Dining recommendations for 11 men on a Friday?

[felton20]

My best friend is getting married, and we're of an age at which eating too much, drinking a lot, and smoking cigarettes offers more sinful pleasure than anything Vegas can offer. For that reason we're hitting NO this weekend for his bachelor weekend.

People are coming from NYC, Cali, and Colorado for this shindig. I'm organizing it, and want to show the people who have never been there what a fantastic city it is. We're eating at August on Saturday. Can anyone recommend a good place for us to go on Friday that can seat a party of our size and that's a little more casual?

[EarnBeau]

Crescent City Steakhouse. Classic New Orleans, good food, good value, no pretense, no attitude, no upsale for the $500 jerobaum of wine.

[Blumie]

Clancy's. Very New Orleans. Condusive to eating and drinking too much. Far less touristy than the usual subjects in and near the Quarter.

[pilaf]

I'd vote for Dickie Brennan's steakhouse. It has a great clubby atmosphere, excellent steaks, and is in the French Quarter for fun afterwards.

[bronwen]

I vote for Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse too.

[Bill Hunt]

Sounds like you had a much better experience, than did I. Food was OK, but service and the front of the house were horribly lacking. Note that this was pre-K, so things might have changed. I resisted a return, even though a nephew was doing sous-chef duties there, after my first (and last) visit. I guess that I need to go back, even though nephew is now elsewhere. I suppose that a restaurant can learn.

Hunt

[brixgurl]

try la boca in the warehouse district. big steaks, red wine and a casual atmosphere. dont miss the pastas!!
cochon for the beast ( pig stuff) if you prefer, down the street.

[Hungry Celeste]

I too was going to suggest Cochon. Casual, fun, good food with lots of interesting Louisiana items, plus a few interesting house cocktails (and a competent bartender). How can you go wrong with lots of pork? Hogshead cheese, fried boudin balls, fried chicken livers....good desserts, as well.

[Bill Hunt]

Cochon handled our party of 11 + 1 wheelchair at two adjacent tables. Not sure if they can pull it together so that everyone is seated at the same table, but it was really close. Same for Brigtsen's and a party of 12 - two tables, beside each other. Almost as good, and maybe we had a bit more room, than a single table for 12.

Hunt

[felton20]

Thanks for the recommendations. They all look excellent. Based on the pork content on the menu, we're hitting Cochon. I can't pass up fried boudin.

[jamielynn]

Yeah - your on point with Cochon.

My other suggestion would be GW fins

[Bill Hunt]

And, as referenced in an earlier review, G W Fins always gets (or has gotten) a big thumbs up from me. Wife even waivered on whether she liked her meal there, better than Brigtsen's! OK, for me, that's heresy, but still gives great perks to Fins. During our meal for five, there were two tables of ~ 12, and they seemed to not suffer at all in the service department.

Hunt

[Blumie]

I like GW Fins, but I have a hard time getting excited about it. The room, although very comfortable, has too much of a corporate, big-box-restaurant feel to it (quite the opposite of Brigtsen's and other favorite places like Bayona, Dick & Jenny's, Clancy's, etc), and the food, although very good, just isn't as special as places like Brigtsen's.

[Hungry4Good]

Do they still have the guinea hog as a special? Melt in your mouth pork, really. Haven't been there since June but so VERY special.