If I could put a five-star restaurant, Toys "R" Us, and a coffee shop together, this would be the ambiance. The food was definitely five-star -- everything was made from scratch, with an open kitchen that felt light and airy. Whether you want to sit in a quaint, cozy spot or enjoy a blend of warm and cool vibes with spicy notes, this place has it all. It's the perfect brunch-meets-lunch kind of atmosphere, with options ranging from pizza, burgers, vegan dishes, and fresh salads. This place had all the fixings, and again, I can't talk enough about how great the food was. I couldn't believe a children's museum had all of this to offer! read more

Acorn - Patio bayou seating - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Wow! This soft shell crab special being served right now is going to have me visiting this restaurant even when I'm not going into the museum. The corn and bell pepper salad was surprisingly refreshing. With our intent on having a day at the children's museum, I appreciated a kid-friendly restaurant that catered to grown up taste buds too. The kids grilled chicken was a real grilled chicken breast and not some frozen nuggets. Outside on the porch area, there are additional table and chairs if you'd like to sit outdoor and enjoy watching the turtles and alligators. The restaurant even provides turtle food. read more

Acorn - Soft shell crab - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I was pleasantly surprised by Acorn. Quality food at a reasonable price, inside a children's museum? Never would have expected it. You order at the counter and your food is brought to you by number. The setup and space are kid friendly, bright and airy, and a covered patio that faces the turtle-filled lagoon for outside dining on nice day. Note, you can request turtle feed from the counter to safely feed the turtles. Perusing the menu, I was excited to see that the salads were not just "healthy" afterthoughts in attempt to balance the menu. It was hard to choose what to order as there were a lot of great options, but we decided on the BBQ Cauliflower "Wings" ($7), Fried Chicken Sandwich ($12), Mac and Cheese ($5.50), Cheeseburger ($7.25) and Ancient Grain Bowl ($12.50). The star of the show was the BBQ Cauliflower "Wings" and the runner up was the Ancient Grain Bowl just barely edging out the Fried Chicken Sandwich. I highly recommend all three. Also, those chips served on the side are addicting! The lack of a star to make this a perfect rating is due to the mac and cheese. I get it, this is not intended to be from a box but rather an upscale real ingredients version, but neither of my children were happy about it and it was left unfinished. I even tried it and understood why they were not devouring it. It was bland and with a gritty texture. C'mon, this is a children's museum. read more

Acorn - BBQ Cauliflower "Wings", Fried Chicken Sandwich, Mac and Cheese and Ancient Grain Bowl - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Very conveniently located next to the children's museum. Perfect for a meal in between seeing the exhibits. Everyone was kind and had the typical New Orleans hospitality. We had the impossible burger and cauliflower. The cauliflower was great. It was seasoned perfectly and nicely fried. Would order again. read more

Acorn - BBQ Cauliflower "Wings" (BBQ sauce on the side) - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This place is so adorable. Yes I know it's attached to the children's museum but you don't need to have a kid or go to the museum to enjoy this place. The food is pretty good. I really enjoyed my blackened shrimp tacos. They also have beer and wine for sale! Yay! There is indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating on the patio is gorgeous and surrounded by the lagoons of City Park. Sip a glass of Prosecco and watch the turtles swim around. Needless to say, this place is also very kid friendly, but dogs are not allowed, even on the patio. Great spot for a nice Saturday with the whole family. read more

Acorn - BBQ Cauliflower "Wings" Crispy Brussels Sprouts Spinach & Artichoke Dip - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I did not realize that this restaurant was within the Children's Museum. School was out for Thanksgiving, so it was somewhat of a madhouse even at 1:30pm. I purchased a Cobb Salad which was good, even if smaller than others that I've purchased locally. The service was good and the servers quite courteous. I would try this again when school is back in session. I should mention that the locale is completely lovely. read more

This is BY FAR the best food option I've ever experienced in a place centered on kids. They had lots of typical kid fare PLUS really tasty adult food. Everything was yummy and reasonably priced. We sat outside and (for 25 cents) got fish food to throw at the fish and turtles in the lake. 100% recommend, no notes, I hope other children's museums take notes! read more

Wonderful cafe. Best one attached to a museum. Must try the spinach dip. It's better than a lot of restaurants. Kids friendly and delicious. Spacious for stroller families. And great view of the outside. Very scenic read more

I will probably not be able to recommend this place enough. We had an impromptu lunch here that far exceeded my expectations. There are lots of great options for kids which the kids with us actually liked. The Brussels sprouts and sweet potato tater tots are good. The tacos are somehow perfect too. We also tried a few sandwiches which were good. Our highlight of the visit was, while we were having some ice pops in this sweltering heat on the patio, we had our first sighting of a gator! We went on to spend half an hour staring at it and some nonchalant turtles. Service is amazing. Do not think twice on this one. read more

We were in the city park, looking for Mac and Cheese for the kid. Acorn fit the bill. It should be noted that it is in the Children's Museum building but does have an external entrance. The food was good, and the view was excellent. For a children's museum restaurant, the menu has a large selection. This is an order-at-the-counter kind of place. It also looked like there was free parking outside. If you are in the area, it is a great option. We walked over there from the art gallery. So, if your kids don't want pizza at the art gallery, this is a great option and an easy walk. read more

What a nice restaurant to have at a children's museum! What I expected was the $3 slices of pizza (nothing super special but decent, what I didn't expect was a yummy Mac and cheese dish on the kids menu (maybe $6?) which came with fruit and definitely not this beautiful bruschetta! It was a bit pricey but appreciated. Also can't beat the view, you get to eat with a water view and your kid is entertained watching turtles! read more

Acorn - Roasted Beet Bruschetta - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great service and food was fantastic. A bit pricey for what you are served but that has to do with the location being on the same site as the Children's Museum. I love the natural lighting and landscaping! read more

Oh wow! Can you believe a place like this at a children's museum? I ordered the Bacon Citrus Bowl and they even make their own bacon! Who does that? Place has a great view, plenty of seating, great food selection, and high quality food. Parking though could be a challenge. read more

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Went to a rehearsal dinner at Acorn and the service and food was wonderful! What a lovely restaurant at the Children's Museum! read more

Acorn - Groom and bride at a rehearsal dinner! - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Ok so this was a surprise. The restaurant is attached to the children's museum which made me keep my distance as I imagined it full of screaming children and food that was catered to kids. Well thankfully the day I went it was slow and enjoyed a lovely salad outside on the deck overlooking the water at city park. The menu is quite impressive and well done. I almost got some food to go after I enjoyed my salad so much but alas I did not but has me wanting more. I'll be back. read more

Acorn - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I have been near acorn and their food looked good so decided to check it out for lunch. we ordered the pimento dip, really good; the brussel sprouts, excellent; the cobb salad, good; the bbq cauliflower wings, which were alright; skirt steak tacos, decent, and the pizza which was big and had a good crust overall nice food in a good ambiance read more

Acorn - menu - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Great food and atmosphere. Awesome pictures door seating. Great place even if you aren't going to children's museum. Yummy salad, pizza. Very bright. Good service read more

I haven't done a 5 review in a while but this is truly a hidden jewel within City Park. The only bad part was the looooong walk to the door from parking that that had absolutely nothing to do with the great tasting food that was inside. You order at the register/coffee bar at the front of the restaurant which was surprisingly cute. When you walk into the front door it is aesthetically pleasing to the kid in me. It's so kid friendly that it makes you comfortable. It is strategically placed next to the Louisiana Children's Museum so be prepared to see the cute little kids as you dine. The food was sooooo good! I ordered the grit bowl and I just knew my Dad was in the back cooking. It tasted perfect. It was a huge bowl and I wasn't able to finish. It's totally shareable. I wasn't aware of the portions so I also ordered a grilled cheese and that was a lot as well. The coffee was piping hot and that's the way I love it. This place is so cute that I just have to come back to enjoy the lunch menu. read more

