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Categories: Cajun/Creole, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
417 Royal St
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Brennan's Restaurant is a very, very expensive restaurant. Therefore, we only went for dessert, which itself was a pricey experience. Bananas Foster was created here, so it's obvious that you have to try it.
We made a reservation and were seated right away upon our return. The four in our party each ordered a bananas foster dessert and a drink. Each dessert is $10, so the bill for just dessert for four came to over $50. Our waiter was average, but a bit snooty for my taste. I'm sure the $50 bill was much less than he was used to serving.
We enjoyed watching the Bananas Foster being made near our table. It's definitely part of the experience and why you'd pay $10 for sugar and bananas. It was delicious, too, and the coffee that was served was equally delicious.
Although it's a fairly dressy place, we were told that a shirt and nice jeans were acceptable attire. When we were leaving, though, I watched as some uptight Old South woman eyed me up and down and then I heard her say something about "jeans" to her uptight wealthy old husband. It made me wish I had cropdusted her with a banana fart as I walked by.
I'd return to try the famous "Breakfast at Brennan's," but as far as atmosphere and decor, if I was going to drop that kind of money for dinner, I'd pick Antoine's instead.
I really cannot fathom what it is about Brennan's that they believe they should charge the prices they charge for food that is worth about 1/3 of the price.
We recently went to Brennan's for brunch on a recommendation from a friend who is from New Orlean's. The brunch menu consists of standard fare along with a number of prix fixe variations on eggs benedict (including an appetizer and desert). Neither of us were looking to eat a ton of food for breakfast so we both ordered non-fixe versions of the Eggs Sardou and the Eggs Bayou LaFourche.
The prix fixe price was something like $33 and the versions we ordered $27. Ridiculous. At the prices they were charging, I would have expected some amazing hollandaise and quality ingredients. I was sorely disappointed.
It was a meal that I could have easily ordered as a greasy spoon. The artichokes had no flavor whatsever, the eggs were rubbery, and the hollandaise was only barely discernable as not being made from a powder mix. The coffee was terrible and $4.25 per person.
The only reason I can possibly see for Brennan's charging so much is the fact that there is probably one staff member for each seat in the place. And the service is still sub-par.
If this were a generic restaurant charging $10 for the eggs and $1.50 for coffee, I might have given them a 3-star rating. I might have considered it a restaurant I would never return to and never remember or given a second though to. But brunch set us back $70. And we didn' t order any alcohol. There is a reason why they don't have their prices on their website, no one would ever show up.
Don't waste your time or your $$$$$ here.
My first night of Jazz feast and we had to go to a New Orleans Institution that is Brennan's! The bread with house made creole spices are to die for!!! Can't get them any were else. We got the tasting menu which is a pretty darn good deal and lets you choose a 3 course meal. The piece de resistance is the BANANAS FOSTER and pecan pie. Absolutely amazing!
Service was great too. One of the waiters heard us talking about hip hop and turns out he is a rapper in his day job and he gave us a demo c.d.! Only in New Orleans :)
I am practicing short reviews... I am not good at them.
1) Beautiful restaurant, courtyard, etc.
2) Southern to a tee... you can play at being southern royalty as they take your jackets, serve you flavoured booze to stave off the hangover and to reinforce the idea that coloured alcohol makes you look like less of an alcoholic. However, before the end of the meal I have a coffee cup, mimosa, bloody mary, glass of scotch, glass of grapefruit juice, glass of cranberry juice, and more in front of me. This does not include food. I know I know...... don't drink your calories.
3) Service is top notch... professional but friendly, warm but not familiar.
4) The bill will make your eyes tweak for a second. I suggest traveling with a rich friend or loaded family. You will find both in the South.
If their were more than five stars to give, better believe I'd give it to em!
Brennans is situated in what use to be a house. Filled with 4 different rooms on the top floor, and a spectecular dining room on the first. Also there is an outdoor courtyard. Their wine is out of this world. Bottles from ten years ago, to last year. 30 year old scotch is also worth trying. Really smooth. Well the staff is just fantastic. They have all been their for at least ten years. And if you go for brunch please order the slow gin fizz with your meal. WOW. Fresh seafood, wonderful desserts. Great for a date, buisness, or family outing. You really cannot go wrong with this place!
