St. Charles Tavern. Uptown: 1433 St. Charles Ave. 504-523-9823.

Written by Tom Fitzmorris October 11, 2010 17:29 in

2 Fleur
Average check per person $5-$15
 BreakfastBreakfast SundayBreakfast MondayBreakfast TuesdayBreakfast WednesdayBreakfast ThursdayBreakfast FridayBreakfast Saturday
LunchLunch SundayLunch MondayLunch TuesdayLunch WednesdayLunch ThursdayLunch FridayLunch Saturday
DinnerDinner SundayDinner MondayDinner TuesdayDinner WednesdayDinner ThursdayDinner FridayDinner Saturday

St. Charles Tavern

Uptown 2: Washington To Napoleon: 1433 St Charles Ave. 504-523-9823. Map.
Very Casual
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
Since the demise of the Hummingbird Grill, the twenty-four-hour restaurant marketplace downtown has been filled by this cafe. It's been around long enough to have picked up a substantial regular clientele, most of which shows up for late-night sandwiches, platters, and breakfasts.

WHAT'S GOOD
The food here is inconsistent in the wee hours. There are simply more late-night customers than late-night cooks and waiters. But the breakfasts are generous and good, and at lunch and dinner they turn out better food than you might imagine.

BACKSTORY
They claim to have been around since the 1917, but the businesses at that address have changed several times. The current owners took over in 2009, renovating the premises and revising the menu. The bar has been emphasized more than it had been.

DINING ROOM
Not as seedy as it used to be, the St Charles Tavern still looks as if it's been there forever. The entirely casual dining room is small enough to fill easily, with spillover from the bar. Live music has been part of the new program, with no less than Charmaine Neville singing Wednesday nights.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Breakfast
»Basic breakfast combinations
Biscuits and gravy with sausage
Chicken fried steak
Breakfast ribeye steak
Sautéed mushroom omelette
Ham, bacon or sausage omelette
»Onion, bell pepper and spinach omelette
Ham and cheese omelette
»Greek omelette
»Seafood omelette
Chili and cheese omelette
»Corned beef hash with eggs
Chicken-andouille hash with eggs
»French toast
»Buttermilk pancakes
Chocolate-chip pancakes
Oatmeal with fruit
Lunch and dinner
Starters
Chicken wings (hot or barbecue)
Chicken tenders
»Fried boudin balls remoulade
Crab cakes
Crawfish pie
Jalapeno poppers
Spinach-artichoke dip
Mozzarella sticks
Seafood gumbo
Garden salad
Caesar salad
»Cobb salad
»Greek salad
Sandwiches
Corned beef and cheese
»Philly cheese steak
Muffuletta
»Hamburgers (with baked potato)
Smoked turkey poor boy
Smoked sausage poor boy
Shrimp poor boy
Ham and cheese poor boy
»Roast beef poor boy
Grilled chicken breast on bun
Italian meatball poor boy
Club sandwich
Entrees
Chicken fried steak
Ribeye steak
»Crawfish pasta
Catfish plate
Spaghetti and meatballs
»Spaghetti alfredo (with chicken or shrimp)
Daily specials
Desserts
Cheesecakes
»White chocolate bread pudding
»Pecan or apple pie

FOR BEST RESULTS
Although the all-night schedule is the Tavern's unique selling proposition, it's much better in the daytime. The daily specials should be investigated first. Some of those are more about price than deliciousness, however.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The menu lost some of its best items when the new regime took over--notably fried chicken and fried seafood platters.

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
  • Consistency
  • Service
  • Value +1
  • Attitude
  • Wine & Bar
  • Hipness -1
  • Local Color +1

 

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
  • Live music some nights
  • Open Sunday lunch and dinner
  • Open Monday lunch and dinner
  • Open all holidays
  • Open 24 hours
  • Open all afternoon
  • Historic
  • Unusually large servings
  • Quick, good meal
  • No reservations