One of my go-to spots for dumplings and sushi in NOLA! The vibe is laid-back with eye-catching decor that adds to the charm. It's a small space, so I highly recommend making a reservation if you don't want to wait. To start, we ordered the Paloma and lychee cocktails--both refreshing and perfectly balanced. We also tried the Monkey Snack and Stoplight rolls. If you're into bold, complex flavor profiles, the Monkey Snack is a must. Sweet, tangy, and packed with flavor--it hits every note. The Stoplight roll brings just the right amount of heat thanks to the jalapeños, and the fish is incredibly fresh. But the real star for me? The curried dumpling broth. I seriously dream about it when I'm not in NOLA. It's so rich and flavorful that I almost finish the broth before touching the dumplings. Absolute comfort in a bowl. The tuna rangoons weren't my favorite, but still a solid dish. Overall, a staple spot for me anytime I'm in town. Consistently delicious with creative dishes that leave a lasting impression. read more

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All hits, no misses. Another great meal at Luvi. It was popping on Friday night when we got there. Our server seemed a bit frazzled, but food service was still prompt. We opted for "Feed Me" and Chef always delivers really fresh seafood and creative flavors. I'm still not over the flounder that they made look like a flower- (see pic). Stunning presentation. We got a couple hot dishes too. I enjoyed the golden nugget- three good sized crispy fried shrimp balls served with delicious blueberry aioli. The hot splash noodles were tasty and sharable. Do get the trio of ice cream if you've got room- the ube cheesecake was my fave flavor. The sake pairing with feed me was also nice touch. Overall great value for quality and portions. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

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Romantic ambiance with a beautiful presentation of our entree. Definitely a great date night spot! read more

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Luvi is a cute restaurant; Asian fusion with a sushi bar. I tried the following: yellowtail jalapeño raw dish (4.5/5; very good. Nice flavor) and curry dumplings (4.5/5; light but nice flavor) We were sat at a cute round table and our waiter was attentive and nice. overall luvi had cute decore and both dishes were very good, I liked the yellowtail most but dumplings had nice broth and tasty filling. read more

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OMG, I love this place. They have something for everyone and the service is always lovely. That atmosphere is casual and it's clear the chef works hard. Chef has the highest quality of ingredients possible, and the salmon just melts in your mouth. Everything is made with such care and it is so delicious. Also remarkable are some of the cocktails on the menu and don't pass up the ice cream for dessert because these are special recipes by the chef. You can't get this ice cream anywhere else! read more

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Fantastic restaurant. Amazingly fresh fish paired with wonderfully creative ingredients. Staff and Chef are very kind and cook and serve with love. I return as often as possible. It feels very homey inside. read more

This is my favorite restaurant! The owner/executive chef, Chef Hao is a genius. We get the "Feed Me" option where 4-5 dishes are brought out that are chosen and prepared personally by Chef Hao. His dishes are to die for. Combinations you would never think would work together just fuse and melt in your mouth. He pairs things like raw salmon and strawberries with a sauce that mind blowing. All this combined in your mouth is like heaven on Earth! His Mama's Dumpling soup is so good especially on a cold or rainy night. I have tried almost his whole menu and can't complain about a thing. My only complaint is I wish they were open for lunch. If I worked there, my whole check would go to my bill and I'd still probably owe him money! The staff is really good. They are great for offering recommendations from food to cocktails to bourbons (that he collects). And if they aren't sure, they will ask Chef Hao for his advise. They fully explain everything that comes out and is put on the table, even the rice they explain is to sop up any extra sauce. Every day he is open, he is out picking the freshest fish, veggies, and fruits so dishes taste fresh and can be changed up if one thing isn't available but something else is. The place itself is small but very cozy. I would definitely recommend reservations through Open Table. We went one night during all the very cold weather. I was worried I'd be cold since it's in a remodeled NOLA shotgun house (and those building at known for being drafty), but Chef had the place insulated very well. My husband and I go there for our wedding anniversary, birthdays, or just to go when the craving hits. It's a great place to bring a date. read more