Went to Brennans for Breakfast. Very nice establishment. We got to sit upstairs and the wait staff was very friendly and accommodating. I ordered ham omelet or something of that nature and I swear it had 24 eggs in it...SO much food. My bf ordered the 3 course breakfast, and it seemed alright as well.
The highlight of the meal was the bananas foster. They prepare it tableside and it was delicious.
A good experience, but probably won't repeat. Especially since the check ended being over $100 for breakfast. Yikes.
So I was told that this was a must see in new orleans by a local and expecting the best breakfast of my life. I got a 3 course meal with strawberrys and cream, some omlette, and a banana fosters. The meal in total cost almost 130 dollers for us, my gf ordered an omlette too.
I won't complain about the food, but no breakfast is worth that much money. waiter was boring and talked to us like we shouldn't have been eating there, and the place just looks way to beat up in the area we were sitting in. 2.5
My best friend's parents were in town and they invited me out to dinner before they left. WE had 6:30 reservations and were seated very quickly and on time. Our waiter Fernando was awesome. I can't say the same for his assistant who spoke at a yell and seemed to forget things.
After looking at the menu, I saw that this was going to be an expensive dinner but it is a French Quarter landmark and non-foodies have always given it rave reviews.
We began our dinner with a frog leg meuniere (*** stars) they were very moist and tender, but being in NOLA I expected the lemon butter sauce to have more kick . I then had the Jackson Salad (**** stars) a perfect balance of bleu cheese eggs and bacon, mixed into a bed of iceberg lettuce.
For my entree I was torn between the Ribyeye Maitre d' Hotel (*** stars) and the Redfish Au Poivre and asked Fernando for his recommendation... Bad Choice!!! The sterak was perfectly cooked but I have never been a fan of just a cooked steak. I was expecting more seasoning or spice. I subconsciously kept reaching over looking for some A-1 to dip it into.
Not usually one to order dessert I felt that unsatisfied and needed something to salvage the night. So I ordered the Bananas Foster (**** stars) It was cooked table side and was the best thing I ordered that night.
With all the restaurants in the area I don't think I will be going back.
I will admit it's been a while since I've dined here. I remember enjoying it completely and if I had the option would give this 3 1/2 stars but I can't. And I can't bring myself to give it 3 stars b/c I've enjoyed the Brennan restaurants (see review of Commander's Palace). Also, when I dined here my collegue & I were sweating our balls off and Brennan's was the first restaurant that allowed us in (we were turned away at other establishments due to dress code). We were never so grateful for a/c!
Being from IL...it's ways so weird to go to a "smoking" city. We are no longer allowed to smoke in bars, hotels or restaurants so to walk into a restaurant and see someone smoking at their table is a trip to me now. Anyhooo....we had good service dining here. I remember what I ordered and I remember eating all of it and being rolled out the door.
To start I had gumbo - deliious. Entree - shrimp creole...I think I'm in love! And for dessert I split the bananas foster with my collegue (prepared tableside) - we had to and we were not let down. I'd love to do brunch here b/c the menu sounds so delicious - maybe next time.
I've noticed some not so good ratings...like I said it was a while ago when I dined here but I think the fact that I remembered what I had and that I enjoyed it says something. There is a reason why Brennan restaurants do well...give it a shot.
This is sadly one of the old restaurants that just rests on its laurels. Where the food isn't all that, service isn't all that. Décor is seriously in need of a makeover. You get the idea.
To be able to say that you've had breakfast at Brennan's is a bragging right, yeah. But good heavens, must I go through that torture when there are literally hundreds of other restaurants that can honorably say they at least try their best?
We went for dinner and returned from brunch the following day! The onion soup and steak Brennan were amazing! Brunch was not nearly as good as dinner but still good. The service was excellent both times.
Like many others I was told by a local that I had to visit Brennan's.
The restaurant is beautiful -- lovely patio, white table cloths and the appearance of great service. That's where my compliments end.
Service was not good. We were served lukewarm coffee and the server looked annoyed when we asked that it be replaced. Also our server totally forgot the orange juice we'd ordered.
Food is not good. The bread was stale. We had the oiliest omelet ever (cheddar and andouille sausage). The crab omelet was delicious I will say.
For the quality of the food the restaurant is unbeliebably over-priced. $36 for a fruit appetizer, eggs and bananas is just too expensive. I would most definitely skip this place.