Acorn - Menu - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Sitting, enjoying a cool breeze overlooking the water outside at Acorn! This view and chill spot gave us high expectations for the quality of the food. Well....EXCELLENT!!!! We got an assortment of dishes as shown in the pictures 1) started with a wonderful mimosa 2) breakfast burrito stuffed with veggies 3) grits bowl 4) BBQ cauliflower "wings" 5) Brussels sprouts in Crystal, Honey sauce The two of us shared these dishes and took a nice snack home as "leftovers". It is wonderful place for a breakfast or lunch date on the veranda. It is within the Louisiana Children's Museum, and within City Park. As a result, there is something for EVERYONE before or after your meal! Folks, don't pass Acorn! It is a unique eatery in New Orleans that shouldn't be missed. read more

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I'm obsessed with this place. How can this be a museum cafe?!?! This must be the best of the best in the nation for museum food. It's so fresh and unique. I ordered the daily special which was a Niçoise salad. It was so spectacular. The deviled eggs, tuna, boiled potatoes, spicy green beans and a delightful creamy sauce drizzled for the finishing touch. The space is fresh, open and unique. My son loved his Mac and cheese which wasn't your standard one. It seemed healthier than usual too. Not sure what kind of pasta they used but I recommend it. Even if you're not visiting the museum, try them out. They're outdoor space is beautiful and sits on the water. There are plenty of seats inside and out if you want to social distance. read more

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Cute! Love the outdoor seating on the water! Lots of room for our big group that was out for a little walk in the park! read more

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Located at the children's museum in city park. Food was amazing and well priced. Burger was good but small. The Brussel sprouts were delicious and the peach, prosciutto bruschetta was one of the best dishes I've had in a while. read more

Acorn - Grilled Peach Bruschetta - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Great menu offerings! Lots of gluten free and vegan options. We love sitting outside and watching the turtles and gators!! read more

Acorn - Vegan Queso - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I definitely didn't expect something this impressive from a restaurant in a children's museum. I went with my sister and two rambunctious toddlers, and it was clear the staff we are well trained to deal with children in a kind and positive manner. While child friendly, I wouldn't hesitate to have lunch or coffee here with a friend. They also participate in the Coolinary promotion. We had a Cobb salad with shallot vinaigrette (I'm glad I told them to put light dressing); fried Brussels sprouts; butternut squash bisque; and the seasonal pizza which included butternut squash, arugula, candied cashews, and bacon. All were delicious. The outside dining area is just great overlooking the water. I will be back! read more

Food and coffee was good and the services was amazing 10\10 recommended and I would come here again and also there is a dance definitely check it out read more

Acorn - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I enjoyed the cheesy chicken quesadillas. It was really really good! My son had the chicken tenders and chips and he loved the chips. Our meal was good tbh. Our Food came in a good enough time. We enjoyed feeding the ducks and turtles once we were all finished with our food. It was real peaceful to sit outside and just take in Nature. Yes, there is seating available outside on their nice little patio. We will be back. read more

Acorn - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

What a gem! The cafe is accessible to all in the City Park/ children's museum. Beautiful setting and delicious food! Try the pull pork hash - it is as beautiful as scrumptious!! read more

Acorn - Pull pork hash - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Acorn is one of the best cafes in New Orleans! The Caesar Salad tastes very gourmet, I would strongly recommend ordering it. The cafe is attached to a nice museum. Beautiful LEED Sustainable Architecture. There are cool views of a little wildlife area from the outdoor seating. Casual and family friendly atmosphere in one of the best New Orleans neighborhoods. Great place to get lunch before seeing more of City Park. read more

Acorn - Delicious Smoked Turkey Chilli, Caesar Salad (Strongly recommend ordering the salad), and a Baba Ganoush - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Stopped in to Acorn at the Louisiana Children's Museum this morning during our daily dog walk around City Park. The good: The area is great. Having all the outside seating is nice when you are right on the water, especially being able to take dogs. The food was good. I had a veggie breakfast wrap that tasted great. My wife had the cheesy grits which were rich and fluffy. The bad: The wait. It was us and one other table in the entire restaurant and we waited 20 minutes for food. That might not seem like that long but considering what we ordered, it felt excessive to us. While the food was good, the grits came out almost refrigerator cold. Not even a slight warmth to them. The cheddar cheese on top didn't melt at all. They were still good because they were well made but they could have been great if they were hot like they should be. We will give this place another chance because it's close and has potential. Hopefully this was a fluke. Maybe they were busy focusing on prepping for an event but they need to step it up for those that take the time to come in to the restaurant. read more

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tl;dr: high quality, upscale on price, simple sandwiches, several salad options, wide options for kids, set in beautiful LCM but accessible separately The terms "Children's Museum" (and that's anywhere, not just New Orleans) and "cuisine" don't often appear in the same sentence unless you're talking about plastic play-toys in the play kitchen, or a row of vending machines set by some plastic (adult) chairs in a waiting area. Get ready for an exception to that rule, and not just for museum visitors--this advice applies to anyone looking for a bite in City Park, children notwithstanding, in a restaurant that occupies a corner of the beautiful new Louisiana Children's Museum. (You like the new airport design, with the airy open rooms and lots of outside light, but could do without the TSA line or car lines or restaurant lines? Come here.) Acorn occupies a prime spot, overlooking a picturesque lagoon in what was formerly an undeveloped area of the park. Acorn is short, pleasant walk from NOMA and the paddle boat lagoon. And do plan on a pleasant walk: parking at the LCM facility is woefully limited in fine New Orleans fashion¹, but a satisfying alternative is to park down the broad oak-lined Roosevelt Mall (so named for FDR, who gave a famous speech there during his presidency). I highly recommend Acorn solely based on location. But what about the food, you ask? Upon entry, there's a reminder that Acorn comes from the Dickie Brennan folks (almost typed "Ralph"; I get 'em confused), part of New Orleans iconic restaurateur family who collectively have upped their game over the years. That good sign was followed by good choices. The menu has burgers, sandwiches and salads that aren't just lettuce-based afterthoughts. I had to do some real soul and cholesterol-count searching as I debated "quinoa" vs "cheeseburger". Ultimately as a compromise I settled upon the Impossible Burger. This would be the my second after an initial trial at Burger King (verdict at BK: tastes to me like a Whopper without the greasy aftereffects). Acorn did the whatevah's-in-that-patty justice with a fresh challah-bread-like roll, first rate toppings (all fresh), served promptly and hot to the table. The portion was small--just a bit larger than a slider--which makes it pricey at thirteen bucks, but for me on this particular day it was a satisfying cheeseburger, without any qualification for being meatless. Did you say "children?" Oh, right. I did have a pair of sixth graders with me. The menu offers "tout du monde des enfants américains": chicken, burger, hot dog, grilled cheese, mac n cheese, pizza. (Expect higher quality ingredients, so also expect "why is this bread brown on the inside?" or "Uhm, this does not taste like the cheese at home" from your more discerning young diners). Want a fried chicken sandwich? If the chicken strips that came with one of the kids' orders are any indication, do it. Want to gross out the kids with a kale salad? Do that instead; I didn't eat one but it looked great at the next table and will be a next-time contender. The full menu is easily accessed from the Louisiana Children's Museum web site, scroll to bottom. Service is prompt. There's an efficient ordering line, and your food is brought to you by number. The setup and space are kid friendly, with only one entry/exit, no fancy flooring to worry about for the messier and spillier ones in your party, and a porch that faces the lagoon for outside dining on nice day. If you do order coffee (it's French Truck, and strong), it shows up at the counter without announcement, so watch for it. The dessert menu is blessedly short. The brownie looked and tasted good, though to my surprise both my sixth graders (one no relation, too) found the flavor strange. I found the flavor "strong and chocolaty and you are crazy, this is delicious". (Chef: don't change the recipe; despite your location, remember who actually pays for dessert). Prices are higher than fast food but not unreasonable. If you want cheap, plenty of drive-thrus await your business nearby. But don't do that! Enjoy the beautiful setting, a good meal, and all it inside the museum-- a perfect break from the hours of juvenile fun over which you just endured standing watch (and will return to for the rest of the afternoon). Or if you're just in or near City Park for any other reason, consider Acorn on its own very good merits, children and museum aside. No cost for admission: just go to the end of the entryway porch, pass by the museum admission door, and there you are. ¹ "fine New Orleans fashion" is not sarcasm here. One of our city's charms is a steadfast refusal to accede to automobile supremacy with parking space as the proudest feature in new development. You want that, go to any of the surrounding parishes. Or states. read more

