Galatoire's — Restaurant in New Orleans

Galatoire’s Restaurant is one of New Orleans’ most historic and beloved fine dining establishments, offering a traditional Creole dining experience with deep-rooted customs. It is particularly known for its lively atmosphere, devoted clientele, and a strict adherence to its formal dining traditions. While many diners praise its impeccable service and classic dishes, others have reported disappointing experiences that fell short of the restaurant’s esteemed reputation.

Ambiance & Atmosphere: Galatoire’s embodies the spirit of New Orleans with its old-world charm and a dining room that is always buzzing with energy. However, its lack of soundproofing makes it incredibly loud, which can be overwhelming for guests looking for an intimate dining experience. If you prefer a quieter setting, requesting a private dining room or a seat in the back might be a better option. The restaurant enforces a strict dress code, requiring gentlemen to wear jackets after 5 PM, reinforcing its traditional fine-dining ethos.

Service: The service at Galatoire’s is largely dependent on the individual waiter assigned to your table. Many guests praise the attentiveness and professionalism of the waitstaff, noting that they are willing to accommodate special requests, even if they are off-menu. However, some visitors have had unpleasant experiences, ranging from inattentiveness to outright rudeness. There have also been reports of long wait times despite reservations, and some guests found their servers overly focused on personal anecdotes rather than delivering quality service. On the bright side, complimentary items like drinks or desserts are sometimes provided to guests as gestures of goodwill.

Food Quality: Galatoire’s menu features a variety of classic Creole dishes, including Oysters Rockefeller, Duck Crepes, Crab au Gratin, and Filet Mignon. While many visitors have raved about the flavors and presentation of their meals, others have found the food underwhelming.

Hits: The Banana Bread Pudding is often cited as a must-try dessert. Some guests enjoyed the Pecan Pie, describing it as a rich and satisfying end to the meal. The Asparagus and Hearts of Palm Salad and the Maple Leaf Duck were also praised by diners.

Misses: The Oysters Rockefeller were reportedly undercooked. The Pecan Pie Crust was overbaked, making it difficult to cut through. The Crab Mushroom Main lacked balance, with an excessive amount of mushrooms overpowering the dish. The Potato Starter was described as nothing more than deep-fried pockets of air. The Filet Mignon was inconsistent—some found it overcooked and chewy, while others found it under-seasoned. Temperature issues have also been noted, with several diners reporting that their food arrived lukewarm or cold, raising concerns about kitchen efficiency and food safety.

Cleanliness & Hygiene Concerns: One of the biggest complaints about Galatoire’s is its questionable cleanliness. Some patrons noticed crumbs on menus due to the restaurant’s tradition of not providing bread plates. Others found hairs in their dishes—an issue that should not be overlooked in a fine dining establishment. In at least one case, a diner became ill after consuming their meal, which suggests potential lapses in food safety protocols.

Overall Experience: Galatoire’s remains a legendary institution in New Orleans, and many loyal patrons continue to visit for its tradition, vibrant atmosphere, and attentive service. However, for first-time visitors, the experience can be hit or miss. The restaurant’s strict formalities, occasional service missteps, and inconsistent food quality make it a polarizing choice.

Pros: ✅ Iconic New Orleans fine dining experience ✅ Classic Creole dishes with a rich history ✅ Elegant ambiance with a lively crowd ✅ Some dishes, like the banana bread pudding, are exceptional ✅ Strong commitment to traditional service

Final Verdict: If you appreciate tradition and a vibrant dining experience, Galatoire’s is worth a visit—but temper your expectations. For those seeking a more modern fine...

Let me start off by mentioning when my friends and I arrived to this restaurant, we immediately realized we were very under-dressed. We knew we were going to (what we thought) was a nice restaurant but didn’t immediately see anything about a dress code. The host greeted us and (while rather snooty but nice about it) offered to hold our reservation while we ran back to the hotel to change. So we hoofed it back to the hotel, changed, and returned a little flustered, winded, and very sweaty. I travelled with no jacket so I had to borrow one of theirs. I do realize it’s our fault for not checking the FAQ on the website to prepare, but we were not offered the option to dine in their more casual location, either, which would have been a nice option.

After we got sat things really started to break down. Bread and drinks got delivered – my Rum and diet was much stronger than it should have been, my friends red wine came in a white wine glass, and no appetizer plates came with the bread. Our waiter had an okay attitude, but when it came to my friend requesting the correct wine glass and me needing another drink that wasn’t so strong, it was apparent how inconvenient the request was.

Our orders got taken and while our salads came out mostly correct, one had the wrong dressing and our waiter, after my friend placed his order with him, made a comment of “That’s a lot of food”. He ordered two additional sides with his meal, one of which was tomatoes. It’s not like he was ordering ½ the menu. Not something polite to say to anyone, especially if they’re a little heavier.