I wish I could give this place 3.5 stars, but I can't, and it's a NOLA establishment, and it was my fault for ordering the wrong thing, so I'm bringing it up to four. I think the cab driver who picked us up from Commander's Palace said it best, "oh, you went to Brennan's for brunch? It's famous, but that doesn't mean it's delicious." True nuff.
1. You HAVE to go to Brennan's if you've never been. I'm sorry, I don't know why, but I know that if you are in NOLA for the first time, and you don't go, some culinary restaurant police will come after you and haunt you for the rest of your life, or until you go home and forget about it.
2. It couldn't be cooler. The courtyard out back with the lovely outdoor bartender serving up some delicious bloody mary's can't be beat. And that's before I even mention the turtle fountain in the back of the courtyard. We have a turtle at home, Guinevere, so it was awesome seeing her long lost family.
3. Brennan's claim to fame is the bananas foster. It was invented there, and I have to hand it to them, few things in life are more delicious than butter, brown sugar, bananas and 3 type of liquor, all prepared tableside for your tasting and viewing pleasure. The bananas foster truly is delicious.
4. The best thing on the menu is the Creole Onion Soup. I'm just telling you, get it. It's rich and hearty, has a great comforting taste, and the garlic will kick that hangover stat. That was the best French Onion soup of my life, and that's saying a lot considering there was not a layer of cheese in site.
5. I ordered the Eggs Bayou Laforche. I'm a huge eggs benedict fan. It's probably my favorite breakfast item ever. But here I am, in New Orleans, at Brennan's, so I pressure myself into getting the benedict that sits atop andouille sausage rather than Canadian Bacon. I thought, hell, andouille sausage is certainly going to be an improvement. But it wasn't. At all. It was tough and rough, and kind of rubbery, and didn't really lend much cajun kick or flavor but impeded the smoothness of benedict. Next time, I'm sticking to the classic, but I don't blame myself for venturing out.
6. The bf ordered Eggs Portugese, a benedict variant, but forego the english muffin and insert puff pastry. This seems even more adventurous than my andouille swap, but to be honest, it was much better. This was a delicious rendition of a benedict. A very distant cousin, mind you, but of equal quality.
You have to go to Brennan's. It's a vital part of the city's bloodline. It just may not be the best breakfast of your life.
Brennan's has been on my list of restaurants to try in New Orleans for many years - and now I felt I could afford it. It is a restaurant steeped in history, the service was excellent as well as the atmosphere. The food was pretty good - but I did not find it to be what I was expecting. We went for brunch - and I wanted to try one of the dishes with the hollandaise sauce. You definetely want to go hungry as we had a 3 course meal. Whilte the soups were pretty tasty, there were not served hot - just slightly warm. The hollandaise sauce was a bit of a disappointment too - I suspect it is from a mix as the taste was not buttery or lemony enough for me - I make my own - which is to die for - this was kind of flat. The dessert was fun - I had also vowed to have the bananas foster - but again - not to brag - I found a recipe online and made it at home and found mine to be richer flavored - I probably added more butter and rum and less brown sugar than they did. We passed on any alcohol, but the bill for the 2 of us was still over $110. If you have the cash to blow - it is still a place to 'experience.' If you are on a budget - this might not be a fulfilling splurge.
The food was really great - we got the three course meal: strawberries and cream, poached eggs with jumbo crab meat, and bananas foster with mimosas. The strawberries and cream and poached eggs were both really good, but I didn't think it was anything amazing. I felt like I could have gotten better crabs in Maryland - shame on me for thinking otherwise when we were there.
However, the bananas foster - so so so so so worth it. They do make it tableside and it's just great how they include you in the experience. The price was a little absurd - over $70 for one person (the jumbo crab meat was extra).
We didn't have reservations and the hostess seemed a little miffed we didn't bother to make reservations? We were seated immediately though.
Overall, I liked it, but I'm not sure we would go back again for breakfast.
Fabulous brunch spot. It's pretty expensive for brunch, but definitely worth it. The service was awesome and the food was delicious.
They have various versions of eggs benedict on the menu. I went with the Eggs Hussarde, which was awesome. Plenty of flavor and a good-sized portion of eggs.
My friends also said the omelets and the turtle soup were very good.
