August — Restaurant in New Orleans

"Manners maketh man."

I want to give three stars, but I can't. I first came to August for my 10th birthday in 2006. The food and service were both excellent, in a clear emulation of the standard set at the time by Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. I have not returned until now only for lack of a proper occasion.

My mother and I reserved for lunch on Easter Sunday. When we arrived, it appeared to be very busy, and we waited around twenty minutes past our reservation time for our table. We were made to order everything at once per the Easter prix-fixe menu, including dessert. This was a bit strange, as most restaurants of this caliber bring a dessert menu after the main service has been completed. One often does not know how one will feel towards dessert after a large meal. My mother mentioned this to our server in passing, and asked if she could order dessert later. "We would prefer you order everything at once," was the reply, in an attempt to bend us to the conveyor belt formula of the John Besh restaurant empire. My mother tried again, saying that she wasn't sure she would even want dessert. The server, in a demonstration of true sympathy and understanding, made a face and said, "Oof, that's tough."

Afterwards, my mother ordered a very nice drink to celebrate the holiday. This shot of alcohol was extremely expensive, and was served in a whisky glass with no preamble. At a restaurant with such a high reputation as August, and at $120 per person for the meal (without gratuity and drinks), and for an alcohol this dear, it is not unreasonable to expect that the bottle be brought to the table with an empty glass so the patron can watch the drink being poured. This is an assurance of quality: the patron sees that they are getting what they are paying for. My mother remarked upon this to our server, who said he could bring the bottle. Of course, that would have been of little reassurance, as the drink had already been presented. The server did not know how to respond, and excused himself without a word. He then proceeded not to check on us, or indeed speak to us again, for the rest of our meal.

One expression of concern and one discerning challenge to protocol lost us the right to service. Without the euphoric cloud of distracting attention from our caretaker, it became clear to us that every dish had been made hours earlier. The green on the amuse bouche had begun to wilt; the gnocchi had been zapped to a serveable temperature; our mains were dry and barely warm. Around half an hour into our service, what must have been the late-brunch crowd departed, leaving no more than six parties left in the entire restaurant for the next ninety minutes. Perhaps they had arrived when the food was freshly made. Our server did not come by to ask if my mother was interested in dessert, and it took demonstrable effort to get him to return to our table so she could order. We had to ask his colleagues for a glass of wine, but they demurred, saying they had to ask their 'captain', our server. A true helmsman. He was attentive and jovial with other tables under his charge, engaging in loud banter with the patrons, but it was almost as if he was wishing we would cease to exist. Despite this, I was still allowed to eat my dessert with a fish spoon, left uncleared from my main course. We were made to eat by the conveyor belt, and largely had to manage ourselves in what was perhaps the most unprofessional restaurant experience of my entire life.

Our 'captain' seemed like a nice guy, but his fear of possible confrontation all but guaranteed that we will never come back. For the dessert: just say 'yes, not a problem' and figure it out behind the scenes later, if necessary. Do not 'oof' your customer, ever. And instead of running away, take the drink, bring back the bottle and a new glass, and pour the shot. Then ask us where we're from, to start everything over. Not while I'm paying the check when my mom has gone to the bathroom cause I have the kinder-looking face. We're from New Orleans. That shouldn't...

August is now in my top 5 world-wide restaurants I have visited. I made reservations months in advance to secure a table. (Advised) And once we arrived, decided to sit in the more relaxed bar side rather than the white linen-table clothed, and opulent dining room. For us, the laid back, yet austere ambiance of the lounge suited us perfectly. Conversation with the uber-cool headed and delightful tender of bar and food guide, Jennifer was relaxed and well versed and performed her fine dining functions like a skilled dance. Joining in with perfect timing and effortless grace. She introduced us to several other employees and we came to the understanding that this is the heart of the restaurant. The food will draw you, but ultimately the people who guide you through your experience will define your experience. There’s more opportunity to share with co-diners here as well, in the lounge. The bar seats six and we were joined by two other fascinating and friendly couples and regaled stories of travels and culinary experiences all while enjoying our courses and peeking at everyone else’s glorious plates of elevated down home cooking. I personally made the pilgrimage for the gnocchi which was, as advertised, one of the best things you’ll ever eat! Our amuse bouche was a lovely ouef foam with a crisp. Slightly truffled. Our taste buds were lit up and excited by this surprising bit of foreplay. So we ordered several small bites and pours and commenced casual conversation as we glided through the evening. We were surprised by a dish of rich, glossy chocolate in a shallow bowl with crumbles and a quenelle of rich ice cream. (We returned the following night after dinner elsewhere for this fyi). They also make THE BEST espresso martini I’ve ever had. Magnificent! August is a memorable event. Do not miss this restaurant. The glorious days of fine dining are alive here. Take yourself back to a time where all worries and stress fall away as you are pampered, wined and dined in a historic and opulent location.

