Gallier's Seafood & Oyster Bar — Restaurant in New Orleans

Gallier’s Seafood & Oyster Bar: Where the Gulf Winks at You Over a Bread Pudding

If you’re wandering Carondelet Street wondering whether New Orleans still knows how to flirt with your taste buds, Gallier’s Seafood & Oyster Bar is your answer, and it’s not subtle. This place doesn’t whisper “Cajun charm”; it shouts it from a soft-shell crab Poboy while jazz plays in the background and your server, Jam, makes you feel like royalty with a side of sass.

Let’s start with the Gallier’s Oyster Special, a dozen Gulf gems so fresh they probably had brunch plans before landing on our plate. Chargrilled, Rockefeller, raw and Creole, each one was a briny sonnet. I briefly considered writing a thank-you note to the ocean.

Then came the Soft Shell Crab Poboy, which arrived like a crustacean superhero in a French loaf cape. Crispy, golden, and unapologetically messy, it was the kind of sandwich that makes you question your life choices, in a good way. The remoulade had enough kick to start a second line.

The Seafood Penne was a creamy fever dream of Gulf shrimp and crawfish tangled in pasta like they were rehearsing for a Mardi Gras float. Cajun Alfredo sauce clung to every noodle like it knew it was the star of the show. I would’ve licked the bowl, but Jam had already brought extra bread like the intuitive legend she is.

And then, bread pudding. Not just dessert. A spiritual experience. Warm, custardy, and doused in a bourbon sauce that could probably negotiate peace treaties. It was the kind of finale that makes you want to stand up and applaud. I didn’t, but I did make eye contact with Jam and whisper “respect.”

We returned the next day, because of course we did. This time, Kenneth took the reins, equal parts gracious host and flavor whisperer. He offered spot-on suggestions, served up charm with every plate, and even gifted us a recipe for a Fanta-based drink that tasted like summer in a glass. If Jam was the stylish aunt, Kenneth was the cool cousin who knows all the secret menu hacks.

Final Verdict: Gallier’s isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a civic celebration in edible form. Five stars for the food, the flair, and especially for Jam and Kenneth, who deserve their own float in the next parade. If you’re in New Orleans and not eating here, you’re missing out on a love letter written in oysters, bourbon sauce, and a...

Food was 3.5 stars. Absolutely terrible experience which makes it 1 star and I will never return.

1. We asked for a table of 5, but only 3 of us were there at the time. The other 2 friends were only a bit behind us. The host refused to seat us at a bigger table until the whole party was here, even though there was ample seating. We didn’t want to wait, so we sat at a smaller table. The rest of my friends arrived in less than 5 minutes after we seat down. So we had to move to a bigger table. This could have been avoided if the host just sat us at a table that fits my whole party to begin with.

2. We ordered raw oysters. There was a piece of hair on it. We sent it back. Overall this was fine. It happens. But given the other instances, this adds on to our overall experience.

3. We finished our order of raw oysters and baked oysters. We ordered a pasta, but it was still not ready by the time we finished our food and some. It’s been at least 30 minutes and it was still not done. The waiter said it will take another 10 mins. We had a flight to catch. We cancelled the order and asked for the bill. The waiter took another 5 minutes, brought out the pasta that I had already cancelled. She asked if I wanted it to-go, and I said no. Because half my party already left since we had a flight to catch. She presses and forces me to take the pasta as to go because of “food cost” since we ordered it. BUT I HAD CANCELLED IT cause of the long wait. It was then forced upon me. And since I was in a rush to leave, I was like fine.

4. I waited another 5 minutes for the bill. Which they charged me for 2 pastas when we only ordered 1. They had to fix the bill.

5. I got the new bill, which the pasta was removed. But they automatically charged a service fee of 18% because they said we had a party of 5 and it’s an automatic charge. But this was not on the previous bill.

Overall, this experience is not worth all the trouble. Terrible customer service. I felt like they forced the food upon me, after I made the decision to cancel based off of the estimated time they gave me. If these were isolated incidences, that’s fine. Given it was a chain of events, it is not okay.

Don’t waste...

The service was warm, prompt, and friendly. Maybe my expectations were high due to the overwhelming good reviews. I think that this place probably gets a lot of tourists who don't have a solid baseline for what good creole and cajun cuisine is. We had the fish platter(big hunks of swai), taste of New Orleans, half dozen chargrilled oysters, and red snapper plate. The ok: the gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans were ok and probably the only thing I could recommend if you are in a pinch. The fish had a decent flavor (that's it now the not ok)... The pieces of swai were so thick that they were not really cooked well almost under done. The fries that were on the fish plate tasted like they were cooked in the same grease that fish was cooked in. The snapper was overcooked and rubbery. The green beans on the snapper plate had an unpleasant flavor that my tastebuds couldn't identify, but did not like. The oysters ... the chargrilled oysters I am use to and love have a plump but not too plump oyster bathed in a mixture of butter, garlic, and topped with parm. These were just oysters grilled and topped with parm. The garlic butter toast slices that came with it had a garlic butter on them that tasted like a cheap store bought concoction. Including a tip the total was around $130, and it was probably the worst $130 I have spent on a meal in a while. I ate two out of the six $20+ half-dozen oysters and left the rest. My wife loves chargrilled oysters but she wouldn't touch them. About ten minutes after leaving I felt a bit nauseous and my mouth began to water as if I was about to hurl what I ate back up. This place is overpriced and the food is subpar for the area in my...