I highly recommend this place and you have to get the bananas foster. After all, they were invented here. And, the brandy milk punch was a great eye-opener to start the meal.
So, I have decided to review as many restaurants as I can remember from my trip to New Orleans because out of the 3 meals a day for 5 days it was extremely hard to find good service in this town. Brennan's tops my list as the best for service.
We came in on a Tuesday morning for brunch. The four of us really enjoyed our meals and the staff was so attentive. Yes, it was at times service overkill but after all of the horrible service we had received all week I think it was a refreshing change.
I ordered the ham and cheese omelet and it was fantastic. The ham was amazing. My boyfriend had some kind of sausage omelet, his parents tried it, and it was voted the best of the table. We then shared the bananas foster which like everyone else has mentioned - was delicious.
Once you are tired of all the crappy NOLA customer service, head to Brennan's. It is pricey but well worth it.
Wow, what a complete rip off. Right after Katrina, visiting Brennan's was a special experience, and now the memory is ruined.
The meal did not start well. Ordered an expensive bottle of champagne for a special dinner with friends, and it was not chilled at all. Was partially served anyway, and by the time it got to a proper chilled temp, most of it was gone, and the entrees were coming. We had planned on getting a bottle of red, and ordered one significantly earlier in the meal, but after the 43 dollar steak covered with reconstituted sauce and canned mushrooms was served, we were informed by the waiter (not the sommelier) that they were out of that wine, and we were asked to consider a poor substitute as an alternative.
For spending just over 150/per person, we got a meal that you could get at an average suburban wedding, except the quality of the ingredients would likely be better at the wedding meal.
Oh, and the steak tasted as if it had been previously frozen.
Guess I should have known how this was going to turn out from the gigantic laminated menus more typical of a Denny's than a fine dining establishment.
Consider yourself warned.
I had dinner here with my wife and son last weekend. What a rip-off. I have had far better meals elsewhere at half the price. We went to Brennan's because we were told that it was a 'New Orleans institution'.
Our meal for three people that included 2 beers and a glass of wine came to $194. The food was mediocre at best and the service was inattentive. Not once did our waiter ask if everything was OK and if there was anything we needed. At the end of the meal, I ordered a cup of coffee and it was cold. I pointed this out to our waiter as he presented our check and he came back with hot coffee but I was still charge $4.25. I have had better service at Denny's
Must every other dessert be served flaming and must our server shout across the room at us to make sure we see him cooking it? This place was listed in every guidebook in our bed and breakfast in New Orleans, I should have been forewarned that this place was more tourist trap than fine dining.
Our meal (brunch mind you) was just not as dear as what we payed for it. I ordered the eggs hussarde as part of the prix fixe and while they were delicious the eggs bayou that my husband ordered were completely bland and the soups weren't in anyway memorable.
And maybe it's just me --or part of being a yankee!-- but I found service way ~too~ friendly. Seriously just bring me my meal and let me eat in peace and please don't pour me more water and ask me how everything is every three minutes, you are just going to annoy me. Back off!
It's a cute little place. The restaurant had failed to anticipate that on a Sunday of a three-day weekend (President's Day weekend) that they might be fairly busy so they were understaffed. They did the best they could, but we still waited obscenely long for our bread and wine (if you're going to make me wait, the least you could do is make it less painful by getting me liquored up!).
The prix fixe dinner is a fairly good deal. I had the Turtle soup, redfish with lump crabmeat and the bananas foster. Solid, but didn't blow me out of the water.
So I came here with some fun-loving gals for brunch. It was Janette W.'s bachelorette weekend and it was time to party!
We all met up here for brunch since the bananas foster is famed to be amazing. I had the Oysters Rockafeller since I was still a bit full from my breakfast (craw fish omelet!! SO DELICIOUS). Our waiter was hilarious and so kind. He made us laughed and treated Danielle and I to an appetizer and dessert since everyone else had the prefixed menu. Such service and kindness! We were startled and really appreciated the fact that he didn't want us to be left out.
The drinks were good! I had the Mr. Funk of New Orleans and it was fruity and tasty and full of bubbles.
It was great time to hang out with everyone and tease our bride-to-be.
