Went for brunch! I ate the baked Parmesan oyster, which were out of this world. I could have made a meal on this all in it self. And the bread that was served with them was delicious. I then had the Grilled Romaine Salad. This was the first time I had had Grilled Romaine and it was fantastic. It is the heart of the romaine lettuce with breaded bread crumbs, Parmesan, Kalamata olives with lemon aioli and roasted garlic dressing grilled to perfection. The atmosphere has that southern feel. Betsy, my waitress, pretty as a picture with that gorgeous smile was fabulous and wisdom of the menu was so helpful. The management is great. Met Lance, the manager, and he is just the cutest thing and both are so friendly. I noticed all the employees had a great, pleasant smile and seemed to really enjoy being at work. The prices are very reasonable. Can't wait to go for dinner. read more

During a recent visit to celebrate my parent's 50th Anniversary, we came prepared for a great experience. Unfortunately, we received a major disappointment in the food quality, service and overall experience. The food received was cold, of mediocre quality and below average. Amazingly, when management was alerted to the issues, we were told, "The holidays have us behind." This was a surprise since the reservation for the party Was made months in advance. To be fair, the "comps" provided were a nice gesture, but did not cover the loss of pleasurable experienced planned with the family. I am pleased to see others have wonderful experiences and only wish our experience was as good as many of the reviews listed. Michael P read more

I struggled with this rating.. The service was some of the worst/slowest I've ever received & the food took a ridiculously long time to come out. It's really too bad because the food itself was outstanding. Like really REALLY good. It's such a shame that the service & wait time on the food, during a time when the restaurant was not busy & I was dining alone, was so horrific because the quality of the food was five star hella on point. read more

From the moment we walked in I felt relaxed. Everything was nice and clean, the theme is a little twisted but it makes up for it. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. We over ate but it was so good! Their biscuits and honey butter started the journey. Followed up with blue crab gnocchi, bacon duck wraps and deviled eggs. Phenomenal!!! My wife got a lemon butter __?__ fish with a side of mushrooms and asparagus, I ordered the filet with parm fries. We took home a banana pudding and bread pudding. My wife liked the fish and the mushrooms were nice. My filet was cooked exactly as ordered a perfect medium rare. The steak melted in my mouth! I don't recall what sauce or herbs they used however, I was not a fan. I like the taste of beef and felt it did not contribute to its taste. We had to wait a few hours and got a workout in before eating desserts but they were delicious. The price was common for what you expect for the quality. If anything I felt like it was a little cheaper than I anticipated. Will definitely return. We were informed they have a trio of establishments for a variety of courses and customer experiences. I'm excited to return! read more

I'm so torn with this review rating. One one hand, the food was excellent. We got the cheeseburger, duck fat fries and the duck wraps. Everything was amazing. However, we missed the memo that this was an old cotton factory/building, so when we went to pick up our take-out we were extremely confused. Once we combined the name with the photos of slaves/sharecroppers picking cotton on the walls, ding ding ding! Got it! We're from out of town, so that was just a little jarring. Plus the patrons in the restaurant kept looking at us as if we belonged...somewhere else. Very uncomfortable. My husband could not get out of this place fast enough. With that being said, the bartender was very friendly (as well as the gentleman who brought our food out) and again, the food was great! I just doubt we'll ever go back. So yea... read more

Upscale dining with unique menu. Great place for couples. Low lights and romantic atmosphere. I recommend this place. read more

Cotton - Southern Near Me - Monroe, Louisiana

My husband and I were in town for a graduation and came here for dinner. We found out the building is historical-the 2nd oldest in Monroe! I loved the exposed brick and the high ceilings! It was a fun ambience. We sat at the bar and shared some really delicious small plates including blue crab gnocchi, roasted oysters and boudin balls. They have these amazing corn biscuits with maple butter (I think) that tasted delicious! We were served some fun craft cocktails by bartenders grant and chris, including the ole smoky and whiskey smash. Great experience-so wonderful in fact we came back for brunch the next day for bottomless mimosas and eggs Benedict! I highly recommend the yardbird Benedict! read more

finally something in monroe worth the calories. LOVE everything I've had. Well done boys well done

Nice atmosphere and great draft selection. I have the roast pork with collard greens and black eyed beams. I enjoyed myself and would return. The only suggestion would be more collards next time. read more

Awesome restaurant!! A must if you are visiting West Monroe. The smoked Old Fashioned was phenomenal! Ask for Chris the bartender, he makes the best Old Fashioned I've had anywhere. The duck roll appetizer is yummy and the rolls are decadent. 5 stars for sure. read more

