In a city known for extraordinary restaurants, it is surprisingly easy to forget about a few great ones. After visiting Susan Spicer's Bayona, I can assure you this is one restaurant we will not forget. Bayona somehow combines cozy, intimate, and fine dining all at once. From the moment we arrived, the entire experience felt warm and polished. Kelly greeted us with genuine professionalism, and while waiting for our table, we enjoyed the intimate atmosphere of the beautiful glass-enclosed porch before being seated in the dining room. Then came the food. Our waiter, Andrea, was simply outstanding. A true New Orleanian at heart, he moved here a year before Katrina, returned afterward, and helped rebuild this remarkable city. He treated the six of us less like restaurant guests and more like close friends he had invited into his home for dinner. He guided us through the menu, shared his recommendations, helped with wine selections, and made the entire evening memorable. His assistant, Nino, was equally friendly and attentive. We started by sharing several appetizers. The Roasted Garlic Flan with warm bourbon-molasses vinaigrette was excellent. The Sautéed Escargot with Herbsaint was incredible and wonderfully unique, and I am glad Andrea encouraged us to order it. The Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Ravigote with heirloom tomatoes, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, and caper-Dijon dressing was fresh and delicious. You really cannot go wrong with beautiful Louisiana crabmeat. We also shared the Goat Cheese Crouton with Cream of Garlic Soup. Creamy goat cheese on toasted Wild Flour multigrain bread, sautéed mushrooms, and a velvety Madeira cream made for another distinctive dish that hit exactly the right spot. The entrées may have been even better. I ordered the Moulard Magret Duck Breast, seared and served with a fragrant black tea-lavender honey glaze, mushroom ragout, and pillowy sweet potato gnocchi. It was quite simply the best duck preparation I have ever tasted. The sweet potato gnocchi was an incredible addition and paired beautifully with the duck. My bride and I always share our meals, and she ordered the Fennel Pepper-Crusted Lamb Chop with roasted fingerling potatoes, herbed goat cheese, Zinfandel sauce, and haricots verts. Once again, remarkable. It was one of the most flavorful lamb dishes I have ever tasted. Our friends ordered the Gulf Fish, a beautifully pan-seared snapper with caramelized leek orzo pasta and leek-tarragon butter, as well as the Pan-Seared Scallops. The scallops were perfectly caramelized and served over roasted butternut squash purée with corn, fish fumet butter, and crisp gaufrette potatoes. Everyone at the table had the same reaction: outstanding ingredients, tremendous freshness, and creative combinations of flavor that explain Susan Spicer's reputation. And somehow, we still ordered dessert. The espresso cheesecake was possibly the best cheesecake I have ever tasted. For something lighter, the sorbets, including berry, strawberry, and mango, were refreshing and excellent. Andrea was, without exaggeration, one of the best waiters we have ever had. The rest of the staff was wonderful. The food was off the charts. When extraordinary food, genuine hospitality, and an intimate New Orleans atmosphere all come together like this, you remember the evening long after dinner is over. Bayona has now moved into the very top tier of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans. We will absolutely be back. read more

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Bayona reminds me why I fell in love with New Orleans dining. One of the first restaurants I tried in New Orleans over 10 years ago. The courtyard remains one of the prettiest places to have dinner in the city, and the service is the definition of Southern hospitality, so warm, genuine, effortlessly attentive and so friendly. We started with the stracciatella cheese and crab salad with mustard sauce, which was beautifully balanced, and finished with to die for cooked scallops. I no longer have an office in New Orleans, and restaurants like Bayona are exactly what I miss most about spending time here. read more

Our evening was one of the most enjoyable and satisfying nights out that I have had for a while. The food was absolutely terrific. The menu looks small, but I really believed every item is great, trusting that the ones we had are indicative of the ones we didn't have. We started with the garlic soup and the crouton. Totally amazing. Our entrées were the scallops and the duck. Again, totally amazing. Great desserts, deliciously inventive cocktails. It's very much a French Quarter place, old but well maintained, tall ceilings, and French doors surrounding. And even though it's a block from Bourbon Street, it is still pretty chill around there. read more