I enjoy eating here with my 4 year old son when we visit the park or the museum. Food is actually good a bit more on the gourmet side even for there lattes and sorts. Expect to pay a little extra than usual. Dining is indoor and outdoors. Definitely worth it when you get a chance to walk and view all of nature surrounding. read more

Acorn - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I really love that this place is available at the Children's Museum! Makes a morning playtime and lunch super simple, especially with a $3 slice of pizza and $5 Mac and cheese entrée available. The "adult" cuisine is always good, not really exceptional but still good! I got the shrimp tacos and they were not my fave. Will try the fried chicken sandwich next time even though it looked like a really heavy meal! read more

Oh my this place is absolutely amazing. From the amazing food to the incredible scenery. read more

Acorn - Shrimp tacos - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Love how this place is right next to city park! Went here on a whim after running and I absolutely love the bbq cauliflower wings as my ultimate favorite. We ended up eating outside on the balcony and it was quite beautiful! Everything else, including the hash and avocado toast was just like anywhere else in my opinion. Other than that, the experience was wonderful. read more

Acorn - BBQ Cauliflower "Wings", avocado toast - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Lovely venue on the patio overlooking the lake. Wish I could say the same for the food. Had the tofu veggie bowl that was basically a salad with bitter dressing over bitter kale. Still hungry decided to treat myself to a muffin and a cup of tea. Server nicely offered milk choice for tea Sadly, my $3 blueberry muffin had only 3 blueberries! Also, dry and overly sweet :/ read more

Very cute addition to city park! We didn't go to the children's museum but we were in city park and wanted a snack. They have kid friendly items but also ~adult~ items as well. The restaurant was very cute and well decorated. There is an outside porch that you can sit and eat your food. When you enter you go up to the counter and order and they give you a letter and bring your food out to you. We ordered the shrimp roll and a side of broccoli and cauliflower. The shrimp roll was delicious and came with really large shrimp! We went for more of a snack but I would definitely love to try one of their bowls! This place is great for families but is also great if you're just in city park and want something to eat. read more

Acorn - Shrimp Roll - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Super duper cool spot for birthday parties, baby showers, etch. The location is in City Park next to the Children's museum. We attended a COVID birthday party for my niece and the kids decorated pizza and made ice cream. The bar is pretty good and the impossible burger and foods are good. read more

I eat here every time I take the kids to the children museum. It's been a while since I've been back due to the museum closing. Today everything was delicious but we had a few problems. The wait time for the food to arrived was a little long. I'm used to the wait time when there's a long line but today wasn't a long line but it seems like it took forever for our food. Another problem I had was I ordered the Cobb salad with no cheese. I don't eat cheese. The salad looked like it had no cheese and after a few bites I can smell and taste the cheese. I took a closer look and saw cheese crumb in my salad. I figured they realized they messed up and decided to just "remove" the cheese instead of making me a new salad. I was going to let them know but then the line was long so I ended up giving my salad to my nephew that can eat the salad with cheese. My favorite was the Brussels sprouts. It's my favorite and I always get it. It is cook to perfection. I tried the cauliflower "wings" and it was good and flavorful. My kids had the Mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwich. My nephew had the burger and he liked it. I also like the fact that now they sell coke and sprite. Before covid, there were no soda. I will be back for the Brussels sprout like always. read more

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This place is a cute little restaurant tucked in the side of the children's museum in city park. Although I believe it's main purpose is to serve guests of the museum it is open to all. There is beautiful outdoor seating and well as family- friendly seating inside. They have many family events such as egg decorating during Easter. The food was incredible and I was completely blown away by the cauliflower "wings". The homemade pop tart is so flaky and delicious. They also have a picnic lunch on their menu which can be taken to go and enjoyed in city park! read more

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Acorn is a Dickie Brennan's restaurant that is served cafe style in City Park adjoining the Louisiana Children's Museum. Even though it is a simple menu it satisfies. It is. Brennan's so the quality and service are always amazing. Cafe style means you order at a counter and the food is delivered. Unlike other Brennan's establishments Acorn does not offer a full bar and has limited wine options. The view from the patio overlooking the park is spectacular. read more

Acorn - The view from the tables outside. - Cafes Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana