Although Galatoire's 33 Bar & Steak is a substantial, full-feature restaurant, it's overshadowed in every way by the 108-year-old flagship next door. The motivation of the new owners was to expand Galatoire's limited private dining room space, to get a bigger share of that lucrative business. But it made no sense to not take advantage of the ground floor entrance to get walk-in customers. The bar was welcomed as a holding pen for would-be diners to wait comfortably (with a drink or two) for a table in Galatoire's famous, reservation-less main dining room. (To their credit, the management rejected the idea of expanding that hallowed space.) This left a large dining area in need of a reason to exist. The steakhouse idea seemed (to them and to me) a good idea, balancing off the seafood emphasis of Galatoire's traditional menu. Unfortunately, it has not caught on in any big way.
The seemingly limitless demand for top-end steakhouses fuels this somewhat unlikely new restaurant, whose connection with one of the two or three most famous restaurants in New Orleans brings it a lot of attention. Frank Sinatra, Jr.also gets that kind of attention, but if you expect him to possess the magic of his father you would be disappointed by his records. A personality is yet to be found for Galatoire's 33. It ain't much like dining at Galatoire's, that's for certain.
All of a sudden in 2013, the new owners of Galatoire's bought, renovated and opened a restaurant in the building next door. The new space has hosted restaurants for as long as Galatoire's main building has--over a century. It was a succession of Italian restaurants into the 1950s, was dormant for a time, then served as Ralph & Kacoo's and Mike Anderson's Seafood from the 1970s until Katrina. The "33" in the name was the original address of the place, in the old regime of street numbering.
You enter into an unambiguous bar, with lofty, generous spaces and comfortable seating. Halfway to the rear, the ceilings lower and a hostess stand beckons you into a very handsome dining room. Mirrors on both side walls make it seem bigger than it is. Those and the tile floors are the only resemblance to the bright, noisy dining room on the other side of the left wall. The steal house is a quieter place, which is either good or bad depending on your atmospheric preferences. The waiters and other servers might be seen in the mother ship on another night.
Get either the steaks or the lamb chops, which are first-class. Minimize all other courses.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 2 |
| Hipness | 0 |
| Local Color | 1 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 0 |
| Wine | 2 |