Took 15 mins to refill coffee. Spent more time setting up table for 8 than checking on us. Floor is very dirty with dropped food and crumbs. Quality of food is not worth the money... however the bananas / strawberries and cream were to die for! I would stop by here again just for that and a boring mimosa. With a place like this I figured their mimosas would be a little classier too. A little bit of a let down, but that's ok.
I just went to Brennan's for the 2nd time. The first time was for my roommate's college graduation. It was wonderful. His father is a very wealthy lawyer, and thus tipped the hostess a couple of Benjamin's to get us a table without a reservation. We were thereafter treated exquisitely (even more so after each time he ordered a $100+ bottle of champagne).
This time, I took my Bride to Brennan's for brunch the morning after our wedding. We showed up at 10:50 for an 11am reservation; we were told our table would be ready shortly, and that we could wait at the bar. The bartender told us that we couldn't sit at the bar if we weren't ordering drinks as there was a line, so we stood along the wall. A crowd guys who were obviously very drunk then walked in (11 am, folks). They were all wearing shorts, flip-flops, and baseball caps; they looked like they should have been at taco bell, not a supposedly "fine dining" establishment. One of them ordered a [very large] Milk/Brandy Punch. He was so drunk that he dropped it immediately upon purchasing it. The glass hit the ground, and shattered; the drink went everywhere... all over my white linen suite. I stood there in shock until some employee shoved me out of the way and said "Move!" They said nothing more to me, but they made this guy another drink at no cost to him.
I was pissed and I realized it was now about 11:15-11:20, so I walked over (drenched in punch) to the hostess and asked if we were going to be seated soon. She told me that it was a 30 minute wait for a table. She said that she knew that and had we not had a reservation it would have been an hour and a half wait. I explained to her that I had a reservation so I wouldn't have a wait, and anyway it had now been over a half hour. I went to get my wife to leave and someone rushed over to tell us that our table was now ready... total B.S.
The waiters were completely absent, but to take our order in the beginning. A different server brought us our food. My wife didn't get her drink until dessert. The food was delicious, but then again not that much drastically better than when I do Eggs Benedict at home. My fried trout is better than theirs. The ice cream in my Bananas Foster was melted by the time I got it.
We went to Galatoire's for dinner to make up for our miserable experience here. The kicker, breakfast at Brennan's for 2 with no drinks - $100+, Dinner for 2 at Galatoires with drinks - $70.
So went to NOLA with my girlfriend and my parents... we spent the first few days looking for a place with good service, knowing good meals were all around us, we tried a few places and the service was horrible. Brennan's on the other hand was great.
We went for brunch, and the staff was incredible, on top of every detail, constantly refilling waters, asking us if we wanted to refresh our coffee and even waited until the women were done eating to take the plates off the table.
The breakfast was also very good. Omelets, I got the spicy sausage omelet, my parents the crab and my girl friend the ham n cheese. The crab was very good, and packed full of crab, mine was the best and very filling. We all shared the bananas foster, and is was very good. (after seeing and smelling the waiters make them at every table, we couldn't resist.)
The place is expensive, especially for breakfast meals, but the customer service compared to almost every other place in NOLA was worth the price.
Yet another Brennan experience, yet another grand meal. There is something over-the-top about Brennan's work. It's fancy and it's elegant, but there's more than just a hint of extravagant about its methodology. Here's a description:
EGGS HUSSARDE
(A Brennan's Original)
One of the dishes that put
"Breakfast at Brennan's" on
the map. Poached eggs atop
Holland rusks, Canadian bacon
and Marchand de Vin sauce.
Topped with Hollandaise sauce.
So this was basically eggs Benedict. It was certainly one of the best I've had but there was something about eating this dish on white linen and having to wear my Sunday best when entering the restaurant...that just felt out of place. My image of great breakfast restaurants are the ones that are packed with people, a pony-tailed waitress running around taking orders at break neck speed, and a sweaty chef in the back with a Marlboro dangling from his lower lip. I also envision steamy windows so people from outside can only thing "wow, something's cooking". Brennan got the cooking part right but for me I like my breakfast in a bit more casual setting.
If you think it's wrong to spend $60+ per person for breakfast, read no further. But I think it's worth it. Even if you only do it once.
Milk punch or bloody mary? Cripes! I have to decide? Okay. Bloody mary first. Milk punch with the bananas foster for desert. Done and done.
