Galatoire’s is a renowned French Creole restaurant located in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana.1
History and Uniqueness
- Founding: Galatoire’s was established in 1905 by Jean Galatoire, who was originally from the small village of Pardies, France.2 He brought recipes and traditions inspired by the familial dining style of his homeland to New Orleans.3
- Family Tradition: The restaurant remains in its fifth generation, carried on by the Galatoire family and their descendants, who have preserved the customs of New Orleans fine dining.4
- Consistency: Consistency in its culinary customs and reservation statutes, with little change over the decades, has been a key asset for over a century.5
- The Line and Dress Code: Historically, one of its unique traditions was “the line,” where customers, including celebrities and world leaders, would wait outside for a table due to the original no-reservations policy for the main floor.6 The restaurant still maintains a high-standard dress code (jacket required for men, no shorts, tennis shoes, flip flops, or t-shirts for women).7
- Atmosphere: It provides a sophisticated atmosphere, utilizing lights, mirrors, and familiar recipes to create a formal yet laid-back environment.8
- Expansion: In April 2013, the Galatoire family of restaurants expanded with the opening of Galatoire’s “33” Bar & Steak next door at 215 Bourbon St., offering traditional steakhouse fare.9 In May 2021, they added Galerie de Galatoire at 211 Royal Street, which is a large private dining space.10
Customer Feedback and Accolades
- Impeccable Service: Service at Galatoire’s is expected to be impeccable, with many waiters having served there for 15 years or more.11 Waiters are known to be experts who know the menu well and often provide recommendations to regulars who may not even look at the menu.
- The Friday Lunch: The Friday Lunch is a significant tradition, often described as a “who’s who” of New Orleans, where locals pack the main dining room, sometimes staying for hours.12
- Accolades: Galatoire’s was honored with the prestigious James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant (in 2005) and is consistently named one of New Orleans’ Top 10 Restaurants.13 Saveur named the Friday Lunch one of its “25 Greatest Meals Ever,” and Bon Appetit recognized it as one of the nation’s “Top Celebration Restaurants.”14 It has also consistently earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2007-2010) and the Best of Award of Excellence (2011-2020, 2023, 2025).15
Highlight Menu Items
Galatoire’s serves a French-Creole menu that rarely changes.16 Highlighted dishes include:
- Appetizers: Oysters Rockefeller, Oysters en Brochette, Louisiana Lump Crab Maison
- Soups/Salads: Seafood Gumbo, Godchaux Salad (Louisiana jumbo lump crabmeat, boiled shrimp), Green Salad with Garlic
- Entrées: Trout Marguery, Pompano Meuniere, Eggs Sardou, Redfish Sautéed with Crabmeat Yvonne or Lemon Caper Beurre Blanc, Duck l’orange, Chicken Creole
- Desserts: Banana Bread Pudding, Black Bottom Pecan Pie17
Significant Events
- Table Auctions: A notable, albeit unique, tradition involves table auctions for the coveted spots on the Friday before both Mardi Gras and Christmas.18
- Annual New Year’s Eve Champagne Dinner: The restaurant hosts an annual New Year’s Eve Champagne Dinner, often held at Galerie de Galatoire, featuring hand-passed hors d’oeuvres, a multi-course dinner with luxury champagne pairings, and live music.19
Location and Contact Information
| Item | Information |
| Address (Original) | 209 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 |
| Phone | 504.525.2021 |
| Fax | 504.525.5900 |
| Website | https://www.galatoires.com/ |
