abita beer has kinda held the medal for the "louisiana beer"
zea's has REALLY good food and micro brew. but kinda expensive... (i think there's one on vets in metarie i'm not quite sure where the other one is)
cooter browns on the corner of south carolton and st. charles has a huge selection of beer... the food is pretty good too, but it's more of a sports bar.
jax brewery (i'm not to fond of there beer) in the heart of the french quarter across the street from the hard rock cafe (hard rock's pretty damn good too, i had my wedding reception there)
saltwater grill on south carolton has an outrageously good blackend redfish.
G&B's is kinda hidden but it's in the same lil shopping center as saltwater grill and they have the biggest best damn hamburgers in the city i think.
Pascal's resteraunt is world famous for there bbq shrimp (which doesnt' really touch a bbq pit)
the river shack on leak avenue (river road) and oak street (in the south carrolton area), not sure if the dixie beer is still around... i'm not too big on it to tell u the truth.
and it's just about crawfish season here, so u may see lil stands set up everywhere along the roads... and THOSE are the best... don't go to no fancy resteraunt to get crawfish.
i could just go on and on... u really can't loose if u just go walk around the quarter and you'll smell what's cooking. there is a really good place on bourbon st (i can't think of the name) but they allways have a chalkboard with the specials out in front, and their fried aligator is mmm mmm good.
oak street cafe
maple leaf
etc etc etc
oh yeau... i can't forget my pahdnuhs at Squeel bbq on oak street. their ribs and pulled pork are smoked for bout 9 hrs. the owner lives right behind my house. oak street is off of south carrolton, u can only go one way, and it's right across from ace hardware.
south carrolton is the ticket man, if u wanna avoid the crowds, crime, and tourist of the quarter. once u get down carrolton far enough to where u can see the levee, there's just a slew of good eats.
if ya go to squeel, post a time and day, and i'll stop in and have a beer.
one more thing... nothing here is really "high energy"
that's why they call it the big easy
and while ur here and especially in the south carrolton area, make sure to check out my buddy aaron at brewstock on the corner of oak st. and eagle. i think it's the only brew supply open in the city, he just opend shop. all the rest kinda died after the hurricane. he's a good ole boy from wisconsin i believe. tell him mr. frog sent ya
cheers
