BABs
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I really enjoyed my first experience dining here. I came with a group of new and older friends celebrating the chaos that we call life. I've been wanting to come here for a while now, but had not had the occasion. I for whatever reason did not want to come here solo. We enjoyed everything about our meals, and were even trying things we would not normally. We ordered several drinks and apps for the table. My Aviator was sublime, I could drink those all night. They had several glasses of white wine, mostly the Chardonnay. They also absolutely murdered burrata, the sample I had was good. The cheese was like really creamy fresh mozzarella. They raved about the warm olives, which are definitely not my thing. I did try one, they were more palatable than others I've tried, but they're only for show in my Martini. I ordered the Arancini, which was unexpectedly light. I was thinking more boudain in texture, but they were almost fluffy. And the lemon curd sauce provided a pleasantly sharp tartness. That octopus though, we were glad we ordered two. The most tender, melt in your mouth octopus I've ever had. And the sweet potatoes puree had us scrapping the plate. We got the squeamish one to take a bite, she didn't hate it. For entrees there was the Gulf fish, Cavatelli and the tomato gazpacho. The gazpacho came out early, so she had to watch us stuff our faces. She got to eat it with the burrata so score one for her. The Cavatelli (basically the reason we went there) was so rich. I can only describe it as creamy BBQ shrimp pasta, had my fish not been so good this would've been my favorite. The fish, which I forgot to ask the variety of, was perfectly cooked. So flaky and soft, it almost fell apart on my plate just looking at it. The only thing holding it together was the super crispy skin on top, perfection. The corn and gremolata keep things light but flavorful. We had just enough room for some desert. The chocolate cake was good, but no thanks on the mint ice cream. I didn't get a chance at the panna cotta, it was gone before I knew. The service complemented the meal and is equally deserving of praise. Sarah was attentive and knowledgeable. Who knew what a gremolata was, Sarah did! Our glasses were never empty, and she had wine and drink suggestions. Our plates were promptly cleared, so if you're aggy about that(you know who you are), you've been warned. Also the menus are paper and the tea candles are real, only you can prevent forest fires.
Malcolm EarhartMalcolm Earhart
00
Overall, the atmosphere was warm and bustling but not overwhelming, the food was tasty, and the bar menu and service was top notch. We had a great time. We sat at the bar which overlooks the kitchen so we were able to see the kitchen staff at work which I thoroughly enjoyed. I ordered an old fashion which, by the way, if you’re into whiskey and you’ve not had the privilege of tasting something from a Willet Pot Still barrel, don’t waste another day waiting. It’s superb. The most amazing food item on their menu (in my opinion) was the tuna toast which comes packin’ with garlic, tomato, and avocado in all of their complimentary glory. I could have eaten 14 plates of this dish alone despite it only being considered an appetizer on their menu. We also ordered the fried gulf oysters which was served over jasmin rice with gravy. Quite tasty. The charred okra was good but the mahi mahi that we shared was “meh” at best. There was a lot of build up to this mahi mahi main entree and it was mildly disappointing. Most everything up until this final dish was full of flavor and presented in a beautiful way. The mahi mahi fell short in these ways.
JessicaJessica
00
Excellent food, service could have been better. Accidentally broke plate and spilled water all over the table and my pants but didn’t really seem that big of a deal to the staff. Reserved a spot for 10 people here for a birthday. Did not tell them that it was for a birthday but when we arrived, they asked us 2x what it was for and I said for a birthday. They didn’t really seem to acknowledge it for the rest of the dinner except for a hasty “happy birthday” at the end as we were out the door. I rather prefer that they had not asked in the first place because it seemed non-genuine. But the cherry on top was when the server was cleaning up the plates and one accidentally slipped, shattering the glass of water and dripping it on my pants along with one of the party’s handbag. The server really didn’t seem to care that much and just let the water drip. Hostess came and switched out the chair but no one brought napkins to clean up the water nor ask me if I was fine. I also had to move my party’s handbag and dry it with my napkin. I get it, accidents happen and none of us was mad but they afterwards asked us if we wanted desserts as my pants was still drying. Overall throughout the course, the waiter seemed to be pushing us to order more stuff but this is our first time at the restaurant so please let us enjoy our time and food first. The food by itself was fantastic. Lasagna had great crust and nicely seasoned. I would have gone back here again however I feel let down by the experience. I still tipped regardless but it’s one of the few times where I wonder why I’m tipping. The 4% kitchen appreciation fee is definitely well deserved though as the food was great otherwise.
LarryLarry
10
Smallish place in a warehouse in the by water. Decent wine list with some good selections. We tried three different appetizers and the salted cod croquettes were probably the best. A lot of things seem to be oversalted. small portions but when you get a small portion you hope the flavor will compensate for it and in many cases it didn't. Many of the creations were a little more than the sum of their parts didn't gel very well. I was one appetizer feature shave truffles and cheese but it ended up being shaved brussel sprouts and not truffles. Regarding entrees, The only thing that stood out was the Jamaican capitelli had a really good flavored kitchen. The chicken with truffles jus was uninspiring, as was the waigu lasagna which lacked any distinctive flavor and the cheese had broken and separated into oil. Again many things seemed to be oversalted too.
Myche TicianMyche Tician
00
I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at this local gem in the Bywater. Maria was my server and bartender, accompanied by Randall, their master cocktail mixologist. He uses fresh ingredients like habanero, watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, etc., to create one-of-kind delicious, and unique creations that are sure to get your tastebuds dancing. I started my food Journey with the blackened octopus, cooked to perfection, followed by the burrata paired with peaches. I followed the recommendation of Maria and Randall and got the Cavatelli with shrimp and fresh herbs. It was much lighter than I expected, which was a welcomed surprise. The entire staff was welcoming and attentive. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent, qualities that will keep me coming back every time.
CharlotteCharlotte
00
Celebration dinner tonight and our first (but certainly not last) visit. We made reservations and were told we’d have to sit by the kitchen, but when seated, we quickly knew we had the best seats in the house. For an appetizer we shared the Ricotta Tart with the most amazing cheesy flowers that topped a honey and hazelnut drizzle. Paired with a lightly tossed arugula & vinaigrette and a dab of prune paste. Oh talk about delicious, by far my favorite appetizer so far in NOLA. I ordered the red snapper with cauliflower and a pecan salsa verde and my husband had the curried rabbit with coconut rice and peas. Justin C took great care of us and even suggested & made the tastiest Rob Roy for dessert, while I enjoyed a chocolate ganache, hazelnut and coconut sorbet, plate of Heaven.
Joni MeethJoni Meeth
40
Nearby Attractions Of BABs
New Orleans Jazz Museum
Crescent Park
Washington Square
Hidden Adventure Swamp & Plantation Tours
Hotel Peter and Paul
Hotel de la Monnaie
The Frenchmen New Orleans by Kasa
Frenchmen St
New Orleans Food Cooperative
Marigny Opera House