The eggs sardou are wonderful. Artichoke hearts, poached eggs, bordelaise sauce. Oh my. They also have a breakfast called the Mark Twain. Turtle soup? Yes, please. Nicely done steak? Oh yes. Bananas Foster for desert? God yes! Must pause for a moment.
Phew! That's better. Rumor has it that this is where bananas Foster were invented. I believe it. What a great show. I like my deserts like I like my waiters... flaming.
we did breakfast here. It was good. I will never spend that much money on breakfast again, but I can say that i tried it -- once.
Two of us did the Prix Fix menu for breakfast, and we got different things so we could try more stuff.
1st Course
The turtle soup was really good. But not as good as Remoulades down the street by any means (and Remoulades is cheaper)
The southern baked apple with double cream was wonderful.
2nd Course
The Oysters Benedict was good (although the canadian bacon seemed to compete too much in flavor)
The Eggs Nouvelle Orleans was tasty with the crabmeat.
3rd Course
The bananas foster - just maybe the reason to come here. outstanding.
The chocolate Pecan Pie was good - but really really rich.
I had a absinthe suissesse and also an absinthe frappe - both very tasty (I am an absinthe affectionado) - nice wine list as well.
It was good. was it worth it? meh. maybe.
For a restaurant that was so well known and spoken of is glowing terms - our group was looking forward to a great Sunday brunch.
Where to start....
At the beginning....we made reservations several days prior and they were confirmed. When we we arrived, we were told that someone with the same last as ours came in ahead of us and they had given our reservation to them. What the real kicker was, they acknowledged we had a reservation and that they had incorrectly given it to the other party....the other party had NOT been seated yet. Then manager refused to do anything about it. They said it would not be long and asked us to just wait. After they sat everyone else - cleared out the waiting area - They were able to seat us - luckily it only took about 15 - 20 minutes after our reserved time. The table they "found" for us was in a doorway, so we were constantly bumped, nudged, interrupted....nice folks, nice.
Lets see - next - hmmmmmm how about service. Our service "team" was poor. We had to constantly ask for coffee refills. The food - well it may have tasted great hot, but our entrees arrived and tasted as if they had been sitting for quite a while. No one ever checked back to see how everything was - if we needed anything else.
During our visit we patronized several of the Brennan family of restaurants, but here at the flagship - the staff were rude and arrogant, the food was average and overpriced - and the whole experience had us questioning as to why we had to come here to this place.
On the way out the door, we stopped at the hostess stand to ask them to call us a cab - so we could get back to our hotel. Before we could submit our request, we heard them respond to an inquiry from a gentleman that had been sitting in the bar area waiting for his table. They had "called" his name, but he did not hear it. So, they said the best they could do now was to try to seat him in the next half hour or so, since he did not respond when they called his name. Our request for them to call a cab was rejected. They said, no we will not call a cab. Your best option is to walk to the cab stand a few blocks away. The walk was not that bad, but it was the attitude that resonates throughout this establishment.
My friends and I went to New Orleans to hang out, kick back and relax. My husband, having been to N.O. previously (as well as the restaurant) insisted that we have "Breakfast at Brennan's". We were seated on the upstairs porch, which would have been much nicer had it not been boxed in with plexi-glass. But at least the view of the backyard garden-patio was pretty.
Service was amazing. The four of us each ordered the standard three-course meal, which I insist you also do when you visit. I, personally, started off with the delicious Seafood Okra Gumbo. It was hearty and warm. Filled to the bring with steaming goodness. I could have just had a large bowl (as opposed to the cup) and been satisfied. But the meal continued with the Eggs Nouvelle Orleans - which was simply exquisite!
To complete the experience, almost everyone on the porch ordered the same desert: The Bananas Foster. This desert was created right there in that very restaurant, and made famous worldwide.
However, if Bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana liqueur, then flamed in rum and served over vanilla ice cream doesn't sound scandalously delicious to you... then try the Crepes Fitzgerald. Both are cooked right in front of you with much theatrics and entertainment.
The price makes it a "once in a blue moon" type of thing. But it's worth every penny. When I get a chance to go back to New Orleans, I will make it a point to stop by again. And even if I don't have time for a 2 hour long, 3-course meal, I'll still swing by for a bite.
Brennan's ****
With a nearly endless list of classic egg dishes, and an impressive menu reeking of Creole favorites, I would have liked to have had dined here for a full meal...but only went (like many annoying tourists do) for their famous bananas Foster dessert.
From the silverware, to the decor, to the linens and excellent service, this place was pleasantly elegant.
The bananas Foster was delicious; with good ice cream that could have been house-made. I loved how our darling server (Franklin) informed us of the history of the dessert and showed us what was in it before it was flambéed and served tableside. Nice touches.
One problem however is their schedule. They only serve 'dessert only' diners at the last 15-30 mins of each lunch and dinner shift. So you have to call them and see of they are open for such. It was lame and very complicated for tourists who are on a tight schedule. I suppose this helps ward off the icky tourist joint vibe that other popular establishments are forced to embrace.
Next time I go, I would like to have a full dinner there with wine and all the extras. This is why I can only give 4 stars.
I did not want to leave...but we had more of the Big Easy to see....
--Anthony
For the price, I should be raving about this place. I ordered the Eggs Nouvelle Orleans per the waiter's recommendation and it was tasteless. The crab meat was plentiful, but very bland. There was nothing special about the eggs and the brandy-cream sauce was just average. Pretty disappointing. I also overheard this sentiment from a French couple from the table behind me about this dish. Perhaps ordering something different will provide a better experience.
On a positive note - the waiter provided excellent service. I also ordered the Bananas Foster which was very good - tough to beat the combination of warm sweet food with ice cream. I actually prefer warm apple pie compared to the bananas, but I would order this again. If you're like me and checking this off of a list, just get the Bananas Foster and be done with it.
Ugh. I feel like such a chump!
My husband's family is from New Orleans, and visiting is always like going home.
We have our usual haunts (hello, Mr. B's!), but thought we'd visit Brennan's this time.
I'm all for spending money for a good meal while on vacation, but 200.00 for breakfast? C'mon!
Everyone's eggs were overcooked, my friend found a hair on his plate (he's bald, so we know it wasn't his), service was glacially paced and strangely robotic.
Love the "tableside" preparation of bananas foster. Sure, it's prepared tableside.....at someone else's table on the other side of the room. However, you are expected to watch your waitperson's every move from across the room, and applaud at the flambe. Ppffft. Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto-waiter fire-starter.
Save your money and go somewhere else for breakfast. Po-boys always taste good for breakfast. MMmmm.
Brennans fails to get 5 for 2 reasons, but if these did not exist it would be the restaurant other places dream of being.
1. Drug testing policy in the kitchen. C'mon, really? In Nola?
2. While they do what they do better than anyone else (brunch, bananas foster), they do not do anything that can not be done by anyone else.
Breakfast lovers beware, this place will eat you alive. The wait was a little over thirty minutes on a Sunday morning for brunch. While we waited we treated ourselves to their brandy punch which was a mix of milk, brandy and seasoning on top. Perfect morning drink to enjoy in their courtyard while your table is being prepared.
The pricing is pretty high, the food is very good. We went for the pre-fixe menu starting off with the roasted apple, a few of the soups, then onto the egg houssard finishing up with the pecan pie, banana foster and bread pudding.
The tomato accompanying the entree was perfectly cooked and topped. The wait staff took good care of us even though we were at the hotwire table and made up for it with extra soups and desserts.
As a tourist from Houston Texas, I have research online and found that Brennan's THE BEST brunch in New Orleans. Having such a high expectation, the moment when I and my family (total 6 people) stepped into the restaurant, we were surprised by the decoration and the history of the Victorian style house. We went on a Sunday morning and only waited about 20 minutes. We were promptly seated in a beautiful room and that's when all hell broke loose. To start off, one of the waiters told the other waitress to refill our water and the waitress replied back that she doesn't have time and she "only has 2 hands". She also seems unhappy when my sister requested hot water. Our waiter was actually really helpful on taking our orders. We ordered the 3 course brunch prex fixe menu as our waiter recommended. Since there were 6 of us, we ordered a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts. The appetizer took about 20-25 min. which is a reasonable time. However, our waiter didn't get the order right and it took about another 20 minutes for my soup to come out. After that it took another hour for our entrée to come out. Their service was just tremendously slow. Another family of 6 actually got up and left after they're left unattended for a long time. While we're waiting, we also saw several occasions that the waiters were shouting at each other. It was a chaos!
