I came to town to take an elderly friend of mine out to dinner. Another friend recommended Mosca's so off we went. We were greeted immediately and seated just a few moments later. Even at 6:00 on a Thursday evening it was nice to see quite a few tables occupied but it wasn't packed thankfully. The bar seats were mostly occupied with what looked like regulars so that's always a good sign too. We were seated at a table near the bar and so the bartender was also our waitress. She was also waiting on other tables in the area and for that reason I think she was a bit overextended. She was attentive but always rushing and really no personal service to speak of. We never did get bread plates and didn't have an opportunity to ask for any unfortunately. The breadsticks were brought out first, way before the meal, and weren't anything special. We each ate half of one and no more. My dinner came with a salad so that came out first. Tasty and fresh, and just an everyday side salad. Our meals arrived and at first glance, there just wasn't anything special about them. I'm not sure what I was expecting really, except with the price point I thought there would be a nicer presentation. The eggplant parmesan was cooked nicely but we were never offered any cheese and for lack of a better description, it was like something I would throw together at home, not a restaurant meal. My friend's food did not look appetizing on the plate, again, like a home cooked meal and not restaurant quality. The potato had been in the warming oven for a while it seemed, not fluffy any longer and the salmon was way overcooked and dry. I won't be giving this spot another go. Some folks here seem to like it but it's just not the quality I look for when dining out. read more

See all

You know, it's the same people who say dong phong has the best king cakes that say all these places are insurmountable gastric delights they like ripping people off. 2 crab salads = $112! Iceberg lettuce Have to hunt for flake of actual crab Red wine vinaigrette They pretend to be Disney Land I expected and was told it was a mound of crab It was not a mound of crab And Don't get me started on the chicken à la grande. I expected a delicacy it was over cooked and dry as cardboard and oh my god the salt it was sooo salty, even the $14 angel hair pasta with garlic flavored (no bits of actual garlic) olive oil ( that's it olive oil and pasta) was so salty I could only have a few bites. We also got the oysters (a large and a small) which were mostly bread crumbs. The chicken cacciatore was good I had no problems with that but it's way overpriced for the quality and quantity (not much meat on the chicken). like I say when you go to Disney Land you go in knowing they taking you on a ride but you get an amazing experience - this was not an amazing experience - this is a whole new level of colossal rip off total was $487 (includes 3 glasses wine, a vodka martini and a baileys on the rocks). I think they charged us for four crab salads when we ordered two. the online menu price is $28 for one so I don't know how they came up with $112. I was just too much in shock to scrutinize it further I'm mad at myself for not realizing until later that $112 price for the crab was sus we were already in the car on the road when it dawned on me. Anyway there are so many better Italian restaurants that aren't a ripoff read more

Interesting history for this restaurant but the food was not good. Too much oregano and bay leaf? in the sauces, wine, a pinot grigio was tart and heavy. No creamy sauces. Chicken caccatiatori was served as drumsticks and wings with the awful oregano sauce. Impossible to eat. Not suitable for a knife and fork (too many small bones) and too messy to eat with your hands. Spaghetti pasta was basic out of the box. Meatball was also basic but edible. Once again it was served with the bitter oregano sauce. We came here because of the history of which nothing is left of the original structure. Not even old photos. Looks like it was built yesterday. Overall, a complete disappointment. read more

The service was great. Ambiance was awesome. Very old school. Loved it. The food was good too! read more

See all

This restaurant looks scary from the outside and honestly isn't much better inside. The menu is pretty limited for an Italian restaurant and the price is are quite high for the dishes. We got the oyster mosca which was good, but tasted like Thanksgiving oyster stuffing. I like oyster stuffing but I don't want to pay $40 for something I can make easily at home. The service was fine. Out of all the Italian restaurants I've gone to this one definitely wouldn't make it in my top five. read more

This famous place has lots of lore. It was a mob hangout for Carlos Marcello. Cormac McCarthy wrote about it in his last novel and Calvin Trillin raved in the New Yorker. I totally don't get it. There are a dozen other places in NOLA who make better Italian. It's very old school. Looks like a shack. Service good and sweet waitresses. Decor lacking. Crab salad had very little crab in it. Bread very good and plentiful. I had spaghetti and one meatball. It was just OK. The only pasta is Angel hair which doesn't hold up well with a heavy red gravy. Husband had chicken cacciatore which was OK but very salty. Friend had Italian sausage which had no anise in it and was very dry. Desserts are limited to "pineapple fluff" (passed!), tira misu and lemon bars. Cost about $50 each, no alcohol. Full bar. Free parking. Wear a sweater as it's freezing!! If you use credit card there's a 3% up charge. read more

See all

We went here for a birthday celebration i've been wanting to try this place for years and it turns out most of my friends had never been there. We had a great night. The food was amazing. I don't know what people were thinking that leave bad reviews. They must be had a bad experience which could happen anywhere, or they looking for a different Italian experience, this is rustic food served family style and you get to taste everything. It was amazing thank you so much for a great dinner and a great night. The service was good. It was a few times that we needed water, but we asked him and they brought pictures of water for the rest of the night. It was amazing. The food was great. The dessert was great. It's super authentic rustic Italian, and you get to try so much. The highlights were the white noodles with olive oil and green onions and the barbecue shrimp. Definitely try the Italian salad,spaghetti, meatballs ,chicken Le grande, the barbecue shrimp, and oysters Mosca's. Best thing is to order a little bit of everything, they're good at telling you how many you need for your group. They have a great bar and they make a great old-fashioned. It's their special take two or three of us really enjoyed it and they have a really good aperol drink. It could be difficult to get a rideshare home so I recommend driving but not drinking too much. We all have a friend who doesn't drink so invite them along and have a good time. Getting a Party Bus that's what we're gonna do next time. There were two party buses there and those people were having a great time. Notes: the dishes are made to order so you're gonna probably have to have a drink or two before your food comes. Attention: CASH ONLY LET ALL YOUR PEOPLE KNOW AHEAD OF TIME They have an ATM machine OK to be honest, we didn't have every dish but will be back. We had about 90% of the dishes. Don't forget to try to pineapple fluff. We ordered the last three for the night. If read more

See all

Amazing, unique Italian food. Cream of the crop. There's nothing quite like going to this place. It feels like you're in an old time house and not a restaurant. One of those truly unique restaurants you won't forget once you've been. That's when you know a restaurant is legendary. read more

I've been going to Mosca's forever- first with my parents, then my kids and now with my grandkids. What brings us back are the crab salad, Oysters Mosca, and Chicken à la Grande. Went tonight and happy to report the Oysters Mosca and chicken were as delicious as ever. But where the hell did the crab in the crab salad go? Barely a wisp to be found. So sad... ya'll need to fix this or we won't be coming back much longer. read more

Mosca's was delicious! The family style portions were great for our party of four. We ordered the chicken à la grande (my favorite dish of the night, so good, very well seasoned), spaghetti and meatballs (delicious), shrimp Mosca's (I didn't taste these but my husband enjoyed them), Italian salad (simple salad but the vinaigrette was delicious). Great friendly service. I definitely recommend. read more

Over priced. Food was ok but too pricey. Waitress Sharon not pleasant. Nickle and dimed to death. Poor communication. Need better hospitality for what you get. Restaurant is freezing. Bring a coat! read more

This is a very generous three stars. I've wanted to try Mosca's for years. I'm a former Chicagoan and New Orleanian and half Italian. I cannot tell you what the hype is all about here. It was a boring meal, slow service, middle of nowhere, and cash only. Usually cash-only is an automatic one star unless they are very clear about it. The crab salad was pretty good. The "signature" baked oysters were a snooze fest. The service was slow. The menu was rather narrow, disclaming "we're not your typical Italian spot, we don't do chicken parm". First item on the menu? Spaghetti. From a guy who was a regular at Gene & Georgetti, I just don't get the attraction. read more

Mosca's Restaurant - Outside - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westwego, Louisiana

See all

Cash only but been there many times! And still delish. Try to bring at least 4 people with you as all the dishes are served family style. My favorites are Mosca's Italian crab salad and Shrimp Mosca. Don't for get to try the Oysters Mosca too! Also love the Chicken a la Grande and tried my first ever chicken cacciatore. I'm afraid to try chicken cacciatore anywhere else because I'm sure I will be disappointed. I always love their Spaghetti and Bordelaise. The staff treats you like guests in their homes. This time I enjoyed their Decoy Sauvignon Blanc with my feast. Pro tip - do not eat anything the day of visit and wear dark stretchy clothes-you're welcome! read more

See all

The perfect classic Italian restaurant. Great for large groups. Service is always good. We went with 10 people which is the perfect way to enjoy this family style restaurant. Everyone loves the oysters Mosca.. my favs are the shrimp Mosca and the Italian crab salad! So good! I wish we had leftovers! It is totally worth the drive to the middle of nowhere! read more

See all

It was ok but considering the price, not so much, though the atmosphere is homey and the staff was friendly.

