We were here on a Monday night so I guess we had the second string. Had the calamari and the ceviche to start. Calamari steak was very tasty and well seasoned. Problem came with the duck breast for the main course. Ordered it medium rare but it came out VERY well done. Ironically before we were half through with the appetizer. So we clearly got someone else's mistake. Not what you would hope for in a $100+ meal. Other options nearby would probably be a better choice. read more

They specialize in paella which is strange because the establishment is an abandoned swimming pool that is mostly clothing optional. There was a large flock of flamingos hovering near our table. Over all a great spot with a large amount of atmosphere and a disturbing amount of salt shakers. read more

Lola's - Very fast wait staff - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Two of my friends and I decided on girl's night at Lola's for two reasons: 1) sangria and 2) paella. Damn, we were impressed. First, the hostess was so nice, letting us sit on the owner's porch right next door with our sangria while we waited. We were told it would be an hour but only waited 20 minutes! Oh, and the sangria was fantastic: a perfect balance between fruity sweet and crispy wine. Inside, the atmosphere is both intimate and boisterous. It's a small space, which makes it comfortable, but also allows for sound to carry. The bread is not free, but very cheap ($.30) and comes with the most delicious, spicy garlic butter. As for the seafood paella, my friend said the flavors, technique and overall dish was true to the paella she has had in Spain. ¡Lola's fue increíble! read more

Lola's - Seafood Paella - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Lola's paella is amazing, the house made sangria is refreshing and flavorful without being too sweet, service here has always been friendly and attentive but when the restaurant is so hot I leave instead of finishing my meal we have a problem The place is consistently busy and they've taken up every inch of available space with tables which makes it cramped and loud at best. Add in an open kitchen and an (apparently) underperforming AC and ventilation system and it's a disaster. Please fix this Lola's!!! I want your delicious food in seasons other than winter. read more

Great time, good restaurant, great location! No socarrat on the paella tho, but tbh I think there's an unspoken New Orleans rule to avoid it cuz every paella I've tried aint crispy oh well. Recommend this place but don't order the paella read more

Lola's is so cute, cozy and delicious! My daughter and I shared the garlic shrimp and a small seafood paella. The service was perfect, the sangria was yummy and the foid was DELICIOUS! It was fun to visit a restaurant off the beaten path while visiting NOLA for the first time. read more

Lola's - Garlic shrimp....ohhhh, that sauce...you must mop it up with some bread! - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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This is by far my favorite Spanish place in New Orleans, I usually stick to the paella cause it's really hard not to order it, but last time I was there we ventured a little more and tried the duck, which was awesome, and some stuffed peppers which were definitely something else. I always recommend this place, be warned though, their sangria goes down way to smoothly. You may loose track of how many bottles you already had!... :P read more

Love the garlic shrimp! And the paella is always perfectly cooked! The food there is so flavorful and the atmosphere is great read more

Lola's - Garlic Shrimp Mussels In Vinaigrette - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Me & my boyfriend try this place for the first time & it won't be our last the smell is just wonderful it's a very small & intimate place for you & yours i highly recommend this place if you love trying different foods of the world read more

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If you already know, then you go. We were brought here by friends in the know and Im so glad they did. Its a small place not too far from Frenchman. Its quaint and quiet and cozy with great service and food youll never forget. Our table got a meat paella and a seafood paella and it was beautiful and amazing. Also a TON of food! It may not be a secret, but this is the kind of place you come to New Orleans to enjoy. read more

Lola's - Meat and seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great staff. Very relaxed environment. We had a sangria which was delicious with the garlic shrimp. If you like garlic, this is the place to come. read more

Lola's - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

After 2 nights here in New Orleans, Lola's definitely deserves my first review. Our party of 5 started with the mussels in vinaigrette and their seasonal salad with prosciutto. The mussels were very tender and the salad was well balanced with goat cheese, prosciutto, fruits and dressing. For our main course we ordered the XL combination paella, caldaretta, and garlic chicken. The paella was by far the best I've had, with the rice not overcooked and crispy on the iron skillet. There also was a generous amount of meat and seafood. The lamb of the caldaretta was so tender that it just melted in my mouth, paired with carrots and a very savory sauce. Finally, the garlic chicken was doused with sauce and garlic, perfect for those garlic lovers, and very juicy. The only cons I've experienced were because it's mid-summer, the restaurant was a bit warmer than average and there were a few mosquitos and flies present. Lola's is definitely a go-to for visitors and residents alike. read more