AI has this take:

August is a Contemporary Creole restaurant in New Orleans. It is located in a historic 19th century French-Creole building in the Central Business District. The main dining room has a unique dining experience with original architectural details, gleaming hardwood floors, soaring columns, mahogany paneling, and antique mirrors.

The menu features contemporary Creole cuisine with a focus on local ingredients. Some of the dishes include gougeres, crawfish tart, sunchoke agnolotti, roasted lamb loin, and cocoa nib panna cotta.

August is a fine-dining restaurant that offers a variety of dining experiences. It is perfect for a special occasion or a romantic dinner. The menu is creative and delicious, and the service is impeccable. The atmosphere is elegant and sophisticated, making it a great place to enjoy a special meal.

The restaurant has received numerous accolades, including being named one of the "Best Restaurants in New Orleans" by New Orleans Magazine. It has also been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Food & Wine.

August is a great place to enjoy a delicious meal in a beautiful setting. The food is creative and the service is impeccable. The restaurant is perfect for a special occasion or a...

Honestly, this place is overpriced and overrated. I was disappointed with every facet of my dining experience. I dine at fining dine restaurants frequently and have never been so disappointed.

First, the drinks are too high. I am fine with charging a high price for mixed drinks, my husbands old fashion was $26. I got a shot of Blanton's bourbon. This is a good bourbon and while I understand that, there is absolutely NO REASON to charge $29 for a shot. I never go without having a bottle of Blanton's in my home. The bottle is $75. I understand there is a mark up on liquor. I worked in the restaurant industry for 10 years but 2 shots should not cover the cost of the bottle. This in itself was ridiculous.

The service was fine. It was simple and it was unbothering, which i appreciated. But the food fell short. I came to August a few weeks after it opened and only enjoyed the Halibut dish i got. So for my anniversary instead of going to GW Fins or Commander's like we have times before, we decided to give August a 2nd chance. I honestly regret it. We ordered the Potato Gnocchi appetizer and the Spicy Crab with sweetbreads and mustard greens appetizer. Both appetizers were okay at best. The gnocchi was definitely the better of the two but I have had better gnocchi at Amici Restaurant on Magazine St. (which is not even close to the same caliber of what you would expect from August). Our entrees were the Wagyu Ribeye and the Crisp Pompano. Highly disappointed in both. The ribeye actually had no flavor. The only flavor on the plate that was good was this oxtail blend in a demiglaze. Without that, i was literally chewing flavorless meat. My husband's pompano was the better of the two but still fell flat. It just was not good enough. We were so disappointed that we chose not to order more drinks or dessert. I didn't review August the first time I went hoping it was just a single poor experience. I will never go back.

One positive thing, for our anniversary the pastry chef sent out Bailey's Cream Truffles and pralines on a plate that said Happy Anniversary. I was honestly extremely pleased with the desserts. They were absolutely delicious. I almost regretted not ordering a dessert. Their pastry chef is truly talented, unfortunately not enough to make me want to ever return.

I understand charging high prices but my bar tab for 2 drinks was $61 before tip. For a shot and an old fashioned. If I am going to pay more, please provide a better all around experience. I honestly feel like I wasted my time and money. As fans of Besh, we left dinner and went out with my husband to have drinks and small plates at Borgne afterwards because it was so horrible. My husband actually apologized to me for the...