Dining in the French Quarter at Arnaud's and Meeting the Owner! 🎄

Arnaud's is one of the many century-old restaurants in New Orleans' French Quarter. It first opened in 1918 and was taken over by the current owner in 1978, who has been running it ever since. 🏛️👨🍳 When we visited for dinner, the holiday atmosphere was in full swing! 🎅 Most guests were dressed up, adding to the elegant vibe. As we sat down, an older couple at the next table was also settling in and chatting happily. I noticed a small glowing Christmas tree on their table—something no other table had. Thinking it might be a special holiday offering, I asked our server, "Could we also have a Christmas tree on our table?" 😊🎄 The server smiled awkwardly and explained that the couple next to us were the owners of the restaurant—the same people featured in the two large portraits hanging on the wall! The tree was their personal touch. In other words: "The owners can do whatever they like—it’s not something we control!" 😂 Haha, I’d made a funny little blunder, and my friends teased me about it all evening! 🙈 Now, about the food: We ordered the seafood gumbo, shrimp rémoulade, and of course, oysters! 🦪 The gumbo was especially delicious—rich and full of flavor. The oysters were very fresh, though the preparation style wasn’t quite my favorite. My only complaint was that the portions were a bit small… I actually left still feeling a little hungry! 🥣😅 Have you ever had a funny or unexpected moment while dining out? Share your story below! 👇✨ #WeekendEats #Oysters #NewOrleans #ChristmasTree #Foodie #FrenchQuarter #HistoricRestaurant #HolidayDining #SeafoodLover #FineDining #NOLAExperience