I've been wanting to try Bayona for a while. I have to say the food was pretty good. I enjoyed the crab salad for the appetizer was incredible! Find out just a salad, but it really tasted good. The heirloom tomatoes were fresh. The greens were fresh. The crab was fresh. The dressing was delicious. Sometimes a simple meal is the best. The scallops were also very good. There could've been a little bit more vegetable matter underneath and it came out a little on the colder side. I appreciate scallops but prefer them hot. My colleagues lamb chops looked amazing... perfectly cooked, but I didn't want to ask for a bite. I'll just come back and try them for myself lol! The place is cute and charming with nice decor. I'd like to come and sit outside on the patio or the courtyard for brunch. read more

Bayona - Seared Scallops - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Lovely dinner at this charming restaurant. You can dine in courtyard which is covered in lush greenery. We ate in the dining room which has old world charm. The service was wonderful and we all enjoyed our dinners. We did pay for the bread ($7) which was good but could pass next time. Quail salad - was good but it was fried Butternut vegan dish, scallops and fish special was Drum and prepared in a coconut curry sauce. For desserts we shard the vegan tres leches cake. Although it was good I would not describe it as tres leches. More like a vanilla cake. We Also tried the vanilla and pistachio gelato. We recommend running here while in NOLA. It was recommended by a friend and it did not disappoint. read more

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A very quaint ambience serving a spin New Orleans French food. Quail salad was good but not what expected- the quail was fried and still good but not expected. Serve was pleasant. Overall a nice place. read more

Bayona - Crispy Smoked Quail Salad (Dinner) - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

As vegetarians it is very disappointing to see only single vegetarian entree on the menu. At Bayona's price point, with 2 days notice, having chefs who are capable of preparing a second vegetarian option does not seem like an unreasonable expectation. Service was fine. The patio dining was really nice. The food we did order... Nice to be able to order vegetarian soup, a tofu creation which was exquisitely seasoned, a true delight to eat with the ordered bread. The mashed potato side was again extremely well prepared, the brussels were enjoyed but could have used a little more seasoning. The main, roasted butternut squash was just ok. As mentioned earlier, having both of us stuck with a main which neither was excited about was unfortunate. read more

Delicious Lo-Tai mocktail of bitter orange aperitif, pineapple, and lime. The cauliflower cakes were good but I couldn't tell that it was made with cauliflower. The veal sweetbread appetizer was delicious! Also delicious was the grilled tuna on a bed of corn, pecans, and okra. I didn't care for the vegan tres leches because the cake wasn't soaked in milk as is usual. read more

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Charming, Historic French Quarter Creole cottage; James Beard recipient with a lovely courtyard. We came for brunch in a perfect sunny but cool Saturday during Jazzfest. We shared a bowl of their famous roasted garlic soup, which was very good. I had the BBQ shrimp served with purple grits and greens and a wonderful crisp glass of Sancerre. My husband had the mussels in cream sauce which were plump and tasty, but both dishes were quite rich; they sustained us though a full day of Jazzfest with the largest crowd ever on record! read more

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Have eaten here many times - every time I am in New Orleans. It is a special place. Superb original food. The chef owner is Susan Spicer but her team is equally great. Always attentive, professional service. Beautiful setting with a gorgeous garden, weather allowing. The goat cheese toast with a mushroom Madeira sauce is always in the menu and a specialty. The current executive chef has a really vegetable forward menu (still are many meat and fish options) but lots of choices for vegetarians and vegans. read more

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My husband and I went to Bayona for our Anniversary dinner. We cannot say enough wonderful things about the food and service. We are surprised it doesnt have a Michelin Star! Great food, service, and wine selections. Highly recommend! read more

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Had the pleasure of visiting Bayona for a team dinner on a work trip to NOLA in early 2024! Definitely one of my favorite meals I had on this trip! We had a substantial group with us so we had a private room which felt a little bit crammed (the ceiling was very low lol) but was intimate. The service was top notch. Staff was extremely attentive, quick, and great with beverage service. I got the shrimp phyllo which was delicious. But the lamb blew my mind! I'm the type of person that hates to hate food so if I don't like a particular dish, I will try it again in another setting to see if I'll change my mind on it since the previous experience could have just been a bad one. I have not been a huge lamb fan but decided to try the lamb here and it was jaw droppingly good. So tender and juicy with no strong gamey flavor which is tough for me. AMAZING! I can say I like lamb now after having it at Bayona!! And to finish it off I had a giant incredible creme brûlée which is my fav dessert! Such an amazing experience and would love to visit again if in NOLA again! read more

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Bayona was recommended by a family friend and it did not disappoint! Shout out to our servers Griffin and Anna for a wonderful evening. Gonna bullet point the food because we ate so much and it was all incredible. * Goat cheese crouton was phenomenal. * Bayona salad was a simple yet great green salad * Grilled venison was cooked perfectly and seasoned just so that the meat was allowed to shine. * Autumn squash was beautifully roasted. * Sweetbreads were delicious and I imagined having them for breakfast with a poached egg. * Profiteroles with chocolate ganache and vanilla ice cream were a great ending to the meal. Drinks: * Gin martini was made exceptionally well. * The Bordeaux paired perfectly with my venison. * Carajillo with dessert was well balanced. read more

We've been here many times over the past 20 years. It's a NOLA staple. Quaint and charming space inside and out. Great food and tremendous service. Go to try the Roasted Garlic Soup. Divine. read more

Bayona - Patio area on a beautiful afternoon. - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

My husband and I went on your anniversary and this place was absolutely amazing. The service was incredible. We had two people taking care of us and they were so friendly and kind. The food was cooked to perfection. They made our evening so special. They personalized our menus with our anniversary, decorated our table with rose petals. They truly made this night very special for us. Thank you for the wonderful dinner and experience. We ordered: the goat cheese crouton, ayu bakery bread smoke quail salad, red snapper necks, fennel pepper crusted lamb loin, moulard magret duck breast, expresso cheesecake and the profiteroles. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious ! read more

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Why have I waited so long to visit this brilliant restaurant on Dauphine Street? Shame on me--I probably had my best time here in the last several trips to the French Quarter. The place has taken a historic house and transformed its spaces into an intimate yet comfy dining experience. Kudos to the experienced staff for their expertise and discretion. Loved the freshness of the Bayona salad, but my group also liked the bisque. The table was more than satisfied with the entrees from the vegan pierogies to the scallops. For some odd reason I kept on hearing a voice whispering in my ear--double pork chop. Glad I listened. It was a great dish, perhaps the best grilled pork chop I have ever had, with a perfect blackberry and mushroom based sauce. Cooked perfect, it cut like a filet. The collard greens were a yummy, earthy complement. Outstanding! Solid choices of wines by the glass added so much to the meals--appreciate the selection. Parking is tough--take a ride share or taxi read more

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The meal was lovely tonight! The tomato/beet salad with arugula and the most delicious Bleu d'Auvergne was to die for! I selected the fresh fish of the day, the Drum fish was ex elect, perfectly cooked, light and flaky We will be back! read more

Bayona - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I can't tell enough about this restaurant , every one is knowledgeable and friendly and respectful, including Tahj , Parker , Jason and Colin . cocktails were amazingly delicious . And food was perfect . Special thank to the Chef . Me and my husband had a blast. Thank you guys for making our night special. read more

We had a truly wonderful evening in the outside area at Bayona. Never before has any staff discussed my dietary options with me. It was a nice touch, and just a sign of the care this establishment takes. The food was good. I cannot say fabulous because I am a big, bold flavors kind of person, and this was delicate, with high technique. My husband wasn't thrilled by the 3 scallops for $50. Bayona has so much charm; it was a lovely evening. read more

On a recent trip, Four of us ladies had dinner here based on a friend's recommendation and was in my radar too try something new and support female chefs. The courtyard ambiance was charming as was the staff. The best dish for me was the smoked quail salad. The scallops and duck were nicely presented but just missed the mark in my mind and taste buds. The sweetbreads were good and they accommodated my egg allergy with them so I am thankful for that since I rarely see veal sweetbreads on a menu. It's still probably one of the best choices in the French quarter- for some reason our food came out very very slowly- but we liked the courtyard so much it wasn't an issue to spend some easy time there enjoying it all. read more

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I chose Bayona after seeing on their website that they accommodate vegan diets. I made my reservation through Resy and noted that it was my birthday and that our party included both a vegan and a vegetarian. When we arrived, the atmosphere was elegant and the host was pleasant, which made for a promising start. Unfortunately, the experience declined from there. Our server seemed unaware of the notes on the reservation. I reiterated that it was my birthday and that I was vegan, with another vegetarian in our group. He then offered lobster bisque as a vegan/vegetarian option. When I pointed out that lobster bisque is not vegan, he responded, "That's what she told me." I asked if he could confirm with the chef what plant-based options were available that evening. He seemed flustered (though not rude), which didn't inspire much confidence. While the service itself was attentive, both the plant-based and meat-based entrées ended up being mediocre. Overall, Bayona has a lovely atmosphere and courteous staff, but given the confusion around dietary accommodations--especially after clearly noting them in advance--I wouldn't recommend it for vegans looking for a thoughtful or well-prepared experience. read more

Bayona - Menu - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

A culinary (and environmental) oasis in the midst of the dirtiness and chaos The French Quarter (especially bourbon street). The food, drinks and service could not have been better. Lamb loin, scallops, amberjack dishes were all excellent. A bit pricey ($35-$50 entrees) but worth it for a special night out. read more

So disappointed in this place. It's been a favorite of ours for years, but, sadly, it has really gone off the rails. The service is amateurish...all THREE of our servers were meh. We sat at our table forever before they came over, again before our order was taken, and had to repeatedly ask for a refill of the Pellegrino we ordered ( they keep the bottle, rather than leaving it on the table). There weren't many diners and they weren't very busy. The worst part was the lamb chops that we requested to be cooked "medium" and specifically stated we did not want rare. So, of course, when they finally came out, they were raw in the middle. We sent them back and waited...and waited. When they came back, they were still rare in the center, although the outer portion was then well done. Our potatoes and vegetables were cold. Not sure what happened to this once wonderful dining experience, but tonight's visit was our last. read more

We had a wonderful dinner. The scallops and tenderloin were perfectly cooked and delicious. Steve and Ken were super attentive and made our dining experience very memorable. read more

Bayona - Dessert - Cheese board - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I was lucky enough to eat at Bayona twice for lunch in December. Such a charming restaurant with exceptional service. Both times, I had the goat cheese croutons (which were nicely divided into individual portions for our large group) and the duck pb&j. We also had the smoked salmon beignets and my husband had the soup du jour which was a shrimp bisque. Everything was delicious. Definitely a gem in the FQ. read more

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Charming outside quart yard, lovely staff, good food. The food was delicate and well done, but.. $50 for 3 scallops? Perfectly cooked, but nothing screaming must have again. But a quality experience, mom approved type of place. read more

Been wanting to come here for a very long time. Finally made it, on Valentine's Day with my partner. Bayona was cute, dim and had a classical ambiance. For Valentine's Day they had a 4 course set menu choices for 2. So you get to pick out of a few items for appetizers, salad, main course and dessert. The service was great friendly and very authentic. The waiter was knowledgeable and went through the menu thoroughly. For food choices I had the charbroiled oysters, because you have to. They did not disappoint, they were large and tasty. For salad we both chose the same one that came with spinach and goat cheese and a tangy vinaigrette. For main dish I chose the salmon, as it sounded tasty and full of flavors, but also light and leave me room for dessert. This dish was presented neatly with the salmon on top of vegetables and a purée... delicious all together was fantastic. It was again well cooked with some slight pink, well seasoned and paired. For dessert I decided to go with the beignets and let my wife decided to go with the chocolate brownie cake that was delicious. For me the beignets were a little too dry even with the sauce. But the cake it was chocolate heaven. read more

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It was one of those restaurant experiences you talk about for years. It's New Orleans. We could have chosen from hundreds of extraordinary restaurants each with a choice of equally compelling options. First, it was Easter brunch. Brunch. And yet there was not a single breakfast item on the menu. No eggs, nothing morning-inspired, nothing that even nodded to the fact that it was a holiday morning celebration. I don't think that's too much to expect. If you're going to advertise something as Easter brunch, it should feel like brunch. All we did was stumble into lunch service disguised as brunch. To be fair, the food was genuinely good and I want to acknowledge that. But the rest of the experience made it very hard to enjoy. To start our experience, I chose a Sazerac, of course, we're in New Orleans, it was invented here. If the bartender cannot make a Sazerac, they should not be a bartender in New Orleans. It simply wasn't something they could deliver on. The courses were not timed properly at all. We were still working through our appetizers fork in hand when the main courses arrived. It was like no one was paying attention to what was happening at our table instead they were simply rushing us through the meal. What upset me most, though, was the seating situation. We were placed at a table upstairs where both the floor and the table were noticeably slanted. It was uncomfortable and distracting throughout the meal. We politely asked to be moved to another table and we were told no. So we made the best of a bad situation. But then, and this was the worst, another party complained about the upstairs seating location and was moved downstairs shortly after, to a table downstairs right by the window. I don't know what to make of that, other than to say it felt terrible, disrespected, neglected. As a local New Orleanian, we live in the greatest food city in the world, and restaurants know they have to earn your business every single time. Most of them do. Bayona deserves better than what we experienced on Easter Sunday 2026, frankly, so did we. read more

The husband and I went to enjoy a weekend lunch while playing tourist in our hometown this past Saturday. While we didn't have reservations, we were appreciative that they could sit us on their patio. As soon as we sat, we were greeted by a lovely young server who unfortunately was the only positive service we received. She took care of our drink orders and was more attentive than our main server. We had to wait over 10 minutes for our main server to come over to take our order after we asked for her. When she came up, she didn't introduce herself and just asked us what we want. We were completely ignored afterwards. Fortunately our food was tasty but it was overshadowed by the awful service. I have never felt so disrespected and ignored as every other table took president. Maybe they were upset that we didn't have reservations but I wish they would have turned us away instead. Also, a worker must have been having lunch as all the staff was passing out table to go check on them and spend time talking with them while brining out multiple drinks and dishes for them while we had to wait 15 minutes for a coffee. read more

Everything was excellent. Every time in New Orleans a must go. Food, service and ambiance A plus

Susan Spicer of Bayona Restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans was a leader who opened doors for women in the culinary industry. As a James Beard recipient, Susan welcomed patrons with delicious delights. We had an incredible meal at Bayona as we joined in the celebration of Reveillon. Our appetizer of Garlic soup was spot on. Full of subtle garlic goodness. Next up was Grilled Oysters with Roasted Garlic Parmesan Glacage. Amazing! Main courses of Pan Seared Fish of the Day (Black Drum) with Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto, Pecan Orange Menuire. Fresh and perfectly seasoned. And Stuffed Quail with Creamy Polenta, Cranberry Agrodolce. The quail was tender with august flavor. Yes, we had desserts: Lemon Olive Oil Cake and Red Velvet Cake. Both wonderful! It was a lovely food experience. Kudos to Rhiann for her service making sure that we were well attended. Rounds of applause to Chef Christine for preparing outstanding foods! It's definitely a go to place! read more

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Food was great and our servers were super kind. The menu was a little bit limited however. It was dim inside which made the vibe feel fancier read more

Bayona - Fennel Pepper-Crusted Lamb Loin (Dinner) - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Made official Resy reservation. Showed up on time. Checked in. Waited 15 minutes post reservation time. They clearly overbook by a lot! Left. read more

The food was mediocre compared to the price. I had a $46 lamb with fingerling potatoes; it was dry. The waitress raved about it, which made me think that no one ordered it, so they pushed it. The scallops were excellent! The appetizers were unimpressive. The tuna was overcooked. To top it off, if you pay by card, a 3% surcharge. I will return only to order the scallop but bring a bag of coins so I don't have to pay the 3% surcharge. The tables are too close together, the acoustics of the place is horrible. I could have enjoyed my $300 meals somewhere else. read more