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An oldie but a goodie it had been a minute since I had been to Lola's. I often contemplate coming to Lola's but because it's small, intimate, popular and doesn't take reservations I usually decide to go elsewhere that I know I won't have a long wait. But on this hot summer weekday evening I was long overdue a return to a restaurant I fell in love with years ago. My reunion was one like meeting up with an old friend that starts right back up where you left off. I lucked out it wasn't busy the evening I went and the paella was as good as I had remembered. I started out with a few good starters too the gazpacho and also the garlic artichoke special. Both flavorful and fresh. I appreciate all the vegetarian options they offer here. Good food, good service in a cute little local sort of hole in the wall location make this oldie but a goodie still as charming as it was the first time I tried it 15 years ago. read more

Lola's - Vegetarian paella! Done the way it's meant to be. SO GOOD!! - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The staff here is super nice!! We were accommodated quickly and the hostess was super sweet!! Sangrias super bomb and our server was awesome!! read more

Visited on a Monday night. It is a small quaint place with a very laid back atmosphere. Two couples shared A couple of bottles of Spanish wine with the grilled calamari and garlic shrimp as appetizers and a large seafood paellas for the table. Everything was good and the large was plenty for us. read more

Lola's - Large Seafood paellas - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Wanted to splurge and spend a little more than usual to celebrate a special occasion and went here. So delicious! My favorite was the spinach linguini. My daughters' was the seafood paella. Everyone agrees the ceviche was the bomb and the flan perfect! A GREaT meal with enough leftover for another hearty meal for two. Dreaming about that linguini... read more

Lola's has really embraced the COVID outside dinning scene. Beautiful setup on the sidewalk and on the porch of the Owner's house (right next door!). Amazing ambience for a few drinks and tapas... and great dinner choice as well. read more

A personal favorite, this spot has flourished during COVID. Lola's has completely redone it's outdoor seating to make it chic with string lights, bistro-style tables that seat 2, 4, and 6 people. It's a romantic spot for a date night with live flamenco music (on Sundays, I think). The food is excellent quality with the paella being a fan-favorite and numerous appetizers served in sizzling cast-iron skillets abundant with garlic and olive oil. They now have a wide-ranging wine menu and fresh cocktails. A must try. read more

The place is cozy and the service is very kind to you, the meal is delicious and you can enjoy with friend and family the tasty red sangria. read more

Lola's - Red sangria - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I came here with a very enthusiastic friend and I was pleased with how good the experience was. The appetizer was the calamari and I am not sure we will get that again, bc I was thinking it was the one that doesn't come in a patty. Yet when I looked at the menu, that is what it said it would come like. My take home lesson was to read the description of an item prior to ordering. We had the veggie paella and it was awesome. So flavorful! The rice was perfect and the veggies were just right. read more

Just visiting NOLA and local bar recommended this little place, well if someone in the French Quarter, where food is good, says a place is good you check it out. Seafood paella was well worth the trip. Sangria was delicious! read more

One of the BEST experience I've had dining in New Orleans. Thanks to our server Noelle, who surprised us with our entrees after my partner and I being indecisive about our entrees (definitely highlight of the night.) Noelle's surprise did not disappoint; serving us with a delicious lemon flavored trout along with flavorful lamb. Let me tell you, the food is AMAZING! Thank you Lola's for great food and service. We will definitely be back read more

Such a cute outdoor seating area with lights in the trees! Delicious drinks and food all around. Definitely coming back soon

The garlic soup at Lola's is amazing! I could eat it every single day and cannot wait to get back to order more. The ceviche was good, nothing great- basic and fresh. The disappointment of the evening was the paella. I ordered the seafood paella, my husband the meat and both were on the verge of inedible. How we described it was that if we had made it at home and it came out like this, we would immediately toss it. Both paella's were mushy and the flavor one-dimensional. Silly enough, I actually googled 'should paella be mushy' wondering if I might just not prefer it... Considering the price we spent on the meal, it's a bit upsetting Lola's serves this subpar food especially since the paella is the star of the show on the menu. Giving Lola's 3 stars based on the garlic soup, service, and atmosphere. It's a fine place to go, but steer clear of the paella. read more

The food was delicious. The service was abysmal. Our waiter brought one of our guests dish out 30 minutes after the others without even acknowledging we were waiting. Later when we asked to speak to the manager, she was rude and condescending. To be fair, we saw a couple of other waiters who seemed like they actually cared . We just got unlucky I suppose. Or as the manager said, "it's just like that here". read more

I have no words for how terrible this experience was. While the food was great, the service was absolutely unacceptable. Usually when a restaurant is running late with someone's food theres at the very least an apology especially when everyone else's food at the table has gone cold because the wait difference was so long (legitimately 30 minutes yall). This was not the case with this restaurant and rather than offering the bare minimum of an apology, we were told this service is just the norm for this establishment. I really never leave reviews or complain about food service but this experience was so disrespectful that I truly couldnt not say anything. If you want cold food and unapologetic staff this is the place for you read more

First ...and last...time here. I've heard tremendous positive word of mouth comments about this place. The reality of my visit was a pretty big letdown. "Pretentious " was the only word I could think the entire time we were there. The food palate was bitter, extreme spice, and overwhelming garlic. Otherwise, there appeared to be no flavor of the food itself. And pricey. The crowd ( yes...there was a wait for seats) would probably present a different viewpoint, which is fine. I'll simply go elsewhere. read more

We took our daughter for her birthday. Food and service were great. Just know that paella is not the same as jambalaya. Paella is wetter by comparison. Flavor was great. read more

Me too because of atmosphere. We were in New Orleans for a few days and wanted to get out of the French Quarter and try a more local vibe. The atmosphere is beautiful and you can sit under a gorgeous oak tree in the front of the restaurant. That is where the greatness stopped. We were there for breakfast and I am guessing that is not their forte. Service was poor, hostess was rude, food was less than average and took way too long. 3 people in our party got their food after 40 minutes. The other 2 waited over an hour for eggs and toast. No offer to provide a discount or make things right. We walked about severely disappointed as the place had such great reviews online. read more

Lola's has been a favorite spot for my husband and I for about 6 years. We loved it for a relaxed date night, but we go every year for his birthday now since he insists on having paella for his birthday. Last night was his 50th birthday so of course we went to Lola's. We arrived on time for our 7:15 reservation but weren't acknowledged by our waiter until we were about 15 minutes in, which is not the norm at Lola's where I've never had a bad experience until this evening. Our waiter seemed foggy/distant when we were acknowledged and asked for drink order. He seemed to write it down on a post it note but looked confused as we ordered, so we just hoped for the best. I used the restroom when I first arrived and found empty toilet paper rolls and no hand soap except for the refill meant for the dispenser which you couldn't get any soap out of. Not a huge deal but pretty gross, fortunately I had hand sanitizer in my bag. We ordered a bottle of red sangria, a glass of chardonnay for my mother in law, and a mocktail for me as I'm pregnant. Took another 15 minutes for drinks to arrive and it was two glasses of white sangria with fruit in it. Server apologized for mess up, came back with bottle of red, two champagne flutes instead of wine glasses, and said there was no more clean wine glasses and no fruit left for sangria for the evening. Disappointing since sangria without fruit doesn't seem like sangria, but ok... My mother in laws wine did not arrive for probably another full 8 min after that and I was told no one could make me a mocktail. Something about bartenders being backed up, or something - the reason was very unclear why I couldn't get a non-alcoholic drink. Meanwhile, almost every server I saw went to the bar area to look at their cell phones, or were looking at their cellphones by the refrigerator near the bathroom. I said I'd stick with water, only to see post it notes get put up that the bathroom was out of order. I panicked knowing my pregnant self couldn't hold it for a whole dinner drinking water (or anything for that matter). When our server came with my mother in laws glass of white wine we put appetizers in - crabmeat tropical and antipasto. They arrived promptly, but we noticed the crabmeat was not in the normal avocado. My mother in law hates tomato - would've been nice to have that information ahead of time but ok. We brushed it off figured maybe things had changed with that dish on the menu and we hadn't noticed (not the case). We asked for more pistolettes in addition to the one served with the antipasto, only to be told they were out for evening and needed to be ordered early. I've never been to Lola's before to be told there were no pistolettes. Another disappointment, but ok it happens... At this point I've given up on mocktail. All the while, the wait staff checks their phones. We put in for a house salad with avocado added and a large combo paella. We noticed the couple next to us hadn't been acknowledged by any wait staff this entire time. I asked them and they said no one has come to see us yet, it's our first date but no one has even asked for drink order. At this time they've been there at least a half hour, but probably longer. Realizing I will probably have to use a restroom soon, I started to make a plan to go across the street to Santa Fe or elsewhere. Waiter comes with house salad and there's no avocado on it, so I ask well we would really like some if it could be added, only to be told right then as it was put in front of us, they've also been out of avocado the whole evening. Would've been some good information to have. At this point, we were so disappointed with the service, bathroom situation, and lack of information being given to us about was or wasn't available, so we asked to cancel our paella, which we already assumed hadn't gotten put in yet (we were right). He apologized and said things were new there, staff is new, etc. which I understand. But it was just so sad to see one of our absolute favorite places fall into disarray over the course of the hour we were there. What sealed our fate that evening was watching one of the cooks dip their spoon into something to taste it, only to dip their spoon back in the same pot. My husband and I both watched it happen. Unacceptable pre-pandemic and certainly unacceptable now. We closed and finished our evening across the street at Santa Fe which was lovely. I'm sorry to say we won't be back to Lola's anytime soon. It's devastating to see one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants go this way. I understand there are some new owners, so hopefully things just need to get figured out. read more

Not what it used to be. So disappointed in last night's meal, we left before our entree came out. Waiter was slow to respond. Items (like fruit for the sangria and avacados) were unavailable and we weren't told when we ordered. AND they ran out of bread!? This formerly popular restaurant took a huge nosedive. We won't return. read more

I came here two nights in a row while I was visiting new Orleans for a conference. Their vegetarian paella is one of the best things I've ever eaten! read more

Lola's - Vegetarian paella - Spanish Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Three of us ladies went last night. We had never dined together before so three different styles and tastes of people. I said they were know for paella so two of us had seafood and my friend had the vegetable version. Seafood paella was the worst my friend and I ever had. We ordered the medium size. It was over cooked tiny bits of seafood. Dry. And tasteless. No seasoning to speak of and again dry. I would not eaten it and left it all . But I was hungry and didn't want to waste money. Or be rude in front of my guests. My guest said garlic soup was ok. My other guest said the garden salad was ok. And they charge a nominal fee for bread without mentioning it. Service was good. But all three of us said we would rather spend $40 each elsewhere. read more

Went to Lola's on our trip to New Orleans. Wanted to try something different and this definitely was a winner. Quaint restaurant away from the French quarter. Seemed more of a local's place. We were seated right away. The restaurant is small and has may be 10-15 tables. The ambiance is casual and everyone is really friendly here. The server introduced herself...very friendly and helpful. We ordered the Garlic mushrooms and bread. Both were sooo flavorful. We wanted to order more bread but they were unfortunately out of it :( We ordered the Veg Paella for 2 between the 4 of us. It took them a good amount of time but I know Paella's take that much time. I just wish we could have ordered it right away. The veg Paella was just out of this world. It was loaded with veggies and lemon wedges. Never had such a good veg one anywhere so I'm going to miss it. We asked for the hot sauce and it took the flavor to the next level! The portion was good enough for the 4 of us! Overall, LOVED my experience here. If you happen to be in NOLA and want to try something the locals go to, this is a MUST-GO! read more

Made reservation through Opentable for 2 at 5:30 when Lolas opens. Had to choose between standard (inside) or outside seating. Selected inside seating because it's New Orleans at the end of June w/ ~100% humidity. Arrived at 5:30 prompt and hostess wanted to seat us outside. I said we made reservations for inside. Wasn't an issue being seated inside and our server, Danielle, came right over to give us menus. Took our drink and food orders 5 mins later. Got water and a good bottle of wine quickly, and our appetizer soon after that, so things were going great. One hour later and we still did not have our entrees. Our server had not checked on us for 30 mins. I had to walk over to the server station to find Danielle and ask where our food was. I was told the chef was working on a large takeout order that came in before our order. We had ordered a small veg paella and medium combo paella and a couple that was seated after us already had gotten their paella and were already finished eating. The cook overheard the conversation and said our food would be up in 3 mins. 10 mins later we still had no food. Went back up to the server and inquired what was going on. Again was told they had a large takeout order, which was apparently more important than our order. 5 mins later the server brings our food but instead of a medium combo paella, I get 2 small combo paellas. One is overdone and the other includes an unopened mussel. I ask if the chef has been told to never plate an unopened mussel or clam because that's a health issue. We were told that they would credit half the cost of the vege paella, so $9. The manager stopped to ask how things were going and we explained the above. She said she explained to the staff that takeout orders shouldn't hold up in house orders but that was all. When we continued to express our dissatisfaction she comped half of the combo paella. As we were paying the now revised bill, the hostess came up to us and told us we needed to leave the table to free it up for a reservation. We were still at the table because of their incompetence, not ours. Never going back. Would not reccomend. read more

Fantastic food and wine. Great service. Sat us outside under a heater. I could have brought a better jacket for the temperature, but my fault on that one. Great experience. read more

Great Bodega atmosphere but the food was disappointing. Every dish we ordered was drowned in garlic. This includes the butter served with the rolls (inedible), Caesar salad, and crab meat tropicale. The seafood paeilla was over cooked , even burned on the bottom of the pan. The bright spots included the tomato basil salad served with thick slices of mozzarella interposed between slices of tomatoes covered with thin slices red onions, drowned with balsamic vinegar and the red sangria served with chipped mixed fruit floating on top of the glass helped to kill the garlic taste In our mouths. Won't be returning for seconds. read more

Massive disappointment. Service was good. No complaints. Paella takes time so we ordered the seafood/ meat combo with our tapas order. Tapas- the garlic shrimp- swimming in oil and undercooked garlic. Pieces of shrimp tail floating amidst the acrid tasting oil. Antipasto- if you're into pepperoni and grocery store bought manchego, go for it! The paella-I've had some incredible paella in my life.. in friend's kitchens, backyards in brooklyn and Spain. My friend and I ordered the large. The seafood portion was 4 mussels, loads of microscopic shrimp, a few chunks of unidentified white fish. The meat- hotdogs, overcooked chicken. Veg- peas, string beans. Rice- ratio was off and I had doubts about it being Spanish bomba. Dessert- flan was good and almond nougat ice cream was delicious. But I've never met a dessert I didn't like so take it for what it's worth. If my review hasn't served as a warning to your palate, I'll appeal to your wallet: They have a limited wine selection so we brought two of our own bottles of red. Corkage advertised as $7/bottle on website. Check came and we were charged $15/bottle. At this point, we were so disgusted by the dry, Johnson brats meet a mussel, $50 Paella and $22 dessert, we had no fight left in us. We threw our cards down and admitted defeat. read more

We discovered Lola's while buying wine across the street. Food appears good, above average in fact. The wines selections are great, as well. We stopped by for a shared appetizer and drinks. We enjoyed our order but the server rushed us to leave by pouring our drinks into two plastic cups and telling us to take our drinks to go. Awkward and unprofessional. We won't be back. read more

Both my hubby and I are vegetarian and Lola's was one of the few restaurants recommended for vegetarians in NOLA. I was impressed with their selection. I am also gluten-free and had no trouble ordering a gluten-free, vegetarian meal that was heavenly. We ordered Garlic Mushrooms, Gazpacho, Vegetarian Paella, Flourless Chocolate Cake, and Hazelnut Ice Cream. Full flavor palettes in everything we tried with spice and citrus thrown in. Lola's is quant, and the food is delicious! read more

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