Arnaud's New Orleans — Restaurant in New Orleans

A person at our table had 4-6oz of warm gravy poured through her hair and down her back. It spilled/splashed from the top of her head all the way to her seat - soaking through 4 layers of clothing - dripping down her scalp and even inside her shirt. She did not get burned, thankfully.

A male waiter did this due to serious inattention to his surroundings, poor listening skills, and poor communication. Our female waiter (POC), saw what was happening when my friend started saying "oh god, oh god" (quietly, to not cause a scene/ she could not move ) the female waiter tried to alert him to what he was doing. He then snapped and yelled at her for getting in his way/talking to him. He verbally blamed her for his mistake as he actively spilled the remaining gravy on our friend!

The woman waitress that intervened took our friend to the bathroom to help her wash her clothing and hair. After 15 min they could not get it out. She had no place to shower and we had a 6-7 hour drive to start after leaving the restaurant. The female waitress apologized over and over again, while the male disappeared completely and didn't give any apology to her.

The maître d' came over and offered us free alcohol, but we were not drinking. So, he offered us dessert, but it was already included in the tasting price. So, we all just stared at his cluelessness until he handed my friend his card and smugly and said he could cover the dry cleaning. We were all very upset about the lack of awareness, care, or concern.

After the meal, we saw her bill had only $20 off. So, I pulled the maître d' aside because I didn't want to take away from the guests experience around us.

I said, "I know you took 20 dollars off of my friend's meal, but the table agrees the right thing to do is to at least comp her whole meal..." and before I could say another word, he rolled his eyes, took a defensive posture, and interrupted me to say:

"$20 should be enough to cover dry cleaning, that's 50% off her total bill. I am being generous."

To which I replied, "sir, she was in the bathroom for 15 minutes and she is still..."

He interrupted again with a condescending tone, "well, she isn't burned, right? It will come out, right? it's just gravy, not something that will stain and it's not like anything needs to be replaced. It was just a small mistake. " he said as he rolled his eyes with arm movements like I was being preposterous.

My male friend came up and said, "I am a chef and in the industry. I believe her whole meal needs to be comped." And I followed it up with, "We have a 7 hour drive after this she will have to sit through and she has no place to shower."

He looked at the man standing next to me (as if I was less than a man and my thoughts were too) and said "fine, I will comp her meal". I replied, "I don't understand why this is a problem to comp her bill".

He said, "I guess my staff wasn't honest with me about what happened." He blamed his staff instead of taking responsibility for his poor attitude and lack of appropriate action.

Arnaud's seems to take their "traditional" and "old school" approach in the worst way possible with sexism (only acknowledging/respecting/accepting concerns from men) and discrimination (white male leadership blaming a female POC for something that's not their fault and seriously minimizing the males mistake).

Since this incident, I have contacted 3 different managers in the industry and sent them this "hypothetical" situation. Each of them said that they would have comped the whole tables bill OR most of the whole tables bill, not just her meal (and not just $20 off). Also, the chef at our table said that when he has seen something similar (but less severe) happen (he has never seen something this bad in 12 years of being in the industry), they have comped the whole bill for the table.

I hope the owners see this and take our experience seriously; the gravy incident and the unacceptable interactions that followed...

If you're looking for a quintessential New Orleans brunch experience, Arnaud's Restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter is a must-visit. My party of three arrived right when the doors opened at 10 a.m. for their famous Sunday Jazz Brunch, and we were seated immediately in the main dining room where the jazz band performs. From the moment we entered, we were transported back in time. The grand entrance adorned in red and white, paired with the checkered marble flooring, instantly set the stage for an elegant and timeless dining experience.

The waitstaff, impeccably dressed in black and white, added a sense of sophistication and attention to detail that enhanced the overall ambiance. The menu is a perfect representation of Southern French Creole cuisine, featuring local classics like turtle soup, grillades, shrimp clemenceau, and tableside-prepared coffee and desserts.

For brunch, we opted for a mix of dishes that showcased the depth of Arnaud’s culinary offerings. I tried the Grillades & Grits, which featured flash-seared baby veal scaloppine braised to perfection and served over grit cakes—rich, savory, and the perfect comfort food. The Seafood Gumbo was packed with flavor and the right balance of spice, while the Belgian Waffle was crispy on the outside and light inside, topped with fresh berries and syrup. The Shrimp Arnaud, Gulf shrimp marinated in their famous tangy Creole remoulade sauce, was a standout—refreshing and zesty. The Eggs Sardou—poached eggs over artichoke bottoms and creamed baby spinach with hollandaise sauce—was the epitome of Southern decadence.

Arnaud’s offers a prix fixe menu for brunch, which is an exceptional value at around $30 for a three-course meal. The pacing of the meal was perfect, allowing us to savor each course while the jazz band played in the background, creating the perfect soundtrack to our brunch. As the band made their way around the room taking song requests, we were serenaded, adding a personal touch to the dining experience that felt very unique to New Orleans.

To finish our meal, we opted for a classic Bananas Foster, prepared tableside with flair. The server did an excellent job with the dramatic presentation of the flaming liquor, but we felt the bananas could have stayed in the fire just a little longer for a deeper caramelization. It was still delicious, but not quite the best Bananas Foster we’ve had in the city.

Overall, Arnaud's Jazz Brunch is an experience every New Orleans visitor should have. From the elegant setting to the delicious Southern Creole fare and live jazz, it’s the perfect way to indulge in the city’s rich culinary and cultural traditions. Whether you’re a local or a first-time visitor, Arnaud's delivers a classic New Orleans brunch that will leave you with...

My wife and I recently dined at Arnaude's in New Orleans, and sadly, our experience did not live up to the high expectations set by its reputation. Having dined at some of the finest restaurants across the US and Europe, we were hoping for a memorable evening, but instead, we were left feeling underwhelmed.

Upon arrival, we were immediately surrounded by a team of waiters eager to serve, laying napkins and filling water glasses. While this may seem like a nice touch, it quickly set a tone of over-attentiveness that didn't match the rest of the experience. When presented with the wine list, we were impressed to see Domaine la Romanée-Conti, and after discussing our selection, someone interjected and suggested a different bottle. I asked the gentleman if he was the sommelier, to which he gave a vague "mhmm" in the affirmative. I reluctantly agreed to his recommendation, only to find that the bottle was not only disappointing but significantly more expensive than the one we had originally chosen. The wine we received was far below the quality of our intended selection, making the experience feel like a bait-and-switch.

The miscommunication didn't stop there. When the waiter returned to take our meal orders, I realized he wasn’t a sommelier at all. I expressed my dissatisfaction about being misled, and after some back and forth, the maitre d' graciously agreed to replace the wine with the bottle we had originally selected. This gesture was appreciated, but it was only a small part of the overall disappointment.

The food, unfortunately, was no better. While the escargot casserole was enjoyable, the rest of the meal fell flat. The seafood gumbo had several rogue shells, and the duck breast was overcooked—an unforgivable mistake for a restaurant of this caliber. It felt as though Arnaude's is living off a reputation earned years ago, but has not kept up with the times or maintained the high standards it once had.

Additionally, if you choose to dine in the jazz room, be prepared for an added fee to your bill for the live music. The musicians were fantastic, and we found the cost worthwhile, but it would have been helpful to know about this charge upfront, especially when considering leaving a tip.

All in all, our experience at Arnaude's was far from what we expected, especially given its storied past and high-end image. While the staff did make an effort to resolve the wine issue, the food quality and overall ambiance left us disappointed. We won’t be returning, and we’d caution others to carefully consider if the experience...