My family and I have been going to Mosca's since 1980. Not a long drive, as we live 10 minutes away. I happen to enjoy the simple, authentic Italian vibe and the food!! Mama Mia!! Favorites are Crab Salad and Shrimp Mosca. I taught myself how to make both, but can't compare to the real deal! read more

Really didn't get why people still go here. It was once passable but has really dropped the ball on quality and service since. Overcooked chicken. Undercooked pasta. Lackluster menu. Overpriced steak. Few sides. Boring wine. All this and you still have to wait over an hour for your food to come out? Felt like the wait staff was overworked with the crowd on a Saturday to the point we had to ask for some things three times, even yell across the room just to get the dang check! Never coming back and will forever wonder what they're doing with all that cash. At least mark off a proper parking lot and connect the front door to a sidewalk?! Hated walking through puddles and piles of red ants because the building sits in the middle of mud. read more

Excellent food. Great service. Always a terrific meal. Truly a welcome step back in time. A true gem,

Great family restaurant. This is one of my son's favorite places. The portions are meant to be served family style, so come hungry and ready to share. The shrimp mosca is my favorite. The white wine sauce goes great with their bread. Also, it's nice to have an Italian restaurant with an Eat Fit menu! read more

See all

Totally fabulous oysters any way Friendly staff Great Chicken Mosca Just a wonderful place to escape into the past with great food read more

One of the must-do things living in New Orleans is getting a group together and eating at Moscas. Moscas is an old school mafia family owned Italian restaurant serving a New Orleans spin on the classics. We went as we should with 10 people and ordered the whole menu. Every dish was superb in its own way and the waitress suggested the perfect amount of food for our group where everyone was satisfied and there was no leftovers. The service was superb for such a large group. The meal took a while because everything was cooked to order but my god was this a great experience. If you have a group of foodies, this is a must. read more

See all

Best Italian restaurant and genuine ITALIAN dishes in Metairie !!! Gray family friendly restaurant. Service is excellent and reasonably priced meals! read more

Amazing, like my Italian grandmother and great grandmother used to make authentic recipes from scratch. Best Rosemary Chicken ever!!!

Great food great atmosphere will definitely be back! Everything was prepared fresh and delicious read more

Mosca's Restaurant - Great food!! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westwego, Louisiana

Visited in May 2022. This is an iconic restaurant of New Orleans and has been known as a family place. It looks like a shack and is pretty basic but if you like Italian (NO influenced) cuisine, it is a place to try. Please Note: Its cash only, NO CC. But it does have an ATM. Known for a dish called "Oysters Mosca" which is baked oysters with breadcrumbs and spices - it's usually very good although the one I received was slightly burnt, hence 3 stars instead of 4. As stated, the menu is limited but the meatballs and spaghetti was very good. Service was great, warm and helpful. Parking was plentiful but call first and make a reservation, they fill up immediately. read more

See all

Some of the best food I've had in life. And I'm from New Orleans. The oyster masca omfg

Chalk me up to another local that has never eaten here until recently. I was invited to a birthday dinner with a S___ ton of good friends. We had reservations for opening at 530pm. During the daylight change finding this place in the dark is a small challenge as is where to park when no one is there yet. You pull straight in facing the building like say at Salvos. Walking in its a low key house with a big bar to your left. Unfortunately there is no seating at the bar due to the pandemic. We had two tables (each seats 15) in the front room. In this room, the walls are plastered with old photos of past staff and celebrity visits. The vibe is definitely Mafioso. I was waiting to hear someone shout "Spider!" Or a F bomb. The wait staff came out on us and was taking orders quickly and politely. We all got drinks fast and was continuing the fun. Soon it was time to eat. Keep in mind no separate checks and cash only. All the ordering happened pretty quick. That night only 3 filet mignons were available. Keep that in mind if there is something in particular that you want, even at first opening, there is a chance they could be sold out already. Beer selection is kind of limited but not really. We have a picky beer drinker (PBR only...mostly) and they didn't have that. If you are the Ultra or Budweiser type you are good. For me being a snob I lucked out. The had Abita Amber and Gnarly Barley Jucifer @ $5 each. There is a very full bar and an extensive wine list too. I ordered a meatball and spagett dinner. I know the Oysters Mosca are the thing to get but I just had a bunch of that at home for Thanksgiving , which was the day before my visit here. Next time. And there will be a next time. My meal was $14. Sweets got pasta bordelaise , that was $10. Extremely reasonable. The serving size was huge. I mean Uge! Everything came out all at once, or as fast as the 3 servers could come out. That is the way it supposed to be. Not a dish here and there. Didn't take long at all either. I can't say enough how attentive the wait staff was. They even brought out the birthday cakes they held for us in the fridge. There was no rushed vibe from Moscas either. In the end , the bill was $945!! Gratuity included. That is almost as much as a N.O. city council or levee board meeting luncheon. Again it was all right on the money and a faif fair price. I am so looking forward to coming back again. Also a pronunciation tip.... It is pronounced MOEskas Not MAWskas. As per the first lady that greeted us. MOscas. read more

Mosca's Restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westwego, Louisiana