Bayona - Bring cash! This upscale place passes their credit card processing fee to the customers! - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Dining at Bayona for lunch the moment we arrived in New Orleans was probably one of the best decisions I have made the entire trip! To be honest, I was quite impressed with the rating and wanted to go somewhere that would not disappoint. After all, I was what you would call "wet behind the ears" when it came to the NOLA food scene. I made reservations for 11:30 but since we didn't have long to wait for our luggage, and Uber was quick to pickup, we ended up at the restaurant by 11am. The place was quite unassuming but has a cool patio for dining which looked quite appealing. We wandered in since the entrance was open, not expecting to be seated and even apologized and explained that we were too early. The gentleman was very nice and understanding and told us to have a seat anywhere in this little enclosed area by the host table. He then came back and offered to get our drink orders if we would like. Keep in mind, they weren't even open yet. Such hospitality that I will soon not forget! We ordered some drinks, he brought them over and seated us at a table around 1120 or so. Okay, so here's where things started getting real. I started lunch with a small bowl of gumbo, their soup of the day. Quite delicious and everything I had hoped for. Then I ordered another special which was a red fish served with greens and quinoa. While the initial description did not sound as mind-blowing, rest assured, the dish delivered to the table left me speechless after the first bite. I was only mildly hungry when we first came in but I finished my entire plate! Of course, after perusing the menu, I noted that they have profiteroles served with chocolate ice cream and chocolate ganache. So, I needed that in my life as well because... Why not?! Wow, that was probably the best ending to any meal. EVER. As I gained the courage to leave the restaurant, I thought of one thing... Next time I come to visit New Orleans, this place will be my first and last stop of said future visits. What a way to kick off the trip! I'm so happy I trusted the glowing reviews! If you haven't been to Bayona, you really need to give it a try. read more

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Quite nice...I think the best things about Bayona is the respite from the chaos in the French Quarter. If you are someone who likes to wallow in the debauchery, then this restaurant is not for you! It is genteel, neat, beautiful, and special. Our waiter was well-spoken and knowledgeable about each and every menu item. The menu was as limited as one would expect when great care is taken with every dish, but also provided enough variation to appeal to most guests. The space offers a courtyard with rich Louisiana flora and fauna, as well as French-style interior seating that is formal without being stuffy. My only reason for not giving Bayona 5 stars is that nothing I ordered stands out as tasting so good as to be memorable. Similarly, nothing was so sub-standard as to be memorable in a negative way. I wish I could say that I was "wowed" by something, but I wasn't. However, the restaurant overall will win my business back the next time I'm in town. Maybe then it will earn it's fifth star! read more

Very friendly and welcoming. Nice ambiance in garden. Service ok. Soup needed reheating but tasted good. Other food average. Charge for bread service and credit card fee not experienced at other leading New Orleans restaurants. Felt we needed to take a taxi back to hotel only two blocks away for safety reasons. read more

As a vegan person I highly recommend this place. I had a hard time finding vegan options at fine dining restaurants in New Orleans and it was such a relief when I found out that Bayona does offer vegan options and they are delicious! The service and ambiance was great as well, very quiet and elegant. Our server was very friendly, kind and knew exactly what to recommend from the menu! read more

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Bayona was a great experience for my fiancé and I! The restaurant was very pretty inside and felt like true fine dining! The staff was very friendly and we felt truly special spending our time here. The Lamb Loin was fantastic and my fiancé was very happy with her vegan Summer Squash. The vegan option was the deciding factor on why we chose to dine here. We would definitely dine here again! read more

Bayona - Lamb Loin - New American Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Terrible. Everything was terrible. You name it. Service -- terrible. Food -- terrible. But the most terrible -- mice and cockroaches. Come on. I'm not sure if I feel sick to my stomach because of my meal or because of the rodents and roaches. I could go on to give all the details of this experience but I'll just sum it up by saying...you guessed it - terrible. read more