On the positive side though, the entrees, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Shannon, Eggs Ellen and Eggs Hussarde, were all superb. I will say it's probably one of the best breakfast/brunch dishes I ever tasted. I ordered the Eggs Hussarde, the pouched eggs, the Holland rusks and the Marchand de Vin sauce blend really well together. The desert Banana Foster was also really tasty especially when it's prepared by your waiter right by your table. It was a great show that had the dish flaming.
In short, Brennan has superb food but has one of the worst services I ever experienced. I don't know if it's just a one time glitch, but for the price that we paid for a brunch(about $35/person), I expected better. I will recommend this place only when you have a lot time on your hand as ours took about 3 hours. I really hope their management can get their acts together and do something about their service.
This was the last stop on a week of ridiculous NO eating. And, unfortunately, it paled next to rather memorable meals elsewhere. Sure, the white glove service is nice, and if I had just gone for the yummy bananners it would have been a 5 star experience. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal was a little lackluster.
The turtle soup was good, but didn't hold a candle to K-Paul's. The chicken and andouille over rice was tasty but not in any way special or up to par at one of the old guard of New Orleans cuisine. With all the new joints opening up throughout the city with insane food and fun atmospheres, Brennan's is no longer a must stop on your eating tour of New Orleans.
My advice: eat dinner somewhere else, take a nice walk through the quarter, then stop and get your Foster's fix. It won't break the bank and will leave you feeling like the trip was justified.
What a rip off.
Food is mediocre and incredibly overpriced.
The service is enthusiastic but our server, Lee (a very large and friendly gentleman) kept forgetting to bring things. To his credit, he let my friend send back her fried shrimp because she didn't realize she was ordering fried shrimp. Huh? Yeah, it was totally her fault.
Our waiter assistant, whose name I didn't catch (blonde, mid 20's, pretty) did impress me. My girlfriend and another woman at our table don't like ice in their drinks. This woman not only remembered, but she was able to refill glasses WITHOUT pouring the ice, and with ONE HAND.
I'm easily impressed.
But c'mon, $28 for eggs Benedict? And the laminated menus belong in IHOP.
I was completely disappointed with my brunch at Brennan's. The service was the only redeeming part. I got the Prix Fix, with the Shrimp Sardo as the entree. My date got a crab omelet. My dish was fair; my date's was inedible, in both our views. If you are going to charge $19 for an omelet, it needs to have flavor.
Finally, I found the menu way too old-school for my tastes. I guess I've learned that I value innovation over a pedigree in fine dining.
I really wanted to have the amazing Brennan's experience, but when it came down to it, I would rather have gone elsewhere.
I have wanted to go here on previous trips, but the cost kept me away. This trip, I got to go on expense, which is always good. The service was wonderful, if a bit overattentive. The women were nearly always served first, which was chivalrous if a bit throwback-y. I chose the 4 course price fixe menu, which looks like a good deal at first ($48), until you realize that upcharges apply to most appetizers, many entrees, and even some desserts. I think my meal would have been around $61, if I remember correctly. But to the food...
Bread came out quickly, and I had to sit on my hands to keep from eating it all. It was a cheese garlic bread - salty and crunchy and oh so tasty.
app: turtle soup with sherry. Delicious! I keep pretending turtle soup doesn't really have turtle in it, because turtles are cute.
salad: Brennan's salad. The creole dressing was lovely, but otherwise it was...a salad.
entree: blackened redfish with glazed carrots. This was the big disappointment, as the redfish was simply not that tasty. It was cooked perfectly, but just didn't have a lot of flavor. However, the tomato/corn/okra relish was awesome.
dessert: like the other 11 people at the table, I had bananas Foster. It was awesome, rich and creamy, served over ice cream. Also, it's cooked tableside for maximum drama. The reason to go to Brennan's, I think.
If I were to go back, which isn't that likely (the turtle soup was almost as good at Palace Cafe - another Brennan's restaurant - and cheaper), I'd go just for apps and dessert.
New Orleans, LA
Category: Coffee & Tea
New Orleans, LA
Category: Cajun/Creole
New Orleans, LA
Category: French
New Orleans, LA
Category: Cajun/Creole
New Orleans, LA
Category: Cajun/Creole
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