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Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse. French Quarter: 716 Iberville. 504-522-2467.

October 17, 2010
3 Fleur
Average check per person $65-$75
 BreakfastNo Breakfast SundayNo Breakfast MondayNo Breakfast TuesdayNo Breakfast WednesdayNo Breakfast ThursdayNo Breakfast FridayNo Breakfast Saturday
LunchNo Lunch SundayNo Lunch MondayNo Lunch TuesdayNo Lunch WednesdayNo Lunch ThursdayLunch FridayNo Lunch Saturday
DinnerDinner SundayDinner MondayDinner TuesdayDinner WednesdayDinner ThursdayDinner FridayDinner Saturday

Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse

French Quarter: 716 Iberville. 504-522-2467. Map.
Nice Casual
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The French Quarter's great steakhouse, with first-class beef prepared in an unusually large variety of styles. All the set pieces of a traditional American steakhouse are here--but with a distinctly New Orleans touch. It's a masculine, civilized, romantic environment--unless there's a big convention in town of, say, metallurgists. In which case the place fills with female-free tables of guys in golf shirts.

WHAT'S GOOD
All the set pieces of a traditional American steakhouse are here--but with a distinctly New Orleans touch. The beef is mostly USDA Prime--although I note on recent menus that this claim is not made for the filets. The sirloin strip is seared in a black iron skillet, using an idea from Commander's Palace that later gave birth to blackened redfish. The house filet mignon is surrounded by fried oysters and the Pontalba-style potatoes. Despite the goodness of the ingredients, the steaks here only rarely blow me away. The menu goes on to include enough non-red-meat fare to cover the needs of those who prefer not to indulge, but no more than that. If you order something other than a steak you're missing the best of what this place has to offer.

BACKSTORY
No sooner had the Brennans of Commander’s Palace split their restaurant holdings among the members of the third generation than Dick Brennan Jr. announced he was going to build an idea his father had for years: a first-class steakhouse. This is the concept that caused the split in the Brennan family in the 1970s: a simple menu of very classy groceries, with great service. When it finally opened here, it was a runaway success, and remains so.

DINING ROOM
This is the only below-street-level restaurant in New Orleans. And a handsome place, with tile floors, rich wood paneling, banquette seating, and unusual displays of antique weapons in the private dining rooms. Just inside the entrance, the bar has a life of its own particularly at lunchtime.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Starters
Barbecue shrimp
Escargots with bacon, fennel, mushrooms garlic butter
Mcilhenny oysters (chilpotle cream sauce)
Boiled shrimp with fried green tomatoes and remoulade
Wedge salad
Chopped salad
Tomato and blue cheese napoleon
Turtle soup
Entrees
House filet (with fried oysters, Pontalba potatoes, and bearnaise)
Prime rib
Barbecue ribeye
Cast-iron seared sirloin strip
Porterhouse
Grilled fish with corn macquechoux
Pork porterhouse with andouille
Steamed Maine lobster
Potatoes au gratin
Pontalba potatoes (with ham, onions, and mushrooms)
Onion rings
Creamed spinach
Grilled asparagus
Desserts
Bananas Foster bread pudding

FOR BEST RESULTS
When you reserve the table, if there is even a small amount of romance in the dinner, ask to have one of the rounded banquettes. They have a collection of small-plate appetizers, cocktails and wines--each for $5--from 4-7 weekday afternoons.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The sizzling butter sauce--a hallmark of New Orleans steak cookery--is not to be had here, but it should be. The service staff is cordial enough, but doesn't show the kind of fine tuning I see in other Brennan restaurants.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

  • Dining Environment +2
  • Consistency +1
  • Service
  • Value
  • Attitude +2
  • Wine & Bar +2
  • Hipness
  • Local Color +2

 

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
  • Romantic
  • Good for business meetings
  • Many private rooms
  • Open Sunday dinner
  • Open Monday dinner
  • Unusually large servings
  • Good for children
  • Free valet parking
  • Reservations accepted

6 Comments

James B.February 6, 2014

I feel Tom does not give them a fair shake. I know that food is opinion mainly but, it should be rated higher. I have never had a bad meal there. Service is always good and if you go enough you build relationships with the staff. I would submit that they have the best filet in the city and in my opinion the one best bite of food in the city (potatoes au gratin).

Tom FitzmorrisFebruary 6, 2014

If you ask me to believe that you've never had a bad meal there, I must ask you to believe that I have had problems.The last couple of times the service in particular has been careless, and the foot not at the level I remember when they first opened. If I said anything else. I'd be lying. And three stars is not a bad rating, to begin with. No potatoes au gratin could possibly be the best taste of food in town. Come on. Tastefully yours, Tom Fitzmorris

Cookie CookieApril 11, 2014

Wow! We were blind-sided last nite. In the past 5 years, we have been going to DB 2 - 3 times a year with no complaints. If out-of-towners wanted a great steak, off to DB we'd go. Last nite was a complete turn around. The filet, bar-b-cue rib eye and bar-b-cue shrimp were par to a Western Sizzlin or something. The shrimp were not tender. We usually sit in the main dining room. Last nite we were stuck in a corner with three other "4-person" tables and one 10 people table. I really did not want to listen to other guests at the big table discussing AK-47s and other topics so loud we could hardly talk at our table. And one of them kept getting up to walk around and pour wine in glasses. Where was their wait staff? I tried to send an email to their office today, but it kept coming back "unable to deliver". I called and I am waiting for someone to call me back. I will let you know the outcome. This was a huge disappointment.

Tom FitzmorrisMay 6, 2014

I don't know what's going on at Dickie's restaurants, but across the board they have declined in every particular. Not drastically, but enough to give me pause. Tastefully yours, Tom Fitzmorris

Cookie CookieApril 11, 2014

OK - so we did not have the best DB experience last nite. BUT Charles Delaune (manager) was more than happy to take the time and listen to my story, He never tried to brush anything under the rug. After talking to him, I feel much better and know that we will keep on going to DB in the future. I guess our first "not perfect" dining experience in over 5 years is not too bad. Gotta say that Dickie Brennan is going to be sure that his restaurants reflect the real Brennan tradition.

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