Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Indoor dining are with a French Quarter style covered patio…read morefeaturing live music. One of the best burgers I've had in ages, and the drink flight was great for having some variety.

So I felt the need to update my previous older review. And not because of the food, which is always…read morephenomenal. This time, I wanted to highlight the service. To begin, we love everything about the place. Indoor and outdoor seating, multiple dining rooms and bars...this place is great. However, we wanted to give a specific shout out to our server. Khloe (yes, with a K...) was an absolute pleasure. My wife ordered the surf and turf and I had the filet tips, both were great. But the dialogue and banter we enjoyed with Khloe was, without a doubt, our favorite part of our experience. Very simply, she was just fun. My wife and I are very laid back people so it was nice to have a server who matched our energy and felt comfortable joking around with us. Great food, great drinks, and great service. Five stars, thank you Khloe.

After a stop in Pass Manchac looking for outside dining but finding a jammed inside-only restaurant…read morewith no masks, we headed up US 51 into Ponchatoula to look for an alternative. J Rucker's was listed as open, but when we arrived no one was there and it was marked closed. When we called, we were told "yes, we are open" but no one appeared in front. Finally just as we were about to drive off, someone came running across the parking lot. "We are open, and you can sit outside." After that little bit our time confusion (to the restaurant's credit, we were looking for a place around 4:30 in the afternoon and some listings showed a 5 pm opening, while others implied open from lunch to dinner. No big deal), we got seated and offered menus. "Fried ribs" jumped out immediately as (1) unhealthy in many ways (2) unique and (3) of course, something we have to try once. We put in an order for that, along with fried shrimp and stewed chicken. Unfortunately a few minutes later the kitchen informed our server that fried ribs would not be offered that evening. I changed to stewed chicken. For starters, the fried broccoli and boudain balls were hot, fresh, not greasy, and served with a house dipping sauce that had a bit of kick. The stewed chicken arrived in the dense gravy on rice, tasty but beware also on the salty side (this bothered some other diners in my party more than me). The fried shrimp actually might have been the best thing on the table: hot, crispy, with almost like a tempura texture served on a bed of thin-sliced french fries. We were stuffed and facing a ride back to the south shore, so no dessert..."but tell us what you have, anyway." One of the options was "Bananas Foster ice cream." Uh oh, looks like we ARE having dessert. Highly recommended, with a strong banana flavor and actually frozen bits of ripe banana in there. (Some may not like that texture, but didn't bother me one bit). Chicken and waffles are one of the options for entree, as is an ice cream and waffle dessert that looked good as it went out to another table.

We were driving by on our to to another restaurant. This is a wonderful little hole in the wall…read morewith excellent staff! We were instantly seated and the staff had the most tasteful recommendations. The food was insanely delicious! They were so festive. We are definitely coming back time and again!

Wonderful patio and upscale environment. The crab stuffed redfish was Devine and the table side…read moreBananas Foster is just a must! Only reason for four stars was off seating by the staff. With the patio wide opened they sat people right next to one another instead of spreading things out.

Stopped by One Thirteen twice and had two completely different experiences…read more The first time I visited was on a Friday, and to my surprise it was during Happy Hour. We had already eaten lunch, so I didn't order any food, but we were able to enjoy the complimentary hot, fresh bread along with some great drinks. Of all the drinks we tried, the Golden Peach, Passion Fruit Martini, and the recommended Mini Beer Shots were my favorite. I also love that they use fresh fruit and ingredients in their beverages you can really taste the difference it made. We were able to sit at the bar that day and received great service from Ashlyn. She was very nice, personable, and attentive. She made the experience feel so welcoming and pleasant that we decided to go back the very next day with more family members. Unfortunately, our Saturday visit during the Hot August Stroll was a completely different experience. And it wasn't because of how busy things were or the events taking place. The issue was the inconsiderate service we received from our waitress, C. The service was so disappointing that I won't even go into detail, but it definitely changed my overall impression of the restaurant. Would I recommend One Thirteen? It really depends on what you're going for and, honestly, which server you happen to get. The ambiance is definitely one of the highlights. It's cute, colorful, pink, and very aesthetically pleasing. It would be a great spot for Happy Hour, birthdays, brunch, date night, or even a work gathering.

