Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Lower Garden District

Brennan’s is always a good choice for brunch! The dining area started off quiet… but got a bit noisy towards the end. I wish there was better noise absorbing surfaces to help manage the noise levels… my 70+ Father who joined my husband and I for brunch really struggled to hear us and had to keep adjusting his hearing aides to be able to try and enjoy our conversations… The food and service did not disappoint! I had the Crab & Avocado toast with a poached egg on top, my husband had the Duck Confit Hash and my father had the Eggs St. Charles. All were very good! We ordered the Brabant Potatoes for the table…. And as always they were out of this world!!! The coffee was brewed to perfection and the service was impeccable… overall a great meal, just a little noisy.

Wild South is the best place to enjoy a cozy, delicious meal focused on Southern cuisine. We went on a Wednesday night the week before Christmas, so it was slower than normal. This allowed us to sit at the chef's table and get unfettered attention from the staff and chefs. We ordered the 5-course prefix menu, and everything was perfectly timed and perfectly portioned, so we left satisfied but not overly full. My husband paired this with their Sherry flight, allowing him to experience a wide range of styles they offer. The first course was an escabeche-esque snapper served on a rice cracker. The second course was an ode to New England-style chowder. Both items were not listed on the menu at the time. We were interrupted by an intermezzo of uni and trout roe-topped chicken schnitzel bites, followed by the vegetable course of broccolini, carrots, and peppers, topped with a pumpkin XO sauce and goat creme fraiche. The main course was a brined and one-week dry-aged pork chop with radicchio and sweet potatoes. Pre-dessert was a refreshing scoop of strawberry sorbet, and dessert was a nod to chocolate mint ice cream but with meringue, toasted sesame, and Creole cream cheese custard with strawberries and poached carrots. Overall, we had a fantastic time, enjoying our camaraderie with the chefs and staff, and I would highly recommend going back and enjoying a meal with friends. We will definitely be back when we return to New Orleans. Thanks again to Mike and his fabulous team!

My basil spaghetti was delicious as was the duck confit eaten by another diner. Another diner had speckled trout which he was unimpressed with. Parts of the fish were undercooked and some parts were overcooked.

We had an amazing experience at Meril. The staff and service were impeccable. The flavor profiles of the dishes were excellent. Strongly suggest Mexican street corn, meatballs, and banana cream pie. We highly recommend dining at Meril.

Meals are always very good. However, the cocktails are super expensive- can get same drinks at other bars for less. Also. disappointed that the restaurant doesn’t validate for complimentary parking if we dine at the restaurant anymore. They now give diners a 50% discount.