Best classic restaurant in New Orleans. Always on point and masterful in food and service.

For the cost of this place and the reputation, I expected way better. It was mediocre at best. This is New Orleans and I can throw a rock and hit 20 amazing places. The got the fish special; it sounded amazing. Um no, it was underseasoned. For a place that is supposedly a New Orleans classic, I think they were trying to stay relevant. Sorry, but if you reading this, go elsewhere. I won't get that night back or the money. It was way overpriced too. I truly dislike writing poor reviews, but this just isn't worth your time. I ate there so you don't have too. So what can they improve? Everything. Well the staff was nice and attentive, so there is that. read more

I wanted to give Clancy's the opportunity to address my concerns privately before posting publicly, and while management did respond, I ultimately do not feel the situation was handled fairly or resolved appropriately. I dined at Clancy's on April 23, 2026 for a 5:00 PM reservation and left deeply disappointed by both the dining experience and the handling of concerns throughout the evening. The issues began with the appetizer presentation, which was noticeably inconsistent with how the dish is typically presented publicly. My entrée then arrived with cold scalloped potatoes alongside hot lamb, requiring part of the meal to be redone. More disappointing, however, was the service experience. After politely expressing hesitation about dessert due to the quality of the evening so far, I was met with a response from my server, Tommy G, that felt abrupt, dismissive, and lacking care rather than hospitality. Additional interactions throughout the evening, including when asking about Apple Pay, left me feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome as a guest. What troubled me most was not one isolated issue, but the cumulative tone of the evening and the way concerns raised in real time failed to meaningfully change the course of the experience. The way I was spoken to by staff was appalling. Even after management later responded to my complaint and acknowledged that my interaction "did not feel welcoming," no meaningful resolution or compensation was offered. This experience deserved far more than a simple apology. I will never dine at this restaurant again and would never recommend it to others. I rarely leave reviews like this, but given Clancy's reputation in New Orleans, I expected a far different level of hospitality, care, and accountability. read more

The service and classy ambiance were nice but that's where it ended, the food was not good. The fried oysters with brie cheese were ok but the pasta with veal meatballs was terrible. I was kind of offended as an Italian at how bad the pasta was with the watered down sauce. Maybe dinner menu is better than the lunch menu. I also had to put my credit card down to reserve the reservation a week ahead of time. Lots of other restaurants in New Orleans I would try instead. read more

See all

Clancy's never disappoints. My last review was 15 years ago and it's as wonderful as ever. Service is always warm, every item on the menu is delicious, but the pork chop is exceptional. Even downstairs it's not too loud even though it's a festive atmosphere. Love this place so much! read more

See all

My partner and I stopped by to try the fried oysters in Brie because they looked really unique. As a foodie, I wanted to love them, but unfortunately they just were not for me. That said, the drinks were delicious and the service truly stood out. We sat at the bar and received full service, and the bartenders were fantastic and very attentive. I also loved the old school, traditional Uptown vibe of the restaurant. We went on a Saturday night without a reservation and were still able to get seated at the bar, which was a plus. I also tried the fried eggplant strips and they were fried to perfection and completely delicious. I am still thinking about them today. They came with a remoulade sauce that was a cream color, which I did not care for, so I asked if they had something more tomato based and red. They brought out a homemade red remoulade sauce and it was excellent. Chef, you should consider serving that red sauce with the eggplant strips instead of the white remoulade and do a tasting survey with guests because in my opinion it pairs much better than the cream sauce. read more

Clancy's Restaurant - Fried Oysters - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Clancy's isn't a name mentioned with its more famous brethren like Emeril's or Commander's, but it should be. The service is top- notch with water and drink service at the ready (never going dry) and dishes served simultaneously, which for this caliber of restaurant should be a given. The service was overall friendly and engaging. Dishes are creative and varied. Scallops with chutney was intriguing and brought well-browned scallop with a savory chutney together. A chicken dish with brandy sauce won raves with two of my dining party. For dessert, there were a number of traditional New Orleans items, but this diner went for the Butter Rum Bodini, a large and rich multi-layer affair with a mild butter-rum taste. I would have preferred more kick from it from the rum side of things (not for the sake of alcohol, but flavor). If you like mild creamy desserts, though, this one's for you. The restaurant is near near Audubon Park and Manning Children's Hospital and occupies a rambling old Uptown house , which almost always amounts to a positive in atmosphere and ambiance. No exception here; one feels at home in a room shared with at most two other tables. read more

