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  • The Italian Barrel

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The Italian Barrel
The Italian Barrel

The Italian Barrel Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.italianbarrel.com
  • Phone: (504) 569-0198
  • Hours of Operation: Lunch & Dinner: Monday - Sunday: 11:00am - 10:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Executive Chef: Samantha Castagnetti /Owner
  • Dress Code: Business Casual
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Bar Dining, Beer, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Smoking Area (patio only), View, Wheelchair Access, Wine, Wine Bar

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Decatur Street
  • Public Transit: Street car stops just one block away
  • Parking: No
  • Parking Details: French Market parking lot located 1 block away on the river.
A word from The Italian Barrel
Fine dining awaits you in our intimate dining area both indoors and outdoors as well as seating at our premier bar. Our marble-top bar greets you upon entry, you will find yourself in candle light looking at white linen tables that are positioned on beautiful wood and brick flooring surrounded by… bottles of fine Italian wines. The Chef and Owner brings her city in Northern Italia to you via overnight shipments of imported Italian food and boast over 40 wines almost all are served by the glass- Authentic food is an understatement - this is the real thing. Continued
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerItalian
  • Diners' Choice WinnerOutdoor Dining
Diner Reviews
  • "The Italian Barrel was perfect for ending a three day vacation that had been filled with Creole food. Outstanding service, spectacular desserts."
    Dined on 7/20/2014
  • "Outstanding Italian cuisine from appetizer to the dessert. Definitely want to dine after sunset there with candlelight for a romantic evening. The staff was excellent, giving great suggestions for entree. Only negative was a lady behind us had an obnoxious loud laugh, in the small dining area. Was nice and quiet before she came in to dine."
    Dined on 7/19/2014
  • "All was great but the sorbet with white chocolate is the best in class for a light summer dessert. Thanks Italian Barrel"
    Dined on 7/19/2014
  • "We have wanted to try it for some time. Very glad we did. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal."
    Dined on 7/18/2014
  • "When I think of New Orleans food, I don't normally think Italian but this place is definitely worth a visit. True, authentic Italian food in a quaint charming building. This will be a regular stop on future trips to NOLA!"
    Dined on 7/16/2014
  • "Everything about our experience this evening was fantastic. The service was superb and the desserts were more than amazing! I loved every dessert so much that I consider them being an option for wedding desserts. I hope they'd be able to cater. The chef has obviously done a great job of thinking through details. I ordered the sea bass of the evening and it was delicious. Again, great date night and even taking a small number of clients to this amazing little gem in the French quarter."
    Dined on 7/9/2014
  • "The Italian Barrel was such a special treat. We felt so much at home in the warm, cozy Italian restaurant and felt we had traveled to Northern Italy for a great meal. The food was unsurpassed in New Orleans! Our waiter was from Venice, young and energetic and helped us with menu selections! The entire wait staff was so friendly and so efficient. We can't wait to go back to experience the ambiance and great food!"
    Dined on 7/6/2014
  • "Great food, excellent service, and a really fun atmosphere. Small, but cozy. Best to go in a group of 4 or less-great for couples."
    Dined on 7/6/2014
  • "My grandmother is 100% Italian, right off the boat from Naples. Not much can rival her homemade meatballs, fettucine, and gravy in her little home in South Philadelphia. I was skeptical to try Italian food outside of Philly, but Italian Barrel's red sauce is absolutely delicious. Everything from the bruschetta, caprese salad to the truffle ravioli and penne pasta with italian sausage was pleasing to the pallette. I highly recommend this restaurant for Italians and non-Italians alike. Delicious. And the wait staff is adorable."
    Dined on 7/5/2014
  • "BUT this time I was disappointed. I had the veal porcini and I did not find it flavourful. Service was very good as usual. I wish they would tailor their prices for the locals."
    Dined on 7/5/2014
  • "Great staff. Very cozy bar. Great street side tables to take in the quarter. The portions are huge. Split everything. Put this one in your rotation."
    Dined on 7/4/2014
  • "For us this is still the most authentic Italian (not Italian-American!) restaurant in the New Orleans area. The chef/proprietor is from Verona and uses the finest ingredients, frequently imported, to achieve a true Italian quality of dining. Yes it is cramped and can be noisy but it is also quite attractive and they are expanding soon."
    Dined on 7/3/2014
  • "Have eaten here several times. Its convenient to our house in the FQ & the food is normally fabulous. The restaurant is TINY, so if you feel claustrophobic easily, this is not the place for you. My raviolis were dry & bland, and my sausage was cut up in little bits and overcooked. My partners food was fine. The check came and we were charged $9 for the side pasta, and $10 for the side of sausage! I could have ordered my usual lump crab pasta and come out cheaper! The curt service, the chef's lack of respect for her patrons (parking on the sidewalk at the entrance to her restaurant, then lingering for several minutes smoking out the window in her vehicle before leaving) and the price gouging on the sides really left a bad taste in our mouth."
    Dined on 6/30/2014
  • "Awesome Italian food in the middle of the French Quarter. Service, very attentive! Make sure to make an OpenTable reservation as they only have about 6 tables inside. Second timer!!"
    Dined on 6/29/2014
  • "Have been to the barrel many times. It so awesome. Glad to hear they are expanding."
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "We have eaten at The Italian Barrel several times. It is a must, for us, when we are in New Orleans. A local find!!"
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "We were very disappointed. Our last visit here had been a wonderful experience. We had a corner table near the bathroom and were bumped by everyone using the facilities. They were out of lasagna, which 2/4 diners wanted. Food took 2 hours and was served one entree at a time. We were not offered refills on wine. In a 3 hour time period, I was only able to get 2 glasses of wine. When we asked about the status of our orders, we were basically chided by the manager. Dinner should not take 3 hours! We will not return."
