Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in New Orleans by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in New Orleans using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. Luke
- Rating: 4.2/5 (5204 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 333 Saint Charles Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: French, German, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Gris-Gris
- Rating: 4.2/5 (876 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1800 Magazine St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Trenasse
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1340 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 444 St. Charles Ave. Ste 100 Intercontinental Hotel New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Cochon
- Rating: 4.2/5 (5123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 930 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Southern, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Chophouse New Orleans
- Rating: 4.2/5 (734 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 322 Magazine St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Steakhouses, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Muriel's Jackson Square
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2438 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 801 Chartres St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Compère Lapin
- Rating: 4.3/5 (988 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 535 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Caribbean, French, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. The Chloe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4125 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Hotels, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Desi Vega's Steakhouse
- Rating: 4.3/5 (447 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 628 Saint Charles Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Coquette
- Rating: 4.3/5 (897 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2800 Magazine St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Pêche
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2497 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 800 Magazine St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#19. The Elysian Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (244 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2317 Burgundy St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Saint John
- Rating: 4.3/5 (239 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 715 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Gallier Restaurant & Oyster Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1603 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 129 Carondelet St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Seafood, Cajun/Creole, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Bywater American Bistro
- Rating: 4.4/5 (246 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2900 Chartres St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Jack Rose
- Rating: 4.4/5 (460 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2031 St. Charles Ave. Floor 1 New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Arnaud's French 75 Bar
- Rating: 4.4/5 (530 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 813 Rue Bienville New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Lounges, French, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Restaurant R'evolution
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1452 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 777 Bienville St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Saint Germain
- Rating: 4.4/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3054 St. Claude Ave. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Wine Bars, French
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Irene's
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1170 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 529 Bienville St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Maypop Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (781 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 611 O'Keefe St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: New American, Dim Sum
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Doris Metropolitan
- Rating: 4.4/5 (817 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 620 Chartes St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cafe Sbisa
- Rating: 4.4/5 (669 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1011 Decatur St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Southern, Cajun/Creole, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Restaurant August
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1486 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 301 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Jewel Of The South
- Rating: 4.5/5 (191 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1026 St. Louis St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American, British
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Sofia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (523 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 516 Julia St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Italian, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Brigtsen's Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (439 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 723 Dante St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Southern
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Restaurant Rebirth
- Rating: 4.6/5 (660 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 857 Fulton St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#2. GW Fins
- Rating: 4.6/5 (3175 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 808 Bienville St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mamou
- Rating: 4.6/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 942 North Rampart St. New Orleans, Louisiana
- Categories: Brasseries
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