While we waited for dinner we made a few observations. All men were in suit jackets and ladies were wearing pretty much anything they wanted, including t-shirts. We saw a family walk out wearing Underarmour shirts and tennis shoes. We saw two of the waitstaff serving with their shirts untucked and another in crocks sandals. Some were in tuxedos, but it was frustrating seeing the inconsistencies since we made efforts to comply with their dress code.

By the time our meals arrived, we all were pretty un-sold on this “historic” restaurant. The $50 Ribeye I ordered (asked for Medium but they cooked Well) arrived and it was underwhelming to say the least… just thrown on the plate. That was it – no garnish or presentation efforts made whatsoever, which is surprising for a place that is putting forward this “high-level dining” expectation. I had also asked our waiter if the potatoes I ordered had any gluten in it, to which he responded “No I don’t think so. It should be fine”. That didn’t give me much confidence, so I checked with the host who confirmed it has breadcrumbs. They do not claim any of their food is guaranteed gluten-free, which is fine, but the kitchen and wait staff should be trained to know what does and does not have common food allergens. Instead of sending my steak back, we all decided at that point to just finish our meals and go. There were a lot of rookie mistakes made in what we thought was a high-end dining establishment.

After dinner I excused myself to go to the restroom. When walking back I observed our waiter slumped in a chair in the dining room thumbing through his phone while our table sat with empty drink glasses. That’s when I decided this was very much not a high-level dining experience and ripped off my suit jacket and flung it around the back of my chair. The host didn’t like that very much but I was done pretending that I was on some sort of incredible dining venture. The people working in this restaurant were not focused at all on creating any sense of service or fine-dining experience.

If you want an impressive dining experience, this is NOT the place. There are much better restaurants who require a suit jacket and live up to the standard. Usually stuff like this I just chalk up to a bad experience and move on, but if you’re going to present me with a suit jacket requirement, the service and the entire experience...

Galatoire's Dissappoints at $2100 for six people

Letter sent to our Galatoire's contact person:

First and foremost, the food was very delicious! Our servers were lovely. They were friendly and festive. The room was freezing even for us northerners. Most of our group ate dinner with our coats on.

The appetizers were brought out and taken away before we were able to eat half of them. They forgot about the escargot, and we mentioned it when our dinner came. When the escargot was brought out, as an afterthought it was cold.

Dinner was quickly placed in front of us. The food was yummy except for one of the Lamp Chop orders. It was RAW. We waited for someone to come and check on us so we could ask if it could be cooked a bit more. No one came, and my son had to go and find someone. By this time, the others were done with their meal. When the lamp came back for a second time, it was RAW again. I have pictures for you.

The asparagus was served with no sauce even though our family menu noted it, and there was no béarnaise sauce served with the Filets as noted on our menu.

We thought we had plenty of time to converse and visit and enjoy our Christmas Eve dinner, but we were being pushed along and out. Staff kept rushing us out around 9:30 I believe we had the room until 11.

I feel awful writing this and usually take the high road, but after much thought, I felt it was needed.

THIS IS THEIR RESPONSE!!! FULL OF EXCUSES AND COLD!!!!

Hello Elizabeth,

Glad you made it home safe! I really appreciate you taking the time to share this feedback with me. I’m disheartened to hear that there were some hiccups during this event and am thankful that you’ve decided to share this with us so we can address these issues with our team.

While Christmas Eve at Galatoires is a little bit of a mad house, there is no excuse that you felt rushed. We are known for leisurely meals and memory-making events. And Christmas Eve is always a special time. You absolutely had the room form 8:00pm until 11:00pm. I know we had some internal bumps in the road with staffing etc. but that’s no reason for you to have felt rushed.

I am sorry you felt cold throughout your meal. It seems we really don’t know how to handle the cold, and many of these old French Quarter buildings are not able to keep up with such unusually low temperatures! Please know we are brainstorming on how to better manage dealing with such crazy weather (for us)!

From your photos, you are correct, the lamb was not cooked properly, and the escargot should have been timed better. I showed the photos to our Executive Chef, and he has assured me that the kitchen will have a review on proper temperatures, especially with some of the newer additions to our team.

The asparagus does not automatically come with Hollandaise but can be served with or without. Given this feedback we plan to audit our menus and review with our service staff to ensure items are properly described on paper, and options are clearly communicated in person.

Overall, there were definitely some glitches. Again, you have my apologies and my sincere appreciation for taking the time out of your day to communicate to us. I know that you are familiar with Galatoire’s and that this fell below the high standard that we hold for ourselves. We’re still getting used to this “new normal” as we navigate the challenges restaurants are still facing due to Covid and appreciate your grace while we work out some of the kinks. Next time you make it to New Orleans I’d love an opportunity to ensure your group has a fantastic time with us. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly so I can personally welcome you back and provide the dining experience you’ve come to expect from Galatoire’s!

Very disappointed in the response full of excuses. Thank you for a disappointing Family...