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "I took my 23 year old daughter to dinner for FestiGals! It was wonderful! I have been to the Italian Barrel a few times, but it was her first time. She loved it! We had wonderful service from a handsome waiter. She's ready to go back, and so am I!"
    Dined on 6/20/2014
  • "Outstanding Italian Food in the French Quarter. Quaint restaurant with some of the best Italian Food I've had anywhere. The service is outstanding I we loved everything about our experience there!"
    Dined on 6/20/2014
  • "We has reserved a table, as it was our anniversary dinner. Rerferred by our innkeeper at The Soniat House. Inside seating area small and intimate. The dinner was pricy and poor. The clam apetizer was not notable, and the filet mignon special was dry and tasteless. We were very disappointed. Our waiter however was excellent, and the restaurant slpit the two (2) dishes was asked (we had split (shared) the apetizer clams, and the entre and pasta dishes. still we were disappointed in the qulaity if the food generally. even though we had booked thru Open Table, no mention was made of our anniversary,but the wait staff was indeed excellent."
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "Waitress was very inattentive and had a very flat affect. We've been many times and loved the restaurant....this time the food was not up to par and service was horrible. Doubt that we will return."
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "Unbelievable food, terrific wines, delicious desserts, great service. We love to sit outside across from the US mint and around the corner from the French Market"
    Dined on 6/15/2014
  • "bruschetta starter, pasta second, and veal entree make for a perfect meal enjoyable small wine list with familiar bottles from visits to Italy 7 cramped tables available by reservation made friends with the couple next to us and exchanged tastes of meal"
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "Italian Barrel is by far my favorite authentic Italian restaurant in NOLA. Excellent food, wine and service."
    Dined on 6/13/2014
  • "Very disappointing. Food quality for this calibar of a restaurant was well below par for the pricing. Pasta was cold and very small portion for the price. The meat sauce had no flavor and the gnocci was over cooked. We had to ask for drink refills as the wait staff socialized. Overall extremely disappointed."
    Dined on 6/8/2014
  • "Don't let the name fool you. This is not your standard Italian. Very nice wine list. Beautifully prepared food with a taste that will have you looking up to heaven. Will spend over $100/person but you won't mind. Excellent service. What a lovely evening!"
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "The place wasn't busy at all yet the Waitress took forever to bring water, bread, take our order and she never came back to ask us how our food was. "
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "This was our first time dining here and it won't be our last. We are frequent visitors to New Orleans and wanted to try something new and are very excited that we found the Italian Barrel. We visited with friends and we all were very pleased with our meals, wine list service and ambience. The hostess and out waitress treated us as though we were regular customers and very helpful with wine and entree recomendations. We can't wait to go back!!"
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "A little crowded. Don't feel like you can really relax and enjoy because you are so squished next to other diners."
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "Great staff, professional yet friendly...service is always attentive."
    Dined on 5/31/2014
  • "This is the best place to get authentic Italuan food!!! Best kept scret in Nola"
    Dined on 5/27/2014
  • "Small restaurant very charming and delicious. Service was very good. We did not have any of the specials ..although they sounded great we went for right off the menu. Wonderful "
    Dined on 5/26/2014
  • "I found this restaurant by accident and am so glad! It is a very small restaurant in the French Quarter near the river. Service is extremely prompt. Wait staff very knowledgeable and pleasant, contributing to a wonderful atmosphere. As my group is a mix of carnivores and vegetarians, it can be difficult to find excellent, creative restaurants that accomdate everyone's tastes. The Italian Barrel exceeded our expectations. We were pleased with our entrees that included chilean sea bass and pumpkin ravioli. Their wine list is excellent, as were the appetizers and after dinner drinks that we had. Suggest reservations, as I saw them having to turn several people away. If I get back to New Orleans, my first dinner reservation will be made here."
    Dined on 5/25/2014
  • "the lasagna, veal chop and sea bass were AWESOME. One of the best meals I've had and I live in the FQ so I have many choices. Definitely a keeper."
    Dined on 5/23/2014
  • "We were looking for something new when we were recommended by a friend to go to Italian Barrel. The food was very authentic, service was great. It was, however, quite noisy in the small dining area. We will definitely return."
    Dined on 5/22/2014
  • "DO NOT DINE HERE! The worst dining experience ever. I do not advise you to spend your time or money at this establishment. We had a far better experience at Del Monico’s and spent less $ there. We waited for 1.5 hours for our appetizers to come out and consumed a full bottle of wine between the two of us before our dinner arrived. Our waiter said nothing about the delay. The manager eventually came out and only offered excuses. She was not willing to come up with solutions instead, she talked back to us. Between the 6 of us, we spent $400. I don't have enough space here to give details on how horrible this was. This place was chosen as a birthday dinner for a person in our group and it was the worst experience ever. "
    Dined on 5/22/2014
  • "Although the restaurant is very small (about 8 tables inside and 6 fronting the restaurant on sidewalk outside), the quality of the food, atmosphere and ability to enjoy conversation with your companions made the dining experience at The Italian Barrel wonderful. The menu is small, but the selections are great and the food is authentic - or as authentic as one would find in the U.S."
    Dined on 5/21/2014
  • "What a find in the French Quarter! They have an intimate dining room with a few tables out on the sidewalk if you prefer dining outