Pêche Seafood Grill — Restaurant in New Orleans

The true measure of any dining establishment is not in its perfection but in how it handles imperfection. By this standard, Peche sets a very high bar for customer service—even if the overall experience fell short of expectations.

Peche comes highly recommended, with numerous glowing reviews and claims that it’s a favorite among NOLA’s culinary offerings. And indeed, it was recommended by a friend who told us it was her favorite NOLA restaurant. Unfortunately, our visit didn’t live up to the hype, though their attempts at making amends were commendable.

Drinks:

My quest for a sweet cocktail began with high hopes but ended in disappointment. I tried the Angry Pirate, touted as their sweetest option, only to find it barely sweet and underwhelming. My husband ordered the Elliot Old Fashioned, but since they were out of Elliot’s, it was made with Pappy Van Winkle instead. While decent, the unexpected sweet cherry garnish—mistaken for a dark olive—turned out to be sweeter than my entire drink. It was a very high-quality cherry and he was sorry he hadn't savored it.

Food:

We started with two items from the raw bar, but the 30-minute wait tested our patience. Busy nights can excuse delays, but the lack of acknowledgment or apology during the wait soured the mood.

The smoked tuna dip arrived as an uninspired scoop served with basic boxed saltine crackers. The dip lacked any detectable smoke flavor and was overly salty, resembling an oversalted tuna salad more than anything else. Given its simplicity, the long wait for this dish felt unjustifiable.

Next, the steak tartare with oyster aioli arrived on toast that was burnt to the point of charcoaling. The dish was further marred by a topping of celery—unmentioned in the description—and a texture that leaned more towards ground beef mash than the fine chop one might expect. The oyster aioli added a disagreeable note to an already disappointing dish.

The battered fish was serviceable but unremarkable—akin to something you might find at a standard fish-and-chip shop. Similarly, the Brabant potatoes were forgettable, especially compared to better versions we’d had elsewhere in New Orleans.

The baked drum in coconut broth was a brighter spot on the menu. The fish itself was enjoyable, but the half-cooked vegetables topping the dish felt like an afterthought, adding little to the experience.

Redemption Through Service and Dessert:

Once our waitress realized the extent of our dissatisfaction, the staff’s response was stellar. The floor manager visited our table multiple times, the waitress offered to remake dishes, and another manager offered sincere apologies and removed charges for both starters. Their genuine concern and proactive measures were impressive.

The evening was partially salvaged by dessert: a creative twist on Sticky Toffee Pudding. This version featured a blend of carrot cake elements, cream cheese ice cream, candied pecan crumble, and sticky toffee drizzle. It was divine, proving that a stellar dessert can indeed turn things around.

Final Thoughts:

While we deeply appreciated the staff’s efforts to rectify the situation and thoroughly enjoyed the dessert, the overall meal left much to be desired. Peche probably deserves another chance, given its strong reputation and the clear dedication...

I brought my daughter here after emerging from the winter snow (and our visit being extended in the City). It was the most perfect decision! I randomly picked Pêche on the map, as it was closed to our hotel and had seafood we could eat. Kismet! I wholeheartedly recommend! It is perfect for families, groups or a date night or just wanting to get out. I left elated.

We had the bread. There were six in an order. What an introduction to what would come! They were filling and yet light, a slight sweetness and buttery. It is a great balance and wonderfully surprising. We ended up ordering more after dinner to bring back but they did not make it to the hotel. 😍

I ordered the drum. The sauce is delightful. There is a little spice but not too much. The crunchy topping adds a nice thickness when added to sauce and the topping itself is light and crunchy. I have never had it prepared this way.

The fish was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth almost. Again, the roux reflects innovation while honoring the flavors of New Orleans and southeast Louisiana. It reminds me of home, but completely different... Elevated....It is a new dish and I completely recommend it.

It has a sort of Asian fusion that blends well with the creole culture of New Orleans and its Asian (specifically Chinese and Vietnamese) heritages. I feel like this dish was a statement on our history and unique, cultural cohesion. I think I cannot say more (or enough) about this refined dish. Lovely. Perfect.

I paired it with a gintilly mocktail. The mocktail is refreshing and well blended. I love that they have mocktail for those of us who may not be included to drink or not included to drink at the moment.

The staff are attentive and not overbearing. They are helpful in explaining the subtleties of the menu and answering any questions.

On the ambiance: The spacing of the tables and overall design communicate intimacy yet community. It is a casual and friendly atmosphere but also provides enough to have an intimate experience. There is also space at the bar, booths and tables. Walks in are welcome and also able to seat at your preferred spot. There were round tables of eight as well as the ability to open tables for larger parties. There were two large parties when we visited.

It is child friendly. I saw families with small kids and adults. The music selection fit the atmosphere. It just feels warm and inviting inside even with the large windows and expansive space. Truly a great design!

I was asked how I wanted our food to arrive and it arrived just that way. I appreciate that. It is recommended to order the entire order at once to ensure proper delivery. All aspects of the dining experience are thought of here.

Our server was Lizzie and she was just awesome-- a ray of sunshine-- funny and professional. As the restaurant filled more and their rush started, she moved with such grace and attentiveness. The hosts were accommodating and with a kind demeanor.

All in all, it was a lovely experience. 🥰

If you are around in New Orleans, go to the warehouse district/convention center are and eat here most definitely. There is ample parking on the street or the park and lots nearby. It is worth it. Unparalleled food here.

I recommend them fully and...

Returning to Peche after a few years, this was our most anticipated restaurant upon coming back to NO. We were a 12 out of 10 recommending this place to everyone we knew visiting the city.

However, this restaurant has so totally dropped in its level of ‘care’ that we were shocked in our return visit tonight. I feel that they’ve gotten so busy that standards have dropped and they no longer care about return visits as they always have a new queue of clueless tourists to fill their seats.

For starters, we ordered the hush puppies and ceviche. The hush puppies were black and visibly burnt, but our server insisted ‘they are always served this way’. The burnt flavor was so overwhelming that we only ate 1 of 4 of them, put them to the side of the table, yet were never offered to remake them or take them off the bill. C’mon Peche, this is a $7 menu item with a $1 food cost and it was a showdown to take a burnt order off of our $200 bill,

The ceviche came out without any crackers or chips to dip them. It was in a heavy curry sauce, so definitely not a fresher flavor than a traditional ceviche. We wish this was explained to us before we ordered, but it wasn’t and we left it mostly uneaten because it wasn’t very good.

Next up was the fish sticks. The fish inside of the batter was gray and mushy, indicative of a frozen fish from China. While we thought it was a play on words from the store-bought frozen ones, it was not a lot different in its flavor profile.

Our main was the ‘Fish of the day’ for the table, supposedly a red fish with a chimichurri sauce. The fish flavor was fresh, but the texture was just off and mealy. The mint in the chimichurri was overpowering and threw off the dish, so we ended up scraping it all off.

The saddest part of the whole visit was our server. While she performed all the ‘steps of service’, she so obviously hated her job that it became uncomfortable. I can only imagine that she’s putting in her notice imminently as she’s so checked out in giving any sort of good vibes.

We were SO stoked for this visit - totally a ‘I’ll have one of everything’ attitude coming in. After our meal, we skipped dessert as we didn’t want to spend another penny at this place.

Peche was amazing at one time, now just a shell of smoke and mirrors for the tourists. We walked out sad, disappointed and feeling duped. While our visit had basic rote service, it greatly lacked ‘hospitality’ in making us feel welcomed as a valued guest. There’s so many other options for great seafood in NO, think carefully before committing...