Cotton - Southern Near Me - Monroe, Louisiana

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SO GOOD!! For an appetizer, we have the boudin balls. Very good. Their biscuits and sweet butter are to die for. ordered the seafood platter (blackened) and subbed the oysters for more fish. My date had the cheeseburger which he said was very good as well. I also ordered the vanilla spiked lemonade which was so good it served as my dessert! read more

Food was excellent but service was a little slow. First margarita sent back (bad one) but 2nd attempt was excellent. Nice wine selections. Bacon wrapped duck was top notch! Seafood platter was very good also. Table of 4. Waitress brought out 1 check instead of asking how we'd like bill split. read more

Wonderful establishment in otherwise not so fun Monroe. Beautiful interior and good service from Paul. Had the duck wraps as appetizers and then the shrimp and grits. Everything tasted great! Arnold Palmer was also a good beverage to go with this. Recommended. read more

I stopped here last year for lunch and it was great. This year I came through town at 1:30 PM and the Cotton Restaurant was closed so I got back on Yelp and looked up more restaurants. Big Momma's Fine Foods came up. I went and it was delicious. It only opens for lunch and is a great southern food lunch alternative to the Cotton Restaurant for the I20 traveler. No it is not as nice on the inside as the Cotton, but that is it's own charm as well. read more

When did it become okay to put up photos of Black people picking cotton? That's not the reminder I wanted while I was eating, even when I'm from Mississippi where cotton is king. I just couldn't understand that part. The potato salad was the only thing that we ordered that I think was worth trying. Hate to say, but I've tried everything else (meatloaf, oyster poboy) in a cheap diner that tasted twice as good. read more

All I heard was eat at Cottons, well I did and I can check that off my list! Not impressed at all. I think people rave about it because the chef has won awards for his cooking. I have eaten much better meals locally that where prepared and served better. read more

I had lunch today that I expected to be great like dinner service. Our food came out cold and uncooked two different times. The service was poor and terribly slow and we were told some important guests were being served upstairs as an excuse without us even asking. If you have important guests close and serve them. Don't charge me full dollar for half efforts. read more

After reading the great reviews, we were looking forward to trying this place. We went there for lunch today. Even though the restaurant wasn't full the service was terrible! First off, it took 30 minutes for waiter just to take our order and we waited 1.5 hrs to eat. Our food came out cold and incorrect. Spoke to manage and he only offered to take off the fries (which was supposed to be included in meal) and one meal that came out with pork, but was requested to be vegetarian. We were charged for 5 meals, but it was only 4 of us!! Needless to say, terrible service, ok food. read more

Horrible experience! Staff is rude, and unhelpful. If they tell you that your seat will be ready in thirty minutes....leave. After sitting for over an hour waiting, and even making reservations via Open Table, I never got a table on what appeared to be a somewhat slow night. Also, their specialty drinks, while reasonably good, are extremely overpriced! Seriously, $12 for no more than three sips in a drink?! This place is not worth the hassle, and I'll NEVER go back! read more

This has got to be my favorite place in north louisiana! The food is always on point and perfect. I love eating here or sitting at the bar and getting some appetizers. There salad is always delicious and I'm not really a salad person. It usually has creative toppings and grilled fruit and is oh so amazing. The shrimp and grits is awesome, the cornbread, pepper jelly and crackers. These are just some of my favorites. The cocktails are pricey but nothing like you've had before. I think everything here is worth the price tag. And don't think about leaving without trying their superb perfectly concocted desserts! Mmm I can't wait for my next visit back. read more

I was there on 5/23. We order Duck Fries, Roasted Oysters, Duck, Quail, and catfish. - Duck Fries cooked with Duck fat - Nothing to quack about. Five Guys fries tasted better than your fries and don't need dipping sauce. - Roasted Oysters - Though oysters was fresh, the bread crumbs are too oily. Looks like someone just put too much oil to roast the oysters. Good chef pay attention to what they put in. No quality control! - Duck - A bit on the sweet side. Nice display but food not that good. - Quail - A bit salty on the crumb. Again no quality control! - Catfish - OK but Catfish is better. Over all service is ok, food not ok. I tasted better with this kind of price. read more

Although the food tastes great, the drinks are great, and the atmosphere is nice, I have gotten sick every time I've eaten here. I don't know what it was because everything tasted delicious, but I won't go back. read more

We were visiting family and they spoke so highly of this place so we all decided to come for lunch. We walked in and stood there for about 10 minutes before someone came over, our waitress was absolutely terrible. Came over to take our orders but didn't write anything down, which caused my sister to get the completely wrong meal. The waitress said they no longer serve what she asked for and just seemed so unbothered by HER mistake . So three of us have our meal and my sister is looking at the menu again with nothing to eat. We asked for more biscuits (we had 2 each at this point) and our waitress says she would have to charge us because of "new management" so even after getting an order wrong she was going to charge us for 4 biscuits. My sister ended up just getting a SIDE of 5 dollar potatoes that she was charged for even though the waitress ruined her lunch. This whole time we had empty drinks, she would walk right past the table multiple times and not even check on us. Half the time she was sitting down and talking with other employees. She was rude, unapologetic, and obviously doesn't like people. I never write bad reviews but this was just the worst experience at a restaurant I've ever had. The other employees would walk by and just give us these weird looks, making us uncomfortable. Our waitress's name was Tyler btw. Food was great but the service was just awful. But hey the guy that was bartending and the hostess were pleasant so good job you two! read more

This place never disappoints. Great spot for a date or a nice dinner with friends. The duck wraps are always wonderful, and the short rib dish is one of my favorite dishes anywhere. Highly recommend! read more

I went to Cotton for dinner twice in the last two days -- my first time there in a couple of years and the first time in the post-Cory Bahr era. I had always been a big fan of Cotton, but I have to say that the bloom is off the rose. The first night I had the duck wraps and the couchon au lait. Both were overcooked and dry. The next night I had the duck wraps (free as a Wednesday night special) and the venison schnitzel. The wraps were fine this time -- juicy and succulent with the right balance of spice and sweet -- but the venison was dry and overlooked. Clearly some additional discipline, training and supervision is needed in the kitchen. Also, it looks like the menu hasn't changed in a couple of years. A restaurant that has ambitions to be at the top level needs to update the menu from time to time, and an update here is long overdue. On the plus side, Billy (behind the bar) is a star, and the new sommelier is knowledgeable. They seem to be out of stock of too many items on the wine list. The wine list looks like a simple print off the computer, so it should be easy to keep it up to date. If you don't have it, don't list it. So . . . Cotton seems to have fallen far from its glory days, but I think it still remains one of the better choices for Monroe, where the options for fine dining are few. read more

So unexpected! This place would rank in top 5 restaurants we've ever dined! The collard greens, chicken n waffles and shrimp n grits are all incredible. Also, great ambiance. read more

I joined some friends on a recent visit to northeast Louisiana for the holidays and this was where we decided to go. This was my first time to dine here at Cotton and, while we had a rocky start to our visit, all ended up well. Upon arrival, there was no record of our reservation and we were told we couldn't be accommodated. We were offered their sincerest apologies for the mix-up but a table was not possible at that point. Instead of leaving, we elected to stay and eat at the bar, which is full service. After ordering drinks and an appetizer, a manager walked up and whispered something into a bartender's ear. Then we and the other guests at the bar were collectively told by the bartender that he was to inform us that anyone ordering food from the bar would be subject to a one hour wait, as they were prioritizing tables over the bar. The restaurant was winding down at this time and there were actually empty tables. After some debate, we decided to call their bluff and were glad we did. The appetizers were out in 10 minutes and our food was out in 20. The specialty drinks on the menu don't follow traditional recipes and are their own versions of your favorites. The Pimm's Cup - which I was surprised to find on the menu - doesn't even come close to what an actual Pimm's Cup should be, but it is very tasty. The overwhelming cucumber flavor was a bit much. The drinks are all overly sweet with a lot of simple syrup and my glass and paper menu were both sticky. The descriptions of the drinks are ambiguous and it's not clear what they're making most of them with. In addition, the bartenders are young and appear inexperienced, unable to prepare even the most simple items without referring to a book. That's fine, but at this price range I'd expect at least one bartender behind the bar with more experience in mixology to mentor the up-and-comers. These two were heavy on the flare but lacking in the most basic knowledge. Perhaps the use of house recipes for otherwise common drinks threw them off. A bloody mary was a challenge. They do have a very decent beer selection, draft and bottle, as well as a lot of fine and not-so-fine wines by the glass. If you come here to drink, you'll find something nice, I'm sure. We had the muscovy duck wraps and the pimento cheese beignets for appetizers. Both were delicious although portions were small. The duck wraps were divine, but I've had similar experiences shooting my own ducks out of the sky, wrapping them with bacon and filling with cream cheese and cooking in the oven. I've never had duck wraps anywhere outside of my kitchen during hunting season. Nonetheless, I was glad to see it on the menu...a nice local touch that I doubt would be found outside of Monroe and well-prepared. I had the Venison Schnitzel and it was very good. It was difficult to tell that it was not pork. Or maybe it was pork and they've got us all fooled. Either way, it was delicious and well-prepared. The grits were hearty and the collard green slaw was nice. Everything was very well-matched. The sauce was a bit on the sweet side, but it all went well together. Portions were on the small side for each of us in my party. Overall, on a national scale, this place just doesn't stack up to finer dining you'd find in major cities; how could it? If you put this same restaurant in a place like New Orleans, Los Angeles, or San Francisco, it wouldn't make it. However, this is Monroe and Cotton makes a great effort and it's admirable that anyone would make a restaurant like this here. The facility is beautiful and well-done and I don't think you could actually do a restaurant like this in Monroe any better than they've done here. I don't envy a chef trying to operate a fine restaurant in this part of Louisiana or this part of the country for that matter. In terms of finding qualified wait staff, bartenders, and kitchen staff, the pickings are obviously slim and I could not possibly fathom how they staff a place like this. It's refreshing that the owner would stick his neck out and make something like this happen for Monroe. Looking at this place for what it is, where it is, I'd say it's a very decent restaurant and a safe pick for a nice dinner out. If you're looking for finer dining in Monroe, you've found your place. Keep your expectations in line with where you're at and you'll do fine. And, last but not least, the service was excellent. Guten appetit! read more