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We started the trek to Luvi from the Merigny and were full of excitement. We left full of disappointment. I'm torn on the 2-3* slots. The sushi was fresh but it was underwhelming. We had the monkey bites and the yellowfin stoplight. The monkey snacks were something very unique. It was good but others didn't enjoy the banana flavor being some pronounced. The yellowfin was like all other sushi bars except they cut the capsaicin out of the jalapeños leaving them tasting like a bell pepper. Our plan was to judge the dinner course based off the sushi. We went with cooked options since the two appetizers were disappointing. I had the mala holla which I thought would be spicy since it stated "ghost chili" oil.....it wasn't. I expected it to be warm.....it wasn't....it was a pile of cold meat with little to offer. Friend had the Bam Bam chicken and that was completely tasteless. It reminded both of us of school lunch chicken. Wife had the chicken wings. I did like the dry spice run versus sloppy wings but once again, it was lacking in flavor. I think the chefs idea of Chinese and Japanese fusion works but it needs some tweaking. read more

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I love a restaurant in a house! LUVI is in a quintessential New Orleans home on upper Tchoupitoulas Street. I will recommend that you make reservations, especially on a weekend, as it's intimate, which is part of the charm of course. We stopped by around 8:30 and the only seating available for non reservations was at the bar, which is not typically where I want to sit, honestly, but understandable given my lack of reservation. The atmosphere is so adorable, with hanging paper fish lanterns. I loved the vibrant wallpaper pattern and floral chairs. I was so into it all that I didn't mind where we sat. One of those nights were I was just glad to be seated and what a surprise at how damn good this food is! There's several vegan options, noted clearly on the menu (thank you!) and I ordered the stir fried cabbage (so flavorful, I ate every last bit of it) and dumplings. I have to say that these were the best vegan dumplings that I've had in recent memory (as in, I can't recall a dumpling that I've loved this much in ages!) I loved loved loved the char on the bottom and the way it makes the luscious dumpling that's filled with so much goodness even more delicious than if it had be only steamed. The dipping sauce is salty, sweet and slightly sour. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. They have a good variety of cocktails and they have a Sangiovese, which is what I enjoyed this go-around. But I will be back to report on the drinks! read more

We enjoyed our trip to LUVI. Had dinner at 7 pm on a Saturday with a reservation and they were steady the whole time! It's a pretty small spot, so I would definitely recommend a resy. The food was very good. Everything had great flavors, our favorite was the Monkey Snack! Who would've thought to put banana with fish?! A genius! Fruit & salmon definitely hit the spot. Unique dish! The cucumbers were very tasty - such a simple dish but truly made to perfection. The sauce was awesome. The bam bam chicken was also very good! It reminded me of chicken katsu. I liked the sauce too, but it wasn't the best I ever had. Both of our drinks were super good & strong! I loved the variety of flavors and mixtures of the flavors. Yum! The service was pretty good too. Overall, I would recommend LUVI, had a great time, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite restaurant or as memorable as some others I've been to which is why I give 4/5. Just missed the wow factor.. read more

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Fun, good, but not fantastic -- as another reviewer said, just kind of lacked the "wow" factor. Maybe we should've done the "feed me" chef's choice menu? My two favorite dishes were the smashed cucumbers (simple, but executed perfectly) and the fish collar (flaky, crispy, delicious). We also got the spring rolls, dan dan noodles, bam bam chicken, and curried favor dumplings. Staff recommended 4-6 dishes for two, and that turned out to be perfect. read more

LUVI Restaurant - Dan dan noodles; fish collar - Asian Fusion Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

We loved LUVI! We ordered: 1) feed me a la carte: this is the chef's choice sashimi which was salmon with a crispy chili oil and pooped sunflower seeds. The fish was SO fresh and the toppings were perfect complements. 2) mala holla: wow!!!! This was my favorite. Very finely shredded beef with a delicious savory umami sauce. 3) curry dumplings: this was my friends favorite. The dumplings were SO fresh and flavorful which was a delightful surprise since the soup is a bit more mild. We added some chili sauce as somebody else recommended and that added a nice spice. 4) yellowtail collar: really tasty! If you haven't have yellowtail collar, try it! The sauce was particularly good. 5) black sesame ice cream: probably my least favorite, but still delicious. Seems like you can't go wrong here!! read more

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5 star food again at our second time here Ordered the Don't-Miss items again: Dragon Boat, Feed Me a La Carte & Curried favor dumplings- I also LOVE the monkey snack (so creative) and vegan pan fried dumplings Passion fruit margarita very nice- we like the lychee cocktail too- it's good and strong and you won't need another! They weren't the friendliest this time around and not the busiest (we made the rez 20 minutes before we arrived) so I was a little surprised by that but things happen and we are service industry family so I understand staff issues This is the kind of place that benefits from staff engagement (chefs voice type menus always do) and can bring in much more $ if the staff make suggestions, explain dishes or offer a second drink because menu is unknown for most customers Luvi is one of a kind in this town so everyone should try it- flavors are outstanding read more

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Wonderful, creative food, Charming, homey little place. Great sashimi, pork dumplings, hot noodles with vinegary sauce. All very satisfying. Our waitress was cool to us but seemed to get along famously with the table next to us. You can bring your own wine. read more

We love Luvi! We went for my husbands birthday and had the best time ever. He chose the feed me raw menu. This menu is all raw items which are all chosen by the chef. Everything was so freshly prepared and was presented beautifully. I ordered the dan dan noodles which were amazing! The broth was flavorful and had a nice kick to it. At the end they brought out ice cream with a candle for his birthday! We will always recommend this place. read more

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The food is incredible. We really enjoyed the yellowfin collar and the Dan Dan noodles, and the black sesame seed coconut ice cream. The cocktails were also phenomenal. Service was great. Vibe is very good as well. Highly recommend! read more

Chef Hao never fails to impress! My long running favorite dish has been the Hot Splash Noodles. The staff is very kind, professional and attentive, but not too attentive. It's the cutest little spot that brings Chinese traditions and experimentation to life! read more

LUVI Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

LUVIed this Asian fusion restaurant. Chef Hao Gong is a master of flavors and presentation. Not surprised that he has been a James Beard semi-finalist several times since opening LUVI in 2018 in this charming cottage house on Tchoupitoulas. Went for a special family birthday dinner. Ordered and ordered several small and large plates. Perfect to share with family and friends. Started with all of the raw bar options including the Feed Me special. Loved the Stoplight (yellowtail, jalapeño and fish roe) and the Dragon Boat (seared tuna). The Feed Me special was so good. Salmon sashimi on our visit, but that can change on an hourly basis. The Monkey Snack was an interesting blend of sweet and spicy with salmon wrapped around a banana dipped in sesame seeds. Starters were also perfect to share. Edamame was so fresh. The smashed cucumbers were so delicious. Our friends loved the crawfish wontons. Such a nice fusion of Cajun and Asian cuisines. For the medium plate, definitely get the Yellowtail Collar. Double fried and served with a garlic infused dipping soy sauce. So good. Dumplings or noodles? Why choose one, get both. The Dan Dan Noodles were good, but the Curried Favor Dumplings. Amazing! The broth was so flavorful and the dumplings were perfect. The restaurant is quite intimate with limited seating. Make a reservation especially if your group is larger than a couple. Service was flawless. We were seated at a corner round table with a lazy Susan, perfect for sharing a special meal. No room for dessert, but they offered to store our dessert that we had brought (from Houston) for later on. So kind. Next time, we will save room for their black sesame coconut ice cream. Loved LUVI. Definitely bookmarked for another quick trip to New Orleans. Maybe next time, we'll just order the whole menu...which our waiter said that he has actually served in the past.... read more

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This place is always insanely good. Friendly servers and a good vibe, but most of all, the food is dangerously good. I always leave so uncomfortably full because it's all so delicious. The hot splash noodles are a MUST. read more

We had to leave. Sat without having our orders taken for 20 minutes. If you are overbooked, please call me prior our reservation to let us know that you will not be able to serve us that night. We would have understood. Very disappointed. Hopefully we can come back on another night. read more

LUVI Restaurant is known for their creative and beautiful food offering some Japanese sashimi style fish preparations and some Chinese style cooked options. This is a smaller restaurant that often fills up so you might want to make a reservation if you want to dine at a table. LUVI offers some interesting and unique options that you won't find in other area restaurants so this is a great spot to try something a bit different from your typical sushi or other other Asian style restaurant in the New Orleans area. My video review of LUVI Restaurant is here: https://youtu.be/UtG3Vh2_HWA read more

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I have been to Luvi a handful of times now, and the food is on point every single time. This most recent time, I got the 3 course raw "feed me" option, where Chef Hao surprises you with 3 dishes he created using the freshest ingredients of the day. This is such a great option - I highly recommend it! We also got the pan fried veggie dumplings and golden nuggets (fried shrimp balls). I can't wait to go back yet again! read more

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Outstanding food. Great service. Not overly priced. Overall nice dinner. Good selection of Asian whiskeys.

Food was DELICIOUS and the service was amazing! Everyone was super nice and welcoming! I loved it!! read more

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If you are a looking for some of the most uniquely flavored sushi on earth, you absolutely have to try LUVI. I tend to have a really spicy palate and sometimes it can be difficult for me to distinguish different flavors in sushi, but the Monkey Snack just made me think "oh my god" (in a good way) when I had it! This is by far the most unique sushi that I have ever had in my life. The Monkey Snack is made by wrapping salmon around a sesame seeded banana and small bit of a sweet and spicy salsa is placed on the top. Chef Hao's decision to combine salmon, banana, sesame, and salsa is absolutely genius. As I was biting each piece, you could taste all of the different flavors in each bite (each bite itself had a different tase). This is something that you must most definitely order if you decide to visit here! In addition to the Monkey Snack, I had the Dan Dan Noodles which were really freshly made! This Dan Dan noodle is more soup based and the portion was absolutely great. Also, our food was made really quickly. Be sure to have a reservation in advance since it can get busy even on a weekday. I felt that the food at Luvi tasted clean, healthy, and delicious. I definitely want to come back soon to try other dishes on the Raw Bar section of the menu and also get another order of the Monkey Snack :). read more

LUVI Restaurant - Monkey Snack - Asian Fusion Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Delicious food!!! Delicious drinks! I was in NOLA for a week and this was the best restaurant I went to. Get the Jade Monkey cocktail. I substituted vodka for gin. It was excellent! read more

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Cute place and friendly staff. Quiet atmosphere. Unfortunately, we were very disappointed by the food. We were expecting a little bit more finesse i.e. the bam bam chicken sauce could have been homemade rather than generic sweet chili store bought sauce, the edamame were very bland, the price of the crawfish wontons didn't make any sense compared to the rest of the menu. The best dish was from the raw bar. However it lacked a little bit of balance as we couldn't taste the salmon under the overwhelming chili/spice presence. read more

LUVI Restaurant - Raw bar - Asian Fusion Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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A great little restaurant off the beaten path in NoLa -- which serves some beautiful, creative, and delicious sushi dishes. Also, they probably have one of my favorite vegetarian dishes I've ever had (unfortunately not pictured): a spicy stir fried bean curd that's out of this world in flavors and textures. Not at all what I expected, and so glad I tried it! Personally, I don't think the other hot dishes like the ribs, soups, and dumplings were as good as everything else -- or other Asian places I've tried -- so I'd skip those. The flavors just aren't quite there. read more

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A new favorite for flavorful casual dining! Menu selections are not complicated, but well prepared and fresh Asian-fusion. Customer can control the heat as the fiery peppers come on the side. Light and flavored well! Relaxed, happy atmosphere with informed, patient servers. Parking can be stimulating, as pulling on and off Tchoupitoulas Street resembles aircraft carrier landings. Young, vibrant crowd, off the beaten tourist path but along an emerging strip of trendy and fresh restaurants and shops. I highly recommend Tuvi! My new favorite! read more

Omg so good. I have a retired service dog who is dying and I wrote this ridiculous note asking if they could let him dine with us. They were so accommodating and even gave him a plate of peanut butter rice balls. Food was delicious. We did the chef's pick or whatever it's called, as well as some other snacks. Billy the dog enjoyed several courses of delicious raw fish (as did we). Thank you everyone at Luvi. read more

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Went here last night for the first time and was so impressed. Amazing food, comfortable space, and the most wonderfully attentive servers. Ask what they recommend. They will not lead you wrong! Thanks Andre! read more

This is our second time here and we had to write a review because it was, for the second time in a row, the best meal we ever had. The service is impeccable and the food is unmatched. Everything is so fresh and so packed full of flavor!! The place is so cozy and inviting and the chef is there making every plate right in front of you. A must try!! read more

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Ambiance- beautiful colors, pleasant music, gorgeous but not too fancy to where you feel stuffy. Service was outstanding. Friendly, warm and welcome. The food was out of this world. We got the monkey snack, the beef, the hot splash noodles, the cold noodles (super spicy), the edamame was outstanding, sister got the yellowtail, I had a bite, amazing! But the curry dumplings were the best thing we ate. Everything was outstanding but these dumplings come in a broth that makes you want to wrap up in your biggest comforter and never move again. We also got the triple ice cream scoops and each one was so good but the sesame black was awesome. You won't regret this place. OH! And then for everything including two cocktails totals out to $156 before tip?! For a James Beard finalist?! That's incredible. read more

Sooo yummy and so cute. Absolutely recommend. Delicious drinks and innovative dishes with so much flavor. Loved the warm service and the stylish decor, a definite vibe. Many thanks! read more

LUVI Restaurant - "Feed Me" Chef's selection of Raw - Asian Fusion Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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I luvi you, Luvi! I've heard great things about Luvi and am so glad we came to try some of their delicious food! My partner and I got the feed me, which is Chef Hao's selection of three raw dishes, and the Dan Dan noodles to share. The raw dishes were all super interesting - a lot of unexpected, but genius, flavor pairings. The salmon for sure was my favorite, loved the crunch for texture and as if salmon isn't already fatty and rich enough Chef Hao paired it with a sesame seed chili crisp oil that was divine. The Dan Dan noodles were next level - 100% recommend. Perfect balance of acid, umami, and just a touch of heat. The drinks that we got were also fire (and strong too)! The restaurant itself is also super cute inside. I'm not sure if it's always like this, but right now it is reservation only. So worth it! Prepare yourself for a journey to flavortown! read more

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By far the most creative and delicious Chinese, Japanese Asian Fusion restaurant I have dined at in New Orleans. Chen Hao's Sashimi creations are not just delicious but a work of art. Amazing how he pairs his sashimi with other ingredients and special sauces for each dish. Highly recommend the Feed me Sashimi option. Equally good is the Fried Tuna Meatballs, Dan Dan Noodles, Yellowtail Collard and Curry Dumplings. Reservations strongly recommended. read more

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My husband and I came here for date night a few evenings ago and loved it. The ambiance is not quite as romantic as we were hoping but it was still great. Tiny little place with small tables and close quarters, a little loud but very cute. We sat at the raw bar area and they squashed any concern that service might be subpar at the bar. Madeline was so attentive and wonderful! To drink, we got the Mezcal me but your name (light and perfectly smoky), Mr. Miyagi (lightly sweet, you'll like it even if you don't love dark liquors), a "glass" of saki (they bring a tiny carafe so you can drink it from the tiny sake glass)-everything very pleasant. To eat, we started with the miso soup (classic, warm and yummy), edamame (large portion, freshly steamed, could have used a little more salt or soy/ponzu for dipping), and stoplight (super flavorful and balanced, pretty small amount so get multiple raw items if you're hungry!). We then moved on to the crawfish wontons (perfectly crispy and awesome flavor, came with 4 in an order) and wings (also perfectly fried, flavorful with a bit of spice/heat and came with a yummy sweet sauce to dip; 6 in an order). Finally, we got the yellowtail collar (flash fried fish with flaky center served with a little light dipping sauce-good, not great, felt kind of healthy if you're into that) and the Dan Dan noodles (awesome, great smooth mouth feel, huge portion). Overall we thoroughly enjoyed this place and will definitely be back! read more

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I ate here for the first time last night. Very cute spot. The inside is nicely decorated and laid out. We ate at the raw bar. Our server was very polite. We had the crawfish wontons and yellowtail collar and miso soup to start. We each did the Feed Me menu (omakase style) for our meal. None of the food disappointed. Everything was so fresh and flavorful. I will definitely be back for more. read more

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The food was delicious. Our waiter knew a lot about the menu and had good recommendations. I would have given 4 stars but they were out of a lot of items, which I've now read from other reviews that this seems to have happened on separate occasions. We really wanted to order more food as we were a group of 7 but didn't want to get a third plate of anything. This could have been because we were there later in the evening but it was a Friday night so I was surprised. We felt a little rushed because the restaurant was seemingly closing up while we were dining, like flipping chairs over to clean the floor. The restaurant had good vegan options, the fish was tasty and the cucumbers were addicting. read more

Cute restaurant with delicious food. The food really spoke for itself. I brought my mom here tonight for our mother & daughter date with zero regrets. We left the restaurant with our tummies happy and our hearts feeling full. The staff was friendly despite how busy they were. Our order: 2 hot tea (yum) -Stoplight Yellowtail was just so light and delicious - Smashed Cucumber This went with the entire meal. It was a nice refresher between bites. -2 orders of the Feed Me All Raw (3 Plates) Started off with a subtly sweet and refreshing Bluefin Tuna with goat cheese, and a few others I cannot remember. Second was the Scottish Salmon, this was so good. The salmon melts in your mouth. This dish made me chew slowly to really enjoy every motion of my jaw opening and closing. Lastly, the Gulf Grouper. This had to be planned, because this dish sat in a sauce that was completely refreshing on the palette. And of course, there's a second stomach for dessert. Three scoop ice cream flavors: - Magnolia Tea (my favorite of the three) - Pink Dragonfruit (also tasty) - Black Sesame Tahiti Coconut (second favorite) Overall, this entire experience on my taste buds was phenomenal. Definitely tip your sushi chefs a direct cash tip! They delivered the fish beautifully. Tip your server! They were definitely bustling around and checked on us frequently. read more

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