My pumpkin and I ordered the fusilli and papardelle around lunch time on a Saturday. The purposeful…read morebalance of flavors and textures impressed the both of us. My chicken filet was both crisp and juicy. Her creamy red sauce was both potent and spicy. Leah was a great server. I will leave genuinely wanting one in Dallas!

Pretty dope Italian spot in Hammond! OpenTable brought me and fellow teammates here for a couple…read moreteam dinners. Located in the downtown area of Hammond, this may be my favorite restaurant in the area and for good reason! The interior has the right amount of lighting to give an intimate feel and there's plenty of indoor seating where tables can be pushed together for large parties. The bar area is also comfy if you're looking to pop in for a glass of wine or a cocktail. Speaking of which, there's plenty of wine by the glass and featured bottle wines. It doesn't have as expansive of a bottle wine menu like other Italian spots but they don't need to as they offer about a dozen wines each from the USA and from the Italy/Spain/Argentina regions. So you'll find whatever you need to suit your tastes. And then there's cocktails. All the classics (Cosmopolitan, Manhattan, Old Fashioned) are here with some Italian favorites like the Negroni. The popular ones amongst us were the Limoncello Spritz (think of a vodka sparkling lemonade), the Espresso Martini, and the Basil Cucumber Gimlet. Tasty and pretty presentations! As for eats, the shareables that are must-orders are the Italian Meatballs (served in polenta w/ spicy tomato sauce), the Calamari, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and Caprese Salad. These always made the table whenever we were here; the meatballs and brussels sprouts being the ones people couldn't stop eating. The turtle soup is also a good first course if you're going light. It was my first time having turtle soup and I enjoyed the heck out of it! For pastas/entrees, it depends how heavy you want to go. The pastas that we loved were the Fusilli and Casarecce. The Fusilli has a cajun spicy tomato base w/ shrimp, italian sausage, basil, and mushrooms; an excellent combination of ingredients for a delicious pasta dish. The Casarecce is more simple using a parmeson garlic cream sauce and a pan-fried breaded chicken breast on top. For entrees, the pork osso buco, duck breast, and diver scallops were all wonderful. The osso buco especially being super tender was a crowd-pleaser. They also have a filet mignon special w/ a fried potato cake and asparagus garnish finished in a red-wine demi glaze; this special was ordered by several people each time and had all of us oohhh'ing and ahhh'ing every time it was delivered. The filet is super tender and the potato cake is a great complimentary side to it. For dessert, we usually share the house cheesecake which has chocolate chips and caramel with a cookie crust; a perfect way to finish off the meal. That's if we save room for dessert! This spot is a must-visit and a place we plan to frequent whenever we're in Hammond. They also have a lot of gluten-free options in case you have a gluten intolerance. Do yourself a favor and check this spot out; you won't regret it!

The food is great, traditional Mexican fare. There are plenty of things to choose from, and you…read morereally cannot go wrong! It's affordable and quick and family friendly! Also, the margaritas are terrific!!!

So we have been staying in Ponchatula and have to eat out often. El Rancho is great, they have 3…read morelocations near home so we know the food is going to be good! The servers are always great here and the restaurant is always clean! Julie has a peach margarita sometimes and loves theirs! I recommend the tacos carne asada, the special hot sauce that comes with it is wonderful!!

I've been to this location a few times. I'm never disgusted or completely disappointed, but I'm…read morealso never wowed. Whether it's dining in or takeout, they barely give sauce for the boiled food. Other locations, it's enough to coat all the seafood and extra for dipping. Here, it's barely enough to cover the seafood. The last time I recently went, the food was cooked properly. Some days, it seems like food was either cooked the day before or repeatedly reheated, bc the shrimp are mushy and falling apart and the crabs are hard to break but dry inside.

Service was excellent the tables were well attended. Desene made sure we had everything we needed.read more

Food and service was great. They have a good lunch menu. Seems like they did a little remodeling…read moresince the previous business that was here and it looks clean.

Great food! Comfortable and clean restaurant! We walked in for a late lunch and were seated right…read moreaway. Very reasonable house wine $ and the trio fajitas were delicious!

This place is so dope. The prices are really good (Tues+Thurs 2 for 1, Sunday's $5 large) and the…read moredaiquiris are good and strong! That alone is enough for four maybe five stars (literally all you look for in a daiquiri place, price, selection and strength). What puts Rainbow over the top is their customer service. I've stopped by this place a lot this summer and am always treated great. The staff are always friendly and willing to give good recommendations. Most recently, Molly really came through for us when we passed through taking advantage of the Sunday deal. They are very conveniently located close to the interstate so swing by as you pass through Hammond! They've got a drive through which makes it even easier.

2 for Tuesdays!!!! Love this place. They have a drive…read morethrough but going inside is always quicker. They have pool tables but the two times I visited this week, they had signs up that the pool tables were closed. The best part about Daiquiris is that you can mix flavors. First visit I had piña colada, second visit I had a tropical piña colada. I personally wasn't a fan of this flavor. Service is amazing, the staff is attentive, and the ambiance is a vibe. Like a small bar, but not dirty or seedy.

Since I posted this review from 4 years ago, we'd like to say that our love of Pontchartrain…read moreVineyards has grown exponentially. *My wife & I had our wedding reception there two years ago in March and we had family & friends flying in and driving in from all over. Many of them are well-traveled and were pleasantly shocked at this gem hidden away in Louisiana horse country. *Thru the Jazz In The Vines events we've met and made many new friends that we jokingly call the Wino Club. *Lincoln and Melissa run an easygoing, friendly operation that greets you with open arms and warm smiles. *Lincoln's love of winemaking shows itself in the quality and accessibility of his wines. We especially love the Grenache. *I don't know how Lincoln does it but he consistently books some top-flight musicians for their Spring and Fall concert series. *In addition to the Spring and Fall concerts, the Wine Club members enjoy excellent benefits like wine & food pairing events and great prices on wines that are already at a bargain price-point. *during the Jazz events, the ladies behind the bar may be busier than hungry alligators at a petting zoo but they will always have time to ask how you are doing, give you a smile and show you how much they appreciate your patronage. Who knows; maybe it's cuz they have eaten my homemade Florida Smoked Fish Dip! So stop back by and let the cares of the world slip away. See you soon!

You'll never mistake Pontchartrain Vineyards' tasting room for one of the distination wineries in…read moreNapa Valley. The building reminded me more of what I would encounter in northern Sonoma, to the west of Healdsburg, or further south in the Paso Robles region. The tasting room is a decent size, although as I was the only visitor at the time, it seemed quite large. Quite a different experience from trying to enter on a Saturday night of a Jazz'n in the Vines concert. There is a patio terrace next to the building which overlooks the vineyard. Since it was a blazing hot June afternoon, I stayed inside rather than sit on the patio. There were seven wines to taste for a modest $5 fee. Four were from sourced grapes (California), two were American/French hybrids grown on the estate and the final was from a native American cultivar, also grown on the estate. All vintages were between 2005 & 2007, except for the recently released Syrah/Cabernet blend which is a 2009. I liked the Roux Saint Louis (a white wine based on the Blanc du Bois grape) as a nice summer wine. The Rouge Militaire is based on the American Cynthiana/Norton (a native red grape). It's a heavier red wine, and still needs a little time to open up. John Seago, the winemaker is often behind the bar, in the tasting room, but was out working the fields on this trip.