See all

Just get the duck and you'll give Clancy's 5-stars, too. It's such a great dish -- complex but somehow simple. They have other things (including a spectacular wine list) that are served in a lively and lovely dining room by an attentive service team. Clancy's should definitely be on your "must go" for your visit to New Orleans. read more

Clancy's Restaurant - Clancys Smoked Duck - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We went to Clancy's for my husband's birthday celebration and a friend's birthday celebration. The service was great and the atmosphere was nice. The food was just okay. We started with 4 appetizers. The fried zucchini was flavor-free. The deviled eggs were odd tasting with the smokey bacon on top. The lump crabmeat salad was without flavor as well. The scallops were delicious and probably the tastiest dish that i had all night. My entree was fried drum with jumbo lump crabmeat and a meuniere sauce. I found it lacking alot of flavor too. I kept adding lemon and then salt in an attempt to add some taste to it. In a city full of fantastic restaurants, i would not recommend this one. read more

Allright. This place was classic and quintessential New Orleans. I had the scallops -- excellent. Husband had the veal with oh so much crabmeat! And sister had the amber jack. Fresh and flavorful. What can I say! read more

See all

I had a great experience at Clancy's. The fish was really delicious, and the overall vibe was very nice. I went on a Tuesday afternoon. It was pretty hard to get reservations & we ended up with an 8pm slot. There was some neighborhood parking nearby. I got the redfish entree & the gumbo appetizer. The redfish was phenomenal - it was very flavorful and tender. Some of the best fish I've ever had. The fried fish was good too. I thought the gumbo & the entree sides were all just ok. The gumbo had a nice Smokey flavor but was missing some depth/richness I was expecting. The sides likewise were good but didn't really have a "wow" factor. We also got the basil ice cream and the tangerine upsidown cake. This was a great, but not as amazing as the fish. I thought the upsidown cake was a bit dry - although the basil ice cream had such an interesting and unique taste (I loved, my companion didn't). I'd get it again jhst for the basil ice cream. Drinks were good too - my whiskey sour was pretty classically executed and tasted good. Service was great. Everyone was so friendly - it was obvious they cared about making your experience good. Abs the restaurant was nice too. A bit small but felt very intimate & a mix between formal and casual. read more

See all

Scrumptious appetizers and salads and rich and bright entrees. This is some of the best New Orleans traditional fare. I am partial to the shrimp remoulade, the crab salad, and any of the fish, duck or lamb entrees. Cocktails are award winning, and the wines are wonderful picked. The desserts are also fantastic - icebox pie and melon sorbet were light and delightful tonight. Elegant atmosphere with fine dining experience. Food a solid 5, service team a 4.5, assigned waiter could have been less theatrical and more interested in the needs and experience of the guests. Overall classy, delicious and an important landmark in the New Orleans culinary world. read more

See all

The staff are amazing and the restaurant is constantly packed. The food comes out in a timely manner. Appetizers Veal and Ricotta Meatball (5/5): Meatballs are on point. Rich and savory. Each component fits compliments each other and the cherry tomatoes cut through the richness of the dish. Sea Scallops (1/5): disappointed in this dish. The sea scallops were brined making them very salty. The other sauce and candies nuts were sweet. Two opposite extremes of flavor. You get a punch of saltiness when eating the scallop while the sweet sauce tries to balance it out. Unfortunately this obliterates the natural flavor and sweetness known to good scallops. Entrees Clancy's Smoked Duck (5/5) Amazing! Cooked to perfection. Every bite is delicious and soft packed with a subtle smokiness. The vegetables complement it well. Absolutely the best duck dish I have had by far in western style restaurants! Pan Roast Chicken Tchoupitoulas (5/5): I rarely get chicken dishes but this blew away all my expectations. The skin is perfectly crispy like if you had made cracklings super thin. The chicken was still juicy and flavorful. Pair that with the mirepoix/sauce; absolutely a flavor bomb. Love the addition of the mushrooms too. By far the best chicken dish I've ever had! Overall (5/5): the scallops were disappointing but everything else is amazing. This is a must try place and for sure you need to get the duck or chicken. 100% will come back again. There is a reason why it is booked. A great representation of New Orleanian food. read more

See all

Excellent choice for a birthday celebration. Outstanding food and service. We visit often and this was our first time. We will return on our future visits read more

