Neyow’s XL Steakhouse — Restaurant in New Orleans

I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED! This was my first time to New Orleans. All I've ever heard about it was that the food and the people are great! This restaurant came highly recommended by friends who had visited NOLA, so I had high expectations for my wife's birthday dinner. I was told there was a private dining area for our party of 10, which turned out to be not private at all. We were seated in this small area in the back with 5 other people at two extra tables that they put in this small area. Very uncomfortable. We met our server when we sat down and never saw him again. :-| After waiting for 30 minutes with no water, I had get up and tell someone at the front that we would like water. They apologized and after another 10 minutes they brought us water in glasses that didn't match. (fine dining?) When they took our drink order, I ordered a Vodka Martini. The EASIEST drink a bartender can make. I was served about 3 ounces of room temperature vodka in what looked like a dessert glass. I sent it back to be re-made, it never came back. After 15 mins I went to check on my drink and the bartender had it in the same dessert glass SOAKING in Ice. Basically watering it down. When I pointed this out the bartender she was rude and yelled at me and her manager saying "Let Me Do My Job!"...wow, just wow. We almost walked out then but did not want to ruin the birthday celebration so I let that slide and walked away. We are over an hour now without food. When the food came, I ordered the lamb chops. They tasted bland like they have been thawed in cold water and microwaved. The worst meal I ever had. The best thing we had at this restaurant was the Oysters from the Café next door. This restaurant is NOT worth the price, the food was disappointing and the service for lack of a better word was trash. Shout out to the manager for trying to make it better in the end but that staff did not listen to or respect her either. I think my friends who recommended this place were talking about the Café next door. People over there seemed to be happy and enjoying their dinner. I wish I could have said the same for the XL...

After visiting the NOLA Aquarium, my sister and two brothers impulsively jumped on a Canal Street streetcar. We were all hungry so I asked the streetcar driver for a recommendation that was on the route. He said, "On one condition." "What is it?" "If you bring me some chicken fingers!" Of course, I agreed and he told us to cross the street and walk one block to Neyow's. He warned us, "It's Mother's Day. You may have a longer wait." Well, he wasn't kidding. Neyow's was packed and the wait was 55 minutes. I live in Atlanta and refuse to wait at ANY restaurant for more than 20 minutes. There are too many other options! And this NOLA neighborhood was no exception. The hostess told us to try Neyow's Steakhouse right next door! In the next house we walked into a narrow, blacked out staircase. Once I found the restaurant door I had to wait a several minutes before someone appeared to greet us. We had arrived during the brunch to dinner change over and while transition wasn't very smooth and we had to wait several minutes to be seated, but we were rewarded for our patience. My sister ordered French toast of all things. To me it was a bit pale, but my sister said it tasted great. One brother ordered the pork chops. Tasty pork chops so tender you could cut them with a spoon! My other brother ordered the catfish fish and grits with a brown sauce (sorry didn't get the name). He couldn't believe how good it was. I'm typically a red beans and rice girl, but I ordered gumbo. Wow! It was so rich and flavorful. I could have used another scoop of rice, but it's absence didn't diminish the satisfying flavor. We left the restaurant satisfied and happy. On our trip back I was hoping to catch the helpful streetcar driver to thank him. Tap into the streetcar drivers' intimate knowledge of the city and ask for a recommendation on your next NOLO visit. I can't wait to try Neyow's restaurant on...

Everything from the table server to the back of the house relating to the kitchen staff was a tip of my hat when it comes to hospitality but I could hear the host and bartender speaking about being someone that does not eat meat and surprised I do not eat chicken at least. Sounds funny for someone who is not dinning and paying to come for an experience in a town the food was highly recommended to dine at for a successful and supporting black-owned business in the area by the locals. We came there from out of town and were looking for that spark of great hospitality and tasty food with the expectation of excellence. I am a chef that knows what to look for and unfortunately I came there when the restaurant next door was the place we were recommended to visit instead a friendly local suggested.

Anyhow, the food was tasty on my end but my fiancée didn't get any shrimp in her gumbo when it was an ingredient in the dish but the server and chef got it corrected. We thank them both. I really enjoyed the chef coming to the table on the way in and asking how our dining experience was relating to the food and visit. I'd like to say over all the service and food was tasteful from the kitchen to the server but improvements are those things that would increase value in the appealing ratings via google searches and seeing comments from the people. My visit was still worth it besides being laughed at by the hostess on our way out after I thanked her for their service there.

The atmosphere relating the setting was an elegant suit of a tasteful experience to welcome a comeback to enjoy a fine dine experience at a successful and supportive black-owned business. Keep shining family. Everyday is work in progress.

🙏🏾🙌🏾/🌞\

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