Stopped in for lunch. Duck wraps and shrimp and grits were wonderful. Neat setting. Service top knotch. Worth a trip.

Went the other night for a good dessert, bread pudding. The last time it was mind blowing how awesome it was, with its glaze. Now it comes with a scoop of ice cream, half of a banana, with just plain bread pudding. It my opinion, it was less than not good. So we decided to try the creme brulee, I figured it had to be good. Figured that the sauce would be set on fire to carmelize it, there wasn't any sauce, very strange. Had nice fresh assortment of berries on it. However it was even worst than the bad bread pudding. It will be awhile before I give it another try. For twenty bucks on two desserts, I'll wait until the menu changes to hopefully a better creation of desserts. The cheif failed on these two desserts, I have had way better at the drive through at Burger King, Lol. Still a nice place to go, will try again. read more

I've been to this restaurant several times and I do like the food. However, the service is typically mediocre and everytime I've been there they are out of a dish that someone orders. We had ten people last night and the server was not good. We waited for drinks and water all night long. Our bar bill would have been double if she had paid attention. And as usual, they came back after we ordered and were out of a dish so two people didn't get what they ordered. This will probably be the last time I go there. read more

"As a food and travel writer for over 30 years, I've had the pleasure of dining at some of the world's best restaurants. And as a native of New York City, I'm naturally pretty spoiled when it comes to my meals out of the home. At Restaurant Cotton I found the perfect combination of Chef Cory Bahr's culinary genius matched with amazing value. This is true Southern cuisine with a very cool 'edge,' that results in a wonderfully flavorful and satisfying meal. It certainly is now on my list of Top 5 restaurants for anyone visiting this part of the country. " Steven A. - Jackson, Mississippi Writer for Food, Travel, Sports, and Entertainment Publications Worldwide Since 1982 read more

Its ok. I think that 90% of the menu has bacon/pork in it. Even the breaded oysters? I am not hating on them for having bacon in everything, just that they don't even know if it had bacon or not. Our waiter was very loquacious but didnt know what was in the items, had to check on everything, and still got it wrong. Also, no non-alcoholic beverage options aside from the standard gas station drinks. read more

We stopped by on a road trip from TX to GA after reading so many great reviews here on Yelp. We were not disappointed. The dick wraps are a must. The flavors are wonderful. We also had the blueberry salad, a seasonal offering, but so good I'm sure whatever salad they have will be delicious. After enjoying those dishes, my friend and I shared the shrimp & grits. More than enough food for the 2 of us. Everything we had was fantastic! The service and ambiance were great as well. I highly recommend stopping if you happen to be driving through Monroe! read more

We have one of the best dining experiences ever last night at Cotton. The food was beyond phenomenal. We always order the Duck Wraps and they never disappoint. We also love the hummus & the Strawberry Spinach Salad. I had the Ribeye and I do believe it was one of the best steaks I have ever had. It was cooked to perfection (medium rare). Scott's Porterhouse Pork Chop was perfect as well. Both dishes were very juicy & cooked to perfection (yes, I know I already said it but when it is perfect you have to let the world know!) The flavors explode in your mouth. Dessert is always hard to choose. I got the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding and I was not disappointed. Chef Cory's creations are always amazing! The Old Smoky is a favorite drink of Scotts when we go to Cotton. He likes it a little less sweet than the original version. The wait staff was wonderful new never wanted for anything but we never felt like they were hovering. The steak is wonderful the second day as well. (Typing as I enjoy my leftovers here) It was really cool to have Chef Bahr stop by our table and ask how everything was. Thanks again Cotton for a wonderful evening!! read more

