Empire - New Orleans

Let me start... I'm 40 years old. While I might look younger... I could pull 35 at most. The man at the bar knew me. First card I got in 10 bars. Oddly enough that I left my ID in the hotel. This man wouldn't serve me. I had pictures of my ID and passport. No. While these have worked for me in the past at the airport, it did not work here. That wouldn't be so much of a peeve if other people at the bar wouldn't get a bad ID right next to me. The drinks were good and the other bartender apologised, but come on.

Empire Bar is the place to go if you are looking for great drinks and small bits. This bar has a happy hour Wednesday-Saturday with drinks for $5.00. The ambiance here is nice and quiet. So in order to find the Empire Bar you have to find Broussards restaurant. The bar is located in the same building and is next to the restaurant. The service here is great and all the drinks and food look ok like art.

We are in our 6th year here in New Orleans, Covid is a little bit behind us (or we are learning to cope with it) and have decided it 's time to try iconic restaurants we have not yet enjoyed. One word about Broussards- NO! I am giving one star for the fact that our greeters were nice and our waiter was very professional. The food was the worst we have eaten in New Orleans, seriously. The wilted salad tasted as if it had been plated before lunch, the pumpkin bisque was thicker than a vegetable puree (though it tasted fine). The main courses, the duck my husband could not find except that piece of gristle in a think glop in the bowl was inedible and seriously unappetizing to look at and the tofu I had was just almost ok. Desserts were a bust- the crumble had been doused with vinegar (not joking- did someone grab a wrong bottle) and the cake was meh. We have had some terrific food here in town- Lisette and Achafayala are favorites and Shaya 's restaurant is fabulous. El Pavo is a terrific Mexican restaurant.Susan Spicer is an amazing chef. Commanders is OK and Upperline was good when it was open. So I guess we will do better research before our next outing! Here is to good dining in NOLA.

Sat in the bar area during happy hour. My sister and I tried several different signature drinks. $5 during happy hour. The price allowed us to try things we normally would not have. Had a few of their delicious appetizers too. So good.

For appetizers, we ordered Duck and Andouille Gumbo and Deviled Eggs, both of which were beautifully presented. My husband chose the Croque Madame Rosalie, while I went for the Satsuma Creamsicle Pain Perdu, and both dishes were absolutely divine. The atmosphere was wonderful, enhanced by a jazz band that serenaded us and other tables with special songs. For dessert, we indulged in Grand Marnier Crème Brûlée and Café Brulot Diabolique, both of which were exquisitely presented. Our servers, Lindsey and Selena, provided impeccable service throughout our visit. Overall, it was an exceptional experience, and we will definitely be returning!