New Orleans Jazz Museum
4.4
(1K)Click for details

Crescent Park
4.6
(756)Click for details

Washington Square
4.4
(398)Click for details

Hidden Adventure Swamp & Plantation Tours
4.9
(301)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of BABs
The Spotted Cat Music Club
Dat Dog
St. Roch Market
Morrow's
Elizabeth's
Bamboula's
Pizza Delicious
Who Dat Coffee Cafe
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
BMC Balcony Music Club

The Spotted Cat Music Club
4.7
(2.6K)Click for details

Dat Dog
4.4
(2K)Click for details

St. Roch Market
4.6
(1.6K)Click for details

Morrow's
4.2
(1.8K)$$
Click for details
Basic Info
Address
2900 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117
Map
Phone
(504) 605-3827
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Website
babs-nola.com
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Reviews
Overview
4.6
(317 reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
American restaurant & cocktail bar in a big brick building using seasonal & locally reared produce.
attractions: New Orleans Jazz Museum, Crescent Park, Washington Square, Hidden Adventure Swamp & Plantation Tours, Hotel Peter and Paul, Hotel de la Monnaie, The Frenchmen New Orleans by Kasa, Frenchmen St, New Orleans Food Cooperative, Marigny Opera House, restaurants: The Spotted Cat Music Club, Dat Dog, St. Roch Market, Morrow's, Elizabeth's, Bamboula's, Pizza Delicious, Who Dat Coffee Cafe, Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, BMC Balcony Music Club
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