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Mandina's Restaurant

4.0 (1k reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Mandina's Restaurant Photos

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MANDINA'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Mandina's Restaurant

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trout menierre
Sophie Jane K.

This was so good! Best food we have had in New Orleans. It was out of the way from our hotel but we could get there by streetcar. First, the complimentary bread was out of this world! It was so buttery and meaty on the inside and crusty on the outside. We also got the seafood gumbo as an appetizer and the bread was so good dipped in the gumbo. I got the shrimp half loaf po boy (warning--this will feed two or three people!! A "half" loaf is two sandwiches because the loaf of French bread is so big!) my husband got the trout meniere and it was divine! Cleaned the whole plate. No crumbs. Will be going back.

Crab claw appetizer.
Stephan T.

I While near New Orleans for work, I met a friend from Baton Rouge, so we could have dinner, and he could show me around the city. At his recommendation, we went here. It's a hole in the wall that is definitely popular with locals, and fills up quickly, which is what I wanted. The food is top-notch, and the vibe is casual, with a mix of classic, but casual dining. One recommendation: go hungry. The food is rich, and the servings are generous.

Creole Eggplant Sunday Special
Elizabeth B.

Big hell yea to this place. Servers and staff are kind and hardworking, food is old school and comforting. What a gift y'all are to the city!

Mandina's Menu
Michael C.

In town for a meeting, a good friend and local to New Orleans suggested I needed to experience Mandina's. Obviously a local's fave, it has been around since 1936 just outside of the downtown business district (and a few miles from the infamous French Quarter. Housed in a noticeable and well maintained pink building, the place is definitely New Orleans and feels like a very popular neighborhood spot! Crowded on a Friday night, reservations can be made, but even as busy as they were, we got seated after a short wait. The bar and main dining area are all in one room, in a well-lit, nostalgia/New Orleans memorabilia decor. Not a fancy place, but a warm, friendly atmosphere. There is a smaller more private dining area just off the main, up a few steps. The bar is part of the original fixtures, as noted in a photo on the wall from a 1945 newspaper article. It's mostly standing room, with 5 or 6 stools, but a great place to visit or people watch while you wait for a table. One thing I will note are the prices; very affordable for the area, and for a place with as much history and reputation as Mandina's have. You can have a larger group to dine and not bust the bank. On to the food. We were regaled with their pre-app bread, butter soaks and so fluffy and delicious, while we purused the menu. For starters, you have to try their onion rings (but be careful--a Half-order for two is more than enough!). The highlight of our dinner was the other app we had, the Crab Fingers. The meaty crab claws were in a delicious souffle of new orleans spice and bread crumbs that was in itself absolutely wonderful. The aforementioned bread, which on its own was fantastic, is made truly heavenly by dipping into the sauce, after you've ravaged the crab fingers. While we really wanted to dive into more seafood, we were advised that Mandina's has some of the best Italian food in the city, so we opted to forgo the etoufee and redfish options and instead went with the Eggplant Parmesan. The enormous dish was split for us into two and still represented two very large plates. Candidly, we're probably old school New York Italian, so the sauce, while tasty and plentiful, was a bit too sweet for our taste. And the eggplant, which again was not skimped on, was cut into larger slices than our preference and a bit heavier batter. So all in all, the eggplant parm was good, but not our favorite style or part of the meal. We have a lovely young woman server, who was attentive and helpful (she did share the portion size as we were contemplating 2 entrees, after our appetizers...so thank you for sparing our waist line!!) Bottom line; for a visit to a true New Orleans local treasure, Mandina's should be on your list.

Orlando L.

Serving New Orleans residents and tourists since 1932! I've been eating here since I was kid. When folks ask where to get good Old school Italian and fried seafood I send them here. It's where the locals hang out. The service is always impeccable. If you dine in the main room be sure to checkout the signed Harry Connick Jr Jazz Fest poster. The staple meals here are the Spaghetti and Meatballs, Parmesans, Onion Rings...be sure to ask if they have soft shell crabs when in season. Eat local and enjoy!

Lakeisha W.

We were there Saturday 2/23 for a birthday dinner. We really enjoyed ourselves. We had to share a space with a volleyball team, we did find ourselves yelling trying to talk with them. Lol. It was cool though. Maybe just get a seat in the regular dining room if possible. I hope that space isn't as loud. I'll be back sooner than later.

Seafood Gumbo
Omar S.

Mandina's menu is a New Orleans "Greatest Hits" list of turtle soup, gumbo, fried seafood, and a variety of home-style Italian and Cajun-Creole dishes. The food is seldom great, but I'm always happy to be there. I visit Mandina's when I want to eat a good meal, surrounded by people who don't know I'm not New Orleanian. At Mandina's, I've sung "Happy Birthday" and bought first-daters their dinner. I've joined local friends, knowing I'd enjoy an evening filled with arcane references to long-gone people and businesses and buildings. And I've eavesdropped on lunchtime conversations at the bar, between folks who, as they got sloshed, shed their reserve without losing their dignity. These things, plus the menu, are all a part of the New Orleans Way.

Gerald J.

This is my favorite New Orleans restaurant by far-- and I was there last week for 4 days and I went to eat here 3 of the 4 days and took a huge to go order back home for me and my family that wasn't with me! That says everything I need to say! - Consistency is top tier and service is as well. Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Location 5/5 Gumbo 10/10 Atmosphere 5/5 Staff 5/5 Return Factor 5/5

Fried shrimp
Kristi S.

My friend took me here as her choice for a "locals favorite" and it did not disappoint! The food was so flavorful and the portions were huge. Also our server was great, he brought me multiple sauces to dip my shrimp in - mmmm SO GOOD! The restaurant itself is very large, bright and would be a great place for groups. I really hope I get a chance to go back and try it again!

Italian Salad
Tabitha C.

Mandina's earned our loyalty fast. We visited for lunch and liked it so much we returned the next day. Something we rarely do while traveling. We started our first visit with Abita Boot beers and spicy Bloody Marys. The Bloody Marys had solid seasoning. The complimentary bread deserves special mention. Light texture, full flavor. Day one, my husband ordered the Soft Shell Crab Sandwich with a cup of Turtle Soup. I went with the Soup & Salad combo, choosing the Turtle Soup and Italian Salad. The sandwich satisfied my husband. The Turtle Soup delivered rich flavor and generous portions of meat. The slice of egg was a pleasant surprise. The Italian Salad stands out for olive lovers. Green olives dominated the bowl, with black olives playing a supporting role. Artichokes, a tomato wedge, cucumber, red onion, pepperoncinis and anchovies rounded out the mix. It's a tasty combination. Our server Sue provided excellent service throughout the meal. We returned the next day and started with Bloody Marys again. My husband upgraded to a bowl of Turtle Soup. I ordered the same Soup & Salad combo. We shared the Italian Salad. If what we got is the small size, I can only imagine how big the full size is! Two days, two solid meals. Mandina's delivers consistent quality and generous portions. We'll be back the next time we're in town!

Fried Catfish
Terry J.

Great atmosphere and friendly staff! There are so many great menu options to choose from, and the staff couldn't have been more welcoming. While waiting for my order, I looked up the history of the restaurant -- highly recommend doing this, it's really interesting! I ordered the fried catfish and fries, and from the very first bite, I could tell this was unlike any fish and chips I've had before. Wow -- perfectly seasoned, tender, and absolutely delicious. This is definitely a place I'll be returning to!

Main dining
Elizabeth G.

