Dooky Chase Restaurant — Restaurant in New Orleans

I should preface this review by saying that I considered leaving no review at all or giving the restaurant a five star and leave nothing else but the night and meal was so thoroughly disappointing I have no other choice.

It’s worth saying that I’m not a New Orleans local but had spent the past week travelling through south central Louisiana notably Lafayette (which has better food than New Orleans by the way) and New Orleans and Dooky Chase was a restaurant I had been wanting to eat at for years for the reasons that most people want to: to support a historic black business and restaurant.

I fear the Dooky Chase that existed many years ago is not the Dooky Chase that exists today. I mourn the fact that I could not visit the restaurant under the leadership of Leah Chase.

The simply fact is the restaurant now rides on the coattails of its former success and continued legacy and will likely continue to run the same way it does because of two undeniable facts: people will always come because of the name Dooky Chase, people will not bad mouth it because it is Dooky Chase.

The reason why I say these things are fivefold: The service I received at the restaurant was the worst service I have ever received in my life. We were seated at 5:50 and managed to leave at 8:40 bearing in mind the restaurant opens at 5:30 and closes at 9 There were multiple tables that were seated after us that were served and cashed up before we were even served our ‘dessert’ With the exception of the cocktails, gumbo, mustard greens which were cooked to perfection the food was mediocre or cold It was my birthday so why on God’s green earth am spending three hours in a restaurant on my birthday? It was a table of two

They had the decency to comp two of our drinks because they must have known that they were taking the piss but even then I was left with a sour taste in my mouth. There is more that can be added to the review but to put it plainly I can’t be bothered to recall it and include it in my review because 1. I will never come here again or recommend it 2. It will remain busy and bustling despite the atrocious service and middling food that was served.

Dooky Chase unfortunately has become a tourist trap.

To summarise

Pros: Great gumbo (bread was served after we finished the gumbo) Great cocktails (Rum punch, Queen’s crown) Great mustard greens

Cons: Diabolical customer service Cold entrees Peach cobbler is not a peach cobbler but instead a sad imitation We resorted to doing impressions of Lord Voldemort k-wording Harry Potter in the last Deathly Hallows to entertain ourselves during the 45 minute waits between courses

Maybe we caught them on a bad night however if your restaurant is open for a mere four hours a night I can’t understand why it was so...

Visiting Dooky Chase's Restaurant has been on my bucket list since I was 13 years old and watched the Princess and the Frog for the first time. I'm 27, finally made it to NOLA, and made it my mission to dine here. My experience was nothing short of what I'd imagine. It was absolutely brilliant.

I made reservations for my husband and I two weeks in advance, which I'd recommend. We visited for brunch on a Sunday and I don't think we'd had gotten a seat if we didn't have reserved tabled. Not without a lengthy wait.

The entrance and waiting area showcases the restaurant's rich history, the walls adorned with news paper articles, awards, and photos of celebrities and politicians dining with the owners. Even if you have to wait for your seat, you'll find it's easy to be distracted with all the portraits and readings available.

We were greeted by our very friendly server who brought us crispy, buttery, golden garlic bread. I ordered the famous Red Beans and Rice ($14.95) that came with 2 pieces of fried chicken and paired that with the recommend wine, the La Crema Pinot Nior. The pairing was excellent, and my main dish was heavenly, the blend of spices a magical delight. There was just the right amount of sausage and rice. The fried chicken was fantastic! Beautifully crunchy and full of flavor - I could have easily eaten twice the amount I was served.

My husband ordered the Shrimp Clemeneau (shrimp sautéed with garlic sauce, peas, mushrooms, and brabant potatoes, $18.95). If you like butter and garlic, this is the dish for you. While we both found it a little overwhelming, especially towards the bottom of the dish which is drowned in the sauce, everything above was delicious. Wonderful flavor and a very unique blend of seasoning. There potatoes were roasted perfectly and the shrimp was delightful.

Of course, we couldn't leave without trying some sides and dessert, especially since we'd travelled from so far. We tried a cup of Creole Gumbo ($7.95) that we both LOVED. By far, the best gumbo we ate during our entire stay in NOLA. The Stewed Okra and Jambalaya ($4.95) were equally as delicious. We ordered both dessert options, Praline Bread Pudding and Peach Cobbler. I honestly couldn't pick which I favored as both were out of this world! I highly recommend ordering both!

A couple tidbits/recommendations: Please make reservations, especially if you're visiting on a Sunday. Also, the restaurant is not in the French Quarter, or anywhere touristy. We chose to take an Uber from our hotel. You can also take the bus if you have the time and/or understand the bus routes. There is a dress code which can be found on the restaurants website. It's also plastered on the host station.

I will 100% be returning to Dooky Chase's if I'm ever in...

If you’re in the area and craving home style southern Louisiana creole food, Dooky Chase is an excellent choice.

I grew up eating tasty southern Louisiana food, so I completely understood my traveling companion’s desire to try Dooky Chase - she had seen a clip on Harry Connick’s show, and the video made her mouth water. Our hotel room wasn’t ready for check in so we did rideshare from the hotel, planning to enjoy a late lunch. The throng of people standing outside marked the restaurant entrance. We ventured inside, waited in line, and let the hostess know that we needed a table for 2 for lunch. The hour long wait for a late lunch was unexpected, but the quantity of ladies in pink ranging in age from 18 to very experienced indicated a special event. We learned later that a sorority reunion was being held in New Orleans that weekend; the reminiscing going on around us included some amazing stories.

We opted to wait in the bar area – we chatted with our fellow “waiters” (haha I crack myself up) ranging from international tourists to nearby locals who came in every day. The bar staff were friendly and entertaining; the drinks were well made and surprisingly affordable. Our party was called about 90 minutes later – those still waiting cheered us on as we walked to our table in the dining room, where a birthday cake event marker was placed on our table. We reviewed the menu and scouted out the buffet offerings. My traveling companion chose Shrimp Creole. I opted for the Buffet.

I tasted my companion’s gumbo – I would rate it 7 on a 10 point scale. I prefer my Grandmother’s gumbo recipe (keep in mind my preference is most likely tainted by the memories associated with eating my Grandma’s gumbo). I sampled a little bit of everything that was on the buffet. Everything I tasted was solidly good and reminded me of something one of my Louisiana friends’ Moms would cook for Sunday dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed the fried catfish. I only got a nibble of the fried chicken – as soon as the fresh fried chicken came out of the kitchen a line formed and I was too busy eating my other yummy food to get in line. My companion enjoyed her shrimp creole and the garlic bread.

While we were eating, diners at neighboring tables took advantage of photo ops with famous people (customers also dining). The artwork was interesting and added to the ambiance. It was a fun tasty lunch for our first...