Cotton - Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Can't go wrong if you are a bread pudding fan! - Southern Near Me - Monroe, Louisiana

Nathan, the bartender, did an amazing job; filling my water before it was even half empty. He also recommended some great choices. We had the soup of the day: a rabbit gumbo that was my favorite dish, tons of aromatic flavors-genuine southern gumbo. Then we had the peach & burrata salad that also had a great mix of flavors with the arugula, prosciutto, pesto, peaches and the yummy balsamic syrup. We also received house made pork rinds that we don't usually eat and were amazing. Then we rounded the meal off with chicken & waffles and a pulled pork sandwich with duck fat fries, which truly held up to their name with the right amount of duck fat used for frying. The cheddar bacon waffles and honey syrup with collard greens such an interesting infusion of tastes. And Carolyn had a local coffee porter beer that she said was very smooth, with a good balance between the coffee and porter; less bitter than a stout. read more

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This is my second time enjoying Cotton. Annmarie was our server and was beyond excellent and accommodating. The food was phenomenal and her service was even better. I'll be back for more duck wraps, drinks, and good times. A must eat if you're in Monroe. read more

I wasn't able to try this place tonight. Online the hours say 5:00 pm -11:00 pm. I saw this at 10:15 and got here by 10:35 to find them mopping the floors. The sign in front of the place says "5 pm - [open ended]" I have no bigger peeve than not adhering to posted hours. I wouldn't have wasted 20 minutes driving while missing out on every other option other than fast food if you could honestly post your hours. Thanks for wasting my time. If there is anything else worth eating in town you may have lost my business for good. read more

This is a wonderful place to eat and it is not THAT expensive although the amazing atmosphere and food implies otherwise. I haven't had anything from this establishment that wasn't amazing. Their ham sandwiches are AWESOME, fresh Cooked ham, buttery toast, finger linking good white sauce, and a BIG portion. Duck wraps are always a must for an appetizer or meal paired with a salad. Get the burger, you won't regret it. Get the fries too. For brunch I always get the bottomless mimosas, crab cakes, duck fat fries, and bloody mary. Their Sunday buffet is also really good. Other things I have ate and LOVED are: meat loaf, fried oysters, ham sandwhich, burger, crab cakes, back strap Benedict, duck fat fries, and much more but my mind is too busy dreaming of their fries and back strap Benedict. read more

Cotton's offers a very special dining experience, and one not easily found in Monroe, in Louisiana, or anywhere. We've dined there about five times in two years, and each time, were astonished. We keep thinking we need to eat there every chance we get, because dining experiences like this are so rare. Tips: 1) Don't go there if you're in a hurry, or on the way to another event or activity. It's not that they're always all that slow, but you want to savor the experience, the ambiance . This is a place run by creative people, for creative people, if not outright epicureans. Consider the meal and the company with whom you share it to be your primary entertainment for the evening. 2) Put on your "Adventurous Eater" hat. If you're a "meat and potatoes/hamburger and fries" type person who's not into spices and sauces and weird-sounding combinations, either pretend that you are, or choose instead to dine at one of the many national chain restaurants that specialize in basic, mass-produced, middle-American fare. 3) Reservations are a very good idea. 4) If this is your first time, you simply MUST order the Muscovy duck wrap appetizers and Gulf shrimp n' Arkansas grits entree'. Must. 5) If this is not your first time, and you can force yourself to try an entree' other than the to-die-for shrimp n' grits just, try whatever Chef Cory is playing with at the moment. Once I got a white bean and shrimp cassole' that was astonishing. I've only seen cassole's on TV. But but be sure and get the duck wrap appetizers first, though. Always get duck wraps! 6) Leave the kids home. Especially if it's an evening meal. Not that anything horrible goes on here you wouldn't want the kids exposed to, it's just that this is a sophisticated, urban establishment that appeals to "foodies", and to adults looking to kick back with a nice drink and enjoy an evening with friends or family. It's not cheap, and a meal here is wasted on most kids. So just get a sitter. We often wish Cotton were here in Baton Rouge, but about the best we can do is try to make some of their dishes at home, and look forward to our next trip to Northeast Louisiana! read more

best place to eat in Monroe, cocktails are also amazing. Get the Ole Smokey and a steak!