I'm always interested in going where the locals go when we're in town and this was such a delightful dining experience that we've been trying to get to for years but could never seem to work it into our schedule. The main dining room is inviting and stylish in an understated way. Our server was super friendly and the food was excellent. We had an appetizer sampler to start - hubs wasn't fond of the thick batter on the calamari but also noted it was tender and tasty. My family is Italian and had Italian friends who owned a shop and made their own homemade Italian sausage... I'm not saying Mandina's makes their own but one bite took me back. I think the texture would have been better served in grilled chunks rather than the slices that tasted fried; the crispy surface area of the cut exposed interior wasn't bad but not my preference. Also included was fried stick of eggplant which was some of the best I've had. I ordered the veal parm for my entrée that was cooked perfectly, the marinara was exquisite and the perfect ratio to the veal and the pasta. Another entrée ordered was the shrimp bordelaise but switch the shrimp out for a veal cutlet which they were happy to do as my daughter doesn't eat tomato sauce but was eager to try the veal. The down side was that their bordelaise wasn't traditional bordelaise of the red wine sauce variety; the dish turned out to be like pasta tossed with garlic and butter and we wish we had known. When I asked the waitress if it would be traditional bordelaise she confirmed that it was, which was why we ordered it. That it turned out not to be was a let down. But all-in-all this was a great dining experience for all the right reasons. If you're like me and hate being stuck in touristy eateries, hop the street car down Canal and tell the conductor to let you off at Mandina's and thank me later.

Shrimp Side Salad (includes the meat!) yay!
Kate O.

Found this place while visiting, and it's so nice and just is part of the neighborhood. Seemed like mostly locals, not many tourists, if that's what you're looking for. Server seem to have their regulars, but if you are just visiting like me--you quickly feel like you've been coming here for years. Big portions and good prices. Lunch or just daily specials under 20$ is great. The soup and side salad (no extra for the shrimp), was $15.95, I believe, what a steal! Will be back if I'm ever in New Orleans again.

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Reviews are largely positive. People praise the delicious food, generous portions, and friendly service. The welcoming atmosphere is also appreciated.

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4 days ago

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Never disappoints!! Great service and food!! Huge menu and I recommend the Chicken Parm and the Fried Chicken

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Mandina's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Mandina's Restaurant

Is there outside seating still if traveling with small dog?

No, sorry

Do they take reservations?

Walk on in and see what's available. Reservations required 8 people or more

Do they offer gift cards/certificates?

Will you be open Christmas day?

Not usually.

Shrimp etoufee at Mandina's?

Yes! They could accommodate

Easy'ish find parking?

They have a huge parking lot!! Also they have security guards outside at night

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Was a very busy night and we walked in for a party of 7. I understand that it's crowded and busy,…read moreso we were very patient and respectful. We saw on the menu that checks could not be split, which was fine even though split would be preferable to us. So, when our server told us the check can't be split but she can "take multiple cards" I was a bit confused and asked if she could explain more since that's what we might do, since she said it was possible. Already there she gave attitude and said I don't know how else to explain it to you in a rude tone. After we finished our food, we asked her to take multiple cards for the check and she told us to write on the back what to charge each card. I apologize that I did misunderstand what she meant, and put the items rather than the exact amount to charge each card. She came back and said, "you did exactly what I said not to do." So I said sorry and was in the midst of redoing it by calculating when she just snatched it from me and said she'll just do it. I had no problem doing it nor did we complain even once. After a while, understandably, she came back and basically scolded us, saying what if she was busy she wouldn't have been able to do this....but she said she could do it in the first place! We understood from the get go no split checks but then she gave the option of multiple cards so obviously we took it. The food was good and the ambience was nice. I enjoyed the open kitchen concept and seeing the pizza oven. But the service ruined it for me. I work the food industry and would have never acted this way. Nevertheless, I would come again but would not want that server.

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Irene's is always a great choice for a classic New Orleans dining experience. I started with the…read moreblueberry spritz mocktail, followed by the Caesar salad and shrimp and crawfish fettuccine. Everything was prepared well, and our server, Edward, was informative, attentive, and made the experience even better. Having been to Irene's before, my one recommendation would be to order the Meunière Amandine over the shrimp and crawfish fettuccine. The fettuccine was good, but the Meunière Amandine is definitely the dish I'd choose on my next visit. Parking is definitely luck of the draw since it's street parking, so I usually just Uber for the convenience. Overall, another enjoyable meal at Irene's!

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Mandina's Restaurant - cajun - Updated October 2026

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