Nola Eatery & Social House — Restaurant in Dubai

Dear Nola team,

I’ve been a regular customer for the past 3 years and my future husband for longer than this. We met at Nola 3 years ago and since then we are together celebrating anniversary, birthdays, Christmas, ladies nights and weekends at Nola.

Nola is always our “to go” place because: we met at Nola and this brings back memories to us; we celebrated birthdays, good or bad moments; we highly appreciated the vibe, the music, the cleanliness but most importantly the friendly and sweet staff which is always so welcoming and warming, therefore we highly esteemed the management for the way they treat the employees as seeing them always happy and smiling. Amazing people!!!

The last experience at Nola made me write this review; we booked a table for 4 people on Sunday 19 June, 19:30. We arrived earlier and sat at the bar having a drink until our friends would join us and we’d move to the reserved table. I have asked the hostess 3 times about our table and if it’s ready or if we can sit at the table as was already 10 min close to our reservation. She seemed clueless and didn’t give us any feedback or came back with an answer to us. We had to chase her to get our table. I miss Hani (not sure if I remember or write her name correctly) - the old hostess; she was always smiling and helping us to get a table in no time or make us happy and make the whole Nola experience amazing.

We finally sat at a table after arguing that was nowhere mentioned in the app when booked that this would be a “smoking area table” and we wanted a non-smoking one.

While ordering food (table 76), i have told to the waitress: “we are all 4 vegan, can you please check if the wild mushrooms side has any butter or dairy?”. She came back from the kitchen and confirmed that is only with olive oil and in the same moment I told her the rest of the order. She did not repeat the order to me! A waiter came with a “seafood” jambalaya plate and I told him that this is definitely not what I ordered as I clearly mentioned that we are all 4 vegans. Another waiter come back to our table ARGUING that “she repeated the order and we confirmed” (which is not true!). This was the most disappointing thing: that customer is a LIAR and waitress is right while we were all expecting somebody from your team to come and say “we apologize for the inconvenience and wrong order, we will definitely bring the right dish”. To not forget the rudeness and irritated attitude of the waitress! This has never happened to Nola before.

We will be back to Nola though. Nola is still our...

Nola review by 50 shades of food

Nola at JLT Dubai is a hidden gem that brilliantly captures the essence of New Orleans cuisine while infusing it with a contemporary twist. Upon entering, you’re greeted by vibrant decor reminiscent of the lively streets of the Big Easy, from the colourful murals to the subtle jazz notes wafting through the air. The atmosphere is both inviting and festive, making it a perfect spot for casual dining with friends. Touted as a cajun eat place would have liked more New Orleans music to be piped through. The music being played was a but subdued.

The menu is a delightful exploration of Southern flavours, offering a range of classic dishes alongside innovative creations. While the offerings embody the essence of being in New Orleans, we stuck to starters. The Sea Bream Carpaccio was divine, with lovely flavour and delicate marinade. The Wagyu beef skewer bites were exceptional, albeit the serving was noticeably small. The Nola salad was tasty, but again meagre in serving size (they should give an option for 4 people). The Guacanola was tasty, but the nacho chips accompanying it were a letdown.

Service at Nola is commendable, with friendly staff who are well-versed in the menu and eager to make recommendations. Noel and Kennedy stood out amongst the staff and were very friendly, polite and attentive. The cocktail menu is equally impressive, featuring a range of unique concoctions that perfectly complement the dishes; the Hurricane cocktail is a fun homage to the classic New Orleans drink. Compared to the location and offering, the drinks were pricey, albeit well served and expansive in terms of choices.

Overall, Nola at JLT offers a vibrant dining experience filled with flavour and warmth. Whether you’re a fan of Southern cuisine or simply looking to try something new, this restaurant delivers both nostalgia and culinary excitement. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a taste of New Orleans in the heart of Dubai!

Pros:

Service is first class. Good food offerings and choices. Very good vibe to the place with a nice crowd.

Cons: Pricey. (four people without a main course AED 500 per head) Minor improvements in food would help. No medical first aid kit in the main hotel lobby. Overall: Yes definately worth a visit again, especially to try the main course. Also would be nice to visit on a day when live...

I am truly bewildered by my overall experience at Nola’s last night, I had to write a review. As someone who worked in a Michelin starred restaurant, and graduated from the top hospitality university, it usually takes a lot to for me to say "I had a great dinner", because I can spot all the small mistakes in the service and the food.

Nola surprised me in a lot of ways: presenting itself as a New Orléans’ themed restaurant with live jazz on Saturday nights, the main focus seemed to be on the atmosphere more than the food. However, from the starters - with their iconic fried calamari and Camembert - to their signature burger, and deserts, everything we ordered was meticulously done and flavored, nothing more could be added. Please, please, please, if you go, do not forget to try their deserts. Their pastry chef could not have done a more wonderful job. His beignets are the best I’ve ever had in my life.

On the service side, everyone we had the pleasure to talk to was kind, gentle, patient and smiling, something that is difficult to find nowadays. To top it off, their simple and stylish uniforms were wonderful.

As for the jazz - which was my original reason for coming - the quality of the band, their livelihood and the atmosphere was charming. Get a table on the terrace for dinner, but do not hesitate to jump into the stage area to dance around afterwards!

Overall, thank you Nola for giving us a warming welcome to Dubai. You have instantaneously made...