Commander’s Palace

There are restaurants you visit because of the food, and then there are restaurants you visit because they are part of the story of a city. Commander’s Palace is unquestionably part of the story of New Orleans.

Located in the Garden District, the iconic turquoise restaurant has been a New Orleans institution for generations. Its modern legacy was shaped largely by the Brennan family, who took over in 1974, and the legendary Ella Brennan. The kitchen also became an important training ground for chefs who would go on to shape American dining, including Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse.

With that kind of history, Commander’s Palace felt like somewhere we needed to experience on our first trip to New Orleans.

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  Blue Crab Stuffed Blue Crab

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  Cheaspeake Bay Scallop Crudo

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  Chargrilled Shrimp Pinchos

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  Lime in the Coconut

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  Mirliton & Summer Squash Veloute

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  Le Coup du Milieu

Unfortunately, while we appreciated the restaurant, we were not particularly impressed with the food. Nothing was necessarily wrong with our meal, but in a city where we experienced so many memorable dishes, nothing here really grabbed us, and that is okay. We can respect what a restaurant has contributed to the culinary world without allowing its reputation to dictate how we feel about what is on our plate. For us, Commander’s Palace was much more about experiencing an important piece of New Orleans dining history than having one of our favorite meals of the trip.

One thing we absolutely loved was pairing our reservation with time exploring the Garden District. Walking beneath the enormous oak trees and seeing the historic homes, gardens, and architecture gave us a completely different perspective on New Orleans from the French Quarter. It also puts Commander’s Palace into context as the restaurant feels very much woven into the history and character of the neighborhood around it.

Sometimes experiencing the restaurants that helped shape a city's dining culture is just as worthwhile as discovering the restaurants defining it today. Commander’s Palace gave us that piece of New Orleans history, and adding an afternoon exploring the Garden District made the experience well worth the visit.