennan's is an enjoyable and relaxing experience.