We really loved Mosca's. It's a bit in the middle of nowhere (well, not 100%...there are other businesses nearby, but limited). We made reservations for a group of 9 and they were very gracious about it; seems that they do a lot of big parties since there was a limo, a party bus, and a ton of other cars and large parties when we went. The italian breadstick style rolls with garlic butter that they give you are unique and filling. The spaghetti and meatballs was great. The crab salad came with a lot of crab, and the vinagrette with it was tasty; would definitely get this again. We really loved the chicken cacciatore, the one foodie in our group raved about the red sauce. And we really liked the chicken a la grande. The servings were all quite generous. I wasn't a huge fan of the Oysters Mosca, was a lot of breadcrumbs and butter; would probably pass on that next time. Also, because it was so busy, the servers seemed spread a bit thin, but they were pleasant and wanted to please. Definitely would come back in the future. read more

This was a dream come true. My parents raised quail as a side hustle in the 60's. We lived in Madisonville, La. My uncle Sonny lived in NOLA and he would sometimes make the delivery for us. On my youngest brothers 60th birthday we got to all go (He lives outside of Seattle and Mom and I are in Memphis). What a delightful, old school NOLA restaurant. read more

See all

I love Mosca's, but this visit was not the best. The Chicken a la Grande was overcooked and dry. Oysters Mosca was good, not great. We ordered the large size and it wasn't as large as I remember from the past, and it was also a bit overcooked. Overall, the meal was a bit disappointing, between a 3 and 4 rating. I opted for the 3 because it felt closer to that than a 4 and was rather pricey in light of the total experience. Had everything been better, then I wouldn't have raised pricing as an issue. The server was friendly, and the atmosphere was as it usually is, very casual. read more

Great place to go, off the beaten path. Family style experience The history of this place is fascinating. Go find it. read more

I haven't walked in those doors in 15 years and I swear absolutely nothing has changed. The same perfect service ,everyone actually cares .Every server stops to ask if you need anything -there is no traditional sections -everyone is equal concerned your experience is perfect . Salad is fresh and flavorful but their entrees are the star. Shrimp Mosca - tender perfectly peeling seasoned with white wine and garlic but my favorite will always be the chicken a la grande . Yes it takes a while but it's cooked fresh and that short wait is so worth the flavor explosion . Two glass of wine or a couple of beer will deliver one of the greatest dish's -so worth the wait to allow the kitchen to serve perfection in a platter. The chicken is tender bursting with garlic , wine so incredibly rich if you are wanting to experience old charm of New Orleans take the drive to the country you won't be disappointed. Tonight it was impossible to have enough room for their pineapple dessert but wish I could have I remember it was delicious.... read more

Mosca's Restaurant - Chicken A La Grande- a dish that represents New Orleans!! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westwego, Louisiana

See all

The food is here is amazing and the portions are massive! It's been over a week and I am still dreaming of the marinara sauce. It was so savory. Makes sense I supposed as the sauce in itself is neither vegetarian nor vegan. I also tried the 10oz filet which was exceptional. It was perfectly seasoned and perfectly grilled. Chef made sure the meat was at room temp before grilling, or made sure the steak was sourced from a damn fine butcher, or both. I will most definitely come back! Tips: get there before 7pm and it would probably be best if you made a reservation. Locals seems to congregate here all at the same time. The other reason to come here early for dinner is because the food takes a while to be served. read more

Mosca's Restaurant - Spaghetti and meatballs. Really great marinara sauce! Note: the marinara sauce alone is NOT vegan nor vegetarian. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westwego, Louisiana

See all

The website menu items and pricing is out of date. The Crab salad does not contain much crab..get the regular salad. One salad is good for 3 people. The Oyster Mosca and Shrimp Mosca are must get selections. The pasta and red sauce, too. Last night, the Chicken a la Grande was overdone..pass on this item. I was disappointed they did not have Sangiovese ( on their website menu)....they substituted a Cab Sauv. The pineapple fluff is a rather unusual item. If you email them for something other than reservations, do not expect a response. This is a place to go to with a small group in order to share items ( serving is family style.) read more

Incredible! My favorites were the Oysters Mosca, chicken cacciatore and the spaghetti and meatballs, but everything was amazing.

One of the best dinners my family has had ever. The oyster and shrimp moska was amazing read more

Mosca's Restaurant - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Westwego, Louisiana

WOW. Most of my life I have lived around the corner from this restaurant and this was me and my wife's first visit. So Pleased. Staff was AMAZING! Food was DELICIOUS! Entire dining experience was Over the Top! read more

See all

Unique spot w/ authentic, delicious food. Family friendly but a cool date night choice as well, cool lil jukebox too! We will go back! read more

Been going to Mosca's every few years for over 30yts... ALWAYS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Just like home cooked food! Service is excellent and the food was delicious! I recommend ordering one of each so everyone gets to try everything. My favorite was the oysters! read more

See all