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.
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.
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.
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.
| Attitude | 2 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 2 |
| Hipness | 0 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 0 |
| Value | 0 |
| Wine | 2 |
