Commander's Palace
New Orleans
Try the Jazz Brunch for a unique blend of music and flavor, a true local favorite.
Commander's Palace, located at 1403 Washington Ave in New Orleans, offers a dining experience that intertwines vibrant Creole cuisine with a distinctive sense of local style. Known for a culinary philosophy likened to the improvisational nature of jazz, the restaurant delivers a dynamic menu that excites the taste buds of both locals and visitors alike.
The celebrated establishment is renowned for its legendary Jazz Brunch, where the lively rhythm of jazz complements an array of flavorful dishes. The atmosphere is filled with Southern hospitality, with a setting that encapsulates both elegance and comfort, making it suitable for a myriad of dining experiences, from intimate meals to larger celebrations.
Commander's Palace also provides options for private dining events, accommodating occasions such as rehearsal dinners, business meetings, or significant anniversaries. It is an ideal venue for hosting memorable gatherings, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.
Additionally, the restaurant features a convivial ambiance that invites diners to relax and indulge in the culinary offerings, enhanced by a longstanding tradition of exceptional Creole-inspired dishes. This sense of tradition, paired with innovative culinary approaches, ensures that the dining experience remains fresh and engaging.
Located in a historic part of New Orleans, Commander's Palace is a staple of the city's dining scene, consistently delivering quality and a welcoming environment for all who enter its doors.
Reviews
A superb experience at Commander’s Palace today for their Jazz Brunch. Right from arrival we felt very welcomed and the service from start to finish was exemplary. The food was impeccable and the portions were generous. I can recommend the beef for the main course. Also, the live music added immensely to the ambiance. Would highly recommend.
I visited Commander's Palace for a special meal while exploring New Orleans and immediately noticed that the restaurant had a different feel from casual spots around the city. The atmosphere was elegant but still welcoming, with a strong sense of tradition. I ordered turtle soup, shrimp and grits, gumbo, and bread pudding souffle. The turtle soup was something I had never tried before and had a deep, comforting flavor. The shrimp and grits were rich and satisfying, with the seafood adding a nice balance. The gumbo had the kind of slow-cooked flavor that makes you want to take your time with every bite. The bread pudding souffle was a great ending because it was warm, sweet, and memorable. The service made the experience even better. The meal felt relaxed rather than overly formal, and the staff made the restaurant feel approachable. It was the kind of dinner where you enjoy the entire evening, not just the food. I would recommend this place for anyone wanting a classic New Orleans dining experience. The combination of food, atmosphere, and hospitality made it stand out.
Commander’s Palace is absolutely worth the visit and remains a true New Orleans classic. The atmosphere is beautiful, historic, and exactly what you hope for when dining in New Orleans. The pre-dinner bread alone is worth mentioning — honestly, it was good enough to justify the visit by itself. The standout dish for me was the Shrimp & Tasso Henican. The combination of wild Louisiana white shrimp, housemade tasso ham, pickled okra, sweet red onions, five pepper jelly, and Crystal hot sauce beurre blanc was outstanding. It may be one of the best shrimp dishes I have ever had. The Café Pierre Painted Texas Quail was also very good — rich, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. For dessert, the Pecan Pie à la Mode was excellent. Warm pecan pie with vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate, candied pecans, and fleur de sel caramel sauce was a perfect finish. I may never want to eat pecan pie cold again. The only disappointment was the Commander’s Creole Gumbo. I really wanted to love it, but it fell flat for me and tasted more like brown gravy than the deep, flavorful gumbo I was expecting. Service was good, though not quite great, especially for a restaurant of this reputation. Still, the food, atmosphere, and overall experience made it a memorable dinner. I would happily go back.
Exceptional carajillo. Good lighting and solid brandy French 75. Good chair firmness and clean bathrooms. Appreciate the dark napkin option as well as the excellent birthday recognition, and shout out to service team member Billy for great beverage shepherding and stories! All other items need some work: some solid things, some misses. Iconic tasso "stuffed" shrimp with pickled onions & okra and mixed chile jam was a beautiful, stained glass-like presentation and flavors were solid. Turtle soup should be exceptional here, as the known standard setter, however the flavors were a bit indistinct. Foie gras could have been great, as the strawberry and honey accompaniment was great, but the brie (distracting secondary fat) and pasty/wheat gummy baklava did nothing positive for the dish - those could have been substituted with more foie and berries for a fantastic but missed opportunity. Pecan crusted drum with supposedly prosecco steamed crab (undetectable prosecco) was solid and completely fine, if uninspired and lacking inspiration, and came out with the sauce fully skinned over, what? Bread pudding souffle, another Commander's stronghold was very good and perfectly done, but not quite as great as the carajillo! Service, when it was on, it was on (special requests, recommendations, rapport). When it was off, it was off (missing silverware, fish came out with sauceskinned over, very long glass of wine waits, dishes served out of order), probably due to a full Saturday night dining room and Tulane graduation.
Altogether, the food, service and decor created a dining experience that feels comforting, colorful, memorable and true to spirit of New Orleans hospitality. The food is the heart of the experience. Every dish, 1/1/1 soup, Cochon de Lait Tostada and Curry Spiced Wild White Shrimp prepared with bold flavors with layers of spice and depth of fine cooking. The colorful 25 cents martini is an inexpensive opportunity to try all flavors (Cosmopolitan, Commander’s, Ray’s Melon). Every great meal needs to end with amazing desserts. The Creole bread pudding soufflé tops just melts your tastebuds with warm flavors and whiskey cream. The fresh Louisiana strawberries made the strawberry shortcake is outstanding dessert. A delicious meal with great presentation with plenty of flavors. The service ties everything together. A shout out to our waiter, Dylan who was awesome, attentive and friendly to our needs. He made us feel welcomed at this restaurant. Overall, this restaurant lives up to it’s reputation. Cheers!