What went well? Everything!! We were warmly welcomed as we entered. It seemed as if the hostess knew who we were. Reservations are a must and need to be made as early as possible. I met the family that owns the restaurant in Ireland last fall. I have a daughter who lives in New Orleans, so I made reservations as soon as I arrived for a visit. You'd be inclined to believe that a restaurant named "Clancy's" would be serving Irish food...not this Clancy's! A staple in the NOLA food scene for generations, this Clancy's serves local seafood specialities. And the reason it's so hard to get a reservation is, everything is delicious, the service is impeccable and the atmosphere charming! The price point is deservedly higher, matching the quality food and service. For a wonderful evening of fine drinks and dining, I highly recommend Clancy's Restaurant in the Garden District! read more

See all

Porter house chop was dry in center! Moist at bone . Desserts were amazing ! Etouffee very solid ! Brandon was awesome ! 20 years of service ! This is old school solid ! Drinks are house heavy pour made ! Great feel ! Just an epic fail on the chop ! The mash and Brussels were great ! I think the held the chop too long ! read more

Clancy's Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

See all

As noted in my previous review this is an Uptown neighborhood institution. It's classic, genteel, sometimes loud, yet a typical upscale NOLA white tablecloth restaurant. We came with several friends and had a table upstairs. There are a series of rooms, and we were at the room with wine storage, vast wine storage. Seated right away we got water and ordered drinks. I got a Sazarac, a favorite infused with Absinthe. OK, I had two. The waiter warned that on the third I would be carried home. I had two. They brought the ubiquitous French bread in small bags. So light with a thin crust. As a group we ordered fried oysters and they were delicious, full of rich flavor in a white sauce. We had small side salads that were incredibly fresh and dressed lightly. I had the Pompano (fish) for my entree and it was perfectly prepared and flakey. It was a large portion. It came with small potatoes that I found to be too salty for my taste. For dessert I tried the bread pudding, absolutely delicious Service was so professional and yet light and friendly, like eating at a friend's house with a person who really knows how to entertain with class. It's difficult to get reservations, but worth the try as it's always packed full. Apologies, but when I'm with a group I refrain from taking many pictures. It's tacky and I think rude to pull out a phone and start clicking, especially with folks you haven't seen for some time read more

See all

Clancy's is a wonderful hidden gem of a place in New Orleans. Great wine list, impeccable service, and a warm, friendly atmosphere frequented mostly by locals. Always packed, so make reservations early. read more

I've been going to this restaurant since they opened. I wanted to make a reservation and was sent to Resy. What a ridiculous system! It took my four friends and I to figure this out. BTW we all have college degrees and are not stupid. Too bad I couldn't just call That evening it had to be in the daytime. Awful. its just a restaurant and a "neighborhood one at that. So I finally figured it out and sent the confirmation to my friends. None of them could open the link. And they want a credit card number for lunch!! We are all refer restaurants to friends and customers. I'll tell them to go somewhere less complicated. I'm very sad and disappointed. I have it one star because of all of this. Their food has always been delicious. Great atmosphere as well. read more

Clancy's Review: Tucked away in a corner of Uptown is Clancy's, a New Orleans treasure. We were warmly welcomed by a gracious M'aitra de. Our waiter Doug provided generous service all at a relaxed and easy pace. The Appetizers: Flash Fried Oysters topped with melted Brie, amazing! Turtle Soup rich with hints of peppered spices, incredible! Mains: Difficult decision between Redfish, off the boat fresh, topped with lump crabmeat with a Meunière Sauce or Pompano topped with Grilled Shrimp and wilted Kale in a Lemon -Caper sauce. Both ridiculously delicious! Desserts:Lemon Icebox Pie and Budino. Both superb! You're gonna want to go and have an excellent dining experience. read more

See all

Took my mom here today! She loves this place and now I do too! The service was great from the hostess to the wait staff. I enjoyed everything I had. I opted to get multiple 1st courses instead of an entree. My mom and I split the shrimp and grits cake and it was my favorite bite! The grit cake was so flavorful and the BBQ shrimp sauce was delectable. I wanted to use the French bread to sop up the remaining sauce but didn't want to get full on bread. I also had the fried green tomatoes with crawfish corn maque choux and it was very flavorful! Lastly I had the fried eggplant with aioli. I enjoyed it because I love eggplant but it was the most understated of all the flavors I had. My mom had the crab salad which she really enjoyed (and had previously). We ended the meal with the chocolate brownie pie which was so good filled with whole pecans and topped with butter pecan ice cream. Im sure I gained 10lbs from this meal but it was so worth it! We were one of the first to arrive for lunch but it got crowded/busy quick and with the crowd came the noise. The acoustics aren't great so near the end we struggled to hear one another seated right next to each other. I will definitely go back to try other dishes although it'll be hard to compete with the BBQ shrimp dish read more

