Namaste nola — Restaurant in New Orleans

A Fusion of Vibes and Flavors 😋🍲🥗🍸

We recently visited Namaste Nola for a small mentor–mentee dinner gathering of five people...4 of us Indian and 1 American friend. What unfolded was an evening filled with lively conversations, flavorful surprises, and a few unexpected misses.

🌟 Ambience & Service The restaurant exudes a warm and elegant vibe. The decor is a tasteful blend of modern and Indian aesthetics, making it a cozy yet classy setting for both casual hangouts and special dinners. The staff was courteous, attentive, and accommodating throughout our meal, adding to the overall pleasant experience.

🍹 Drinks Namaste Nola clearly knows how to do its drinks right 🤗. Each of the cocktails and mocktails we tried was unique and beautifully presented.

Rum Rose Cocktail 🍷 : A tropical punch of rum and pineapple mellowed by the smooth finish of red wine 🍷absolutely refreshing.

Dirty Martini 🍸: Strong, crisp, and balanced. Perfectly done for those who enjoy their martinis classic.

Namaste Sunrise Cocktail 🍹: Tequila meets citrus with a subtle floral hint.. great twist on the Tequila Sunrise.

Namaste Day (Mocktail) 🧃: Fruity, fizzy, and vibrant....a hit even among the cocktail drinkers.

🥟 Appetizers Gobi Manchurian: Crispy, tangy, and well-spiced.....everything you'd expect from this Indo-Chinese classic.

Mirpakaya Bajji: Back in India it is called Mirch Bhajji. A delicious take on the spicy, stuffed jalapenos.....comforting and bold in flavor.

🍛 Entrees The vegetarian entrees absolutely stole the show:

Malai Kofta: Rich, creamy, and melt-in-the-mouth...this dish was the star of the night.

Methi Malai Mutter: Subtle yet flavorful with a luscious texture; perfectly complemented the naan selection.

However, the non-vegetarian dishes fell short of expectations:

Kodi Kura (Chicken Curry) and Royalla Iguru (Shrimp) lacked the depth, spice kick, and aromatic boldness Indian curries are known for. They felt under-seasoned and didn’t carry the typical Indian soul you'd hope for. This was a letdown, especially with the strong veg competition on the same table.

The rice and variety of breads....butter garlic naan, chilli naan, and masala kulcha, were soft, fresh, and made great companions to the curries.

🍨 Dessert Gulab Jamuns: Warm, soft, and syrupy perfection. A sweet ending that wrapped up the meal beautifully.

💰 Overall Impression Namaste Nola offers an aesthetically pleasing space, fantastic drinks, and standout vegetarian fare. While the non-veg menu didn’t quite deliver the expected Indian punch, the overall dining experience was enjoyable.

Yes, the prices are a bit on the higher side, but given the setting and presentation, it's understandable....just wish the flavor matched up...

My family went to Namaste Nola for an early dinner this past weekend. We heard great things about the food and vegetarian options so we knew we should try. Walking up you are met with a great smell of seasoning out of this world, but sadly that was about the best of the experience.

The restaurant was not busy and we were one of two tables when we arrived. A hostess greeted us and we were seated quickly with menus and water. The waiter immediately came over and asked if we were ready to place our orders but of course we were not having just arrived and wanting to view the menu options.

The waiter then quickly returned after a minute or two and asked if we were ready and I asked him to explain a few items and he seemed extremely annoyed by this and said he would come back. He did return after a few minutes and asked if I wanted vegetarian or meat and I explained I’d love to hear what he liked but he didn’t offer that and simply stated a few menu items as written in the menu.

We then decided to order appetizers first before our main course and he didn’t seem to be pleased by that either. His frustration with us was very noticeable and undeserving. He then proceeded to return with our appetizers which were relatively good and we placed our main course order at that time.

I asked for more of this sweet sauce to go with the dumplings as the food is spicy and really enjoyed the cauliflower. The waiters annoyed attitude continued and my entire family began wondering if some kind of issue was going on.

A little bit later our main course was brought by a different waiter and we didn’t see our waiter at out table again, but he was at the bar and he began serving a new table that walked in. He never came back for more water or anything and It took forever to get the check from a different waiter. The food was ok but the service was atrocious and this was the worse customer service experience that I personally had ever. I would simply say if you don’t want to serve people don’t be in service. I wouldn’t recommend this place based on service alone. Many better food options in...

Food is tasty but not many "vegan" options. I asked if dairy could be substituted, as some Indian restaurants where I live will do this to keep my business. I was told "No" on several items for non-dairy substitutions. I like vegetables and wanted more than just okra or lentils.

I absolutely love Indian food. This place was pretty good but it would have been nice to have more than two options, as I don't deal with dairy like that. Vegetarian Samosas were delightful! Their mint and BBQ sauce were mmmmnn! The Daahl was quite tasty and filling. Nice for a cool evening. My friend ordered the mango drink and loved it. I don't recall what she ordered for dinner, but she enjoyed that and took home leftovers.

This place is very busy. It would serve them well to have more staff to clear tables faster to seat more people faster like they do in other restaurants such as, Willie Mae's Chicken -NOLA. They clear tables quickly to seat more customers instead of turning away business. They could also tell customers a wait time instead of turning away business. People will often wait if they like the restaurant.

The seating was a little uncomfortable and crowded where my friend and I were placed. We felt as if we were in the way at times. They were so busy, we had to ask for utensils with our meal. Call ahead for a reservation if you can. Particularly, if you're in a larger party (more than two). We had two to three different servers at times. Perhaps they should organize a little better, because there were needs that were delayed and then times we had more attention than needed, which means others were having to wait longer for service.

The walls are beautifully painted with various women in traditional and modern Indian fashions. Decor was nice in general. They shared the restroom with the connecting hotel. Thank goodness! Very clean and spacious! Also provided an opportunity to their lovely art pieces - particularly the Jazz and Black artists. Simply beautiful works!

Overall, it was a good place to eat. Just remember...