See all

When I think of what a New Orleans restaurant is supposed to be, Clancy's comes first to mind. This is exactly what I want when I'm in this amazing foodie city. It's a restaurant that's been around for years, the severs all wear black jackets, the building has been around for ages, all the locals come here, the staff has worked here for ages, and the food is incredible. We started with some Chablis by the glass, which is rare to see by the glass, and it was delicious. The menu had so many outstanding options. We started with the fried oysters with Brie, which I have never had. They were incredible. The gnocchi with lump crabmeat was absolutely delightful. Very fun and unique dish, I have never seen anything like it. We also had a tomato salad and the Boston salad which were both great. Staff was so friendly, bartender was awesome. One of my favorite spots in NOLA for sure! read more

Amazing food with rich flavors! Ambiance is quaint and nice. Staff super friendly and helpful - must visit when in New Orleans!

As always the meal and wine was superb. They had a few soft-shell crabs left that our server mentioned as he took our drink order, so we put in for 2 of them. The server team was spot on once we were seated. Not so much prior to seating. The bar is no longer a bar but a place where couples that can't get reservations hog it up and completely prevent anyone from having a cocktail prior to dinner and we got there 1/2 an hour early to do so. To add insult to injury, the bartender completely ignored us standing around giving him looks and gestures for a drink. They really should not allow bar dining on weekend nights. Back to the meal. Fried oysters and brie, sweetbreads and deviled eggs for appetizers. Two of us had the soft shells (freaking awesome), one had the veal and one had the sheepshead fish dish. We all were satisfied. read more

See all

Great atmosphere and food is BEST! Sit at bar for awesome atmosphere and conversation with others!

Started off great. Attentive and friendly service at first. Fried oysters and Brie were very tasty. Then it all fell off to a 3/5. Food was merely average. We tried the veal and the fish of the day. Veal was dry. Drinks were actually the highlight. Service went missing when the place started to fill up. The totally MIA service in the back half of the meal really ruined this evening/experience for us. read more

I can't say enough good things about our dinner at Clancy's. The staff is amazing! We had issues with our reservations (our fault) and they went out of their way to accommodate us. Our waiter was phenomenal from start to finish. Everything we ordered was great. You have to order the oysters and Brie and the lemon ice box pie and then from there you can't go wrong. We will be back soon. read more

See all

If you're not a local or a regular, no reason to go here. We are locals but had never tried this place. Made a plan, made a reservation, looked forward to it all week. We arrived on a rainy Friday, and no one was in the restaurant downstairs. There were 2 patrons at the bar. They led us to an empty upstairs room and placed us way in the back. We asked if they could move us downstairs and they would not. Yet no customers upstairs or downstairs. We waited 15 minutes for a server to welcome us. I really just wanted to walk out but my partner would not. When they finally seated someone upstairs we noticed it was family's with children, and tourists. We felt unwelcome so decided we have no need to return. read more

Probably the best food we had in New Orleans when we were there in early 2024. I had the fish special and my husband had the soft shell crab. I also had a salad of arugula and strawberries which was excellent. We both enjoyed the icebox lemon pie - fabulous! The restaurant is beautiful and service was perfect. read more

See all

Celebrating love with the co-worker/family unit while In New Orleans. Can't say enough wonderful things about this gorgeous place. The first course with the fried oysters and brie was phenomenal. Veal meatballs and crab salad really were the foreplay before the main course. We had steak, smoked fried blue crab, lobster risotto, and the fish of the day. The staff were amazing, and they even accommodated us the day before with a reservation for 6. Outstanding quality and a night we won't forget. Thank you!!! read more

See all

Went here with my boyfriend when we visited NOLA avoiding the hurricane Helene. He booked it after seeing a recommendation in a NYT article. Upon arrival I felt as if every customer had read the same one. It was stuffed with finance bros and well dressed middle aged couples, but it wasn't stuffy! There was a nice ambiance and energy about the place. We had a lovely welcome from the two managing the front door, it was very busy and they were very attentive and nice. The style of the restaurant was beautiful and classy, and the bar looked well stocked. The service was impeccable. Our waiter was attentive and classy. It felt very old school which I respect, although I may not be old enough to make that claim. My initial review was 3 stars but I can't possibly leave this with the service we received. The dirty martini my boyfriend and I ordered was quite honestly one of the best I've ever had. I'm a very pro olive person, and this had the perfect amount of olive brine. I will 100% come back for one of these and enjoy it at the bar. Now for the food. I want to blame myself partly, as I didn't take much charge over the ordering process and went with what was recommended. To start: Fried oysters with Brie (recommended) Watermelon salad with feta Main: Seared Tuna (special) Veal something (I can't remember) Dessert: Lemon pie? The fried oysters were as plain as you'd maybe expect. The Brie was ....Brie, and didn't add anything, mainly because it's Brie. I was shocked to hear that these were referenced in the NYT article as recommended. I need to check the background on the person who suggested this as they must have an aversion to flavour. The salad was fine I ordered the Tuna and it was beyond salty. I'm actually a salt-aholic so for me to make comment means it's possibly went too far. I still ate most of it, I didn't really feel like complaining. Mainly because the staff were nice and I kinda lost my appetite. Another issue was it had clearly been sitting under a heat lamp as the mash was hard which was sad cause I love fluffy soft mash potatoes. I had some of my boyfriend's veal which was okay! He liked it so that's all that mattered. We had some kind of lemon pie for dessert and by now I wasn't very hungry but I had a bite and it was delicious. My boyfriend keeps talking about it because he adored it. So I absolutely recommend this. Clancys to me felt like a bit of a disappointment, they have a very classy style of service and hard working employees but their food is not up to par for the prices they charge. Next time we come back it will be for martinis and lemon pie! read more

See all

Food, service, and ambiance were all amazing. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The wait staff is always eager to make recommendations based upon the specials and whatever is in season. The bar is fully stocked with all the liquor you can imagine. In my opinion the classiest neighborhood restaurant around. read more

Clancy's Restaurant - Lamb Chops Webster - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

See all

My take on Clancy's is that it is an NOLA institution with regulars who love it. The building is as Old school as the waitstaff in their penguin suits. The only thing I really thought was great was the Oysters and Brea appetizer. My gumbo was the worst I had during my visit and was skimpy on the protein. The Panned veal was swimming in butter and that was about all I could taste in that dish. The accompanying parsnip mashed potatoes were very good. Overall, I am glad I checked the box and have now been to Clancy's. Service was impeccable, and the ambiance was great as well, but the food was not even above average. read more

Great service by Martin. Always our first stop in New Orleans for decades. Food is excellent in a nice quiet neighborhood. Love it.

As always, service and food were excellent. Great classic dishes plus one new one. Wine list is amazing. Best lemon icebox pie in the world. Looking forward to going back already. read more

If your looking for awesome food and service that's not a tourist trap this is your place. It's always full of locals and even celebrities (Cooper Manning was at the table next us). Everything here is great but the Lamb Chops are truly life changing! read more

Clancy's Restaurant - Outside - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

See all

We were in New Orleans for a friend's birthday in mid-December came here for dinner on a Thursday night. After a very brief wait at the bar we were seated at our table. Drinks arrived promptly and the service was attentive all evening. We ordered a bunch of apps for the table that were all great (especially the veal and ricotta meatballs). For dessert we had the famous icebox pie and it did not disappoint. Wonderful experience! read more

See all

As always this restaurant on Annunciation served delicious food. We went for lunch. The fish of the day was speckled trout and it was excellent and fresh. The sauce was outstanding and the cornbread dressing cake under the fish was also tasty. 3 of us shared the lemon meringue pie - so good! My only complaint- it's so loud! Pretty much all locals and well, we are loud! Our server did a great job. read more

Love going here especially on Tuesdays when I meet up with Rick and Michael We sit at the bar and watch sports and talk to Garth, best bartend in New Orleans. The menu is extensive and rarely changes. Hopefully it will soon. Many great servers including Alton and Peter. Fantastic host Steven orchestrates this extremely popular restaurant. Last night my bill was very high ( over $100). How about friends and family discount once in a while ( like Rick and Mike get every week)? Or just an occasional glass of wine? Hello, Jerry. Nod at me in recognition. I've eaten at Clancys HUNDREDS of times. read more

The service was very good. Nice atmosphere and local neighborhood restaurant. The food was hot and had great flavor. The peppermint ice is amazing. read more

Clancy's Restaurant - Mushroom and Lobster Risotto with Lobster and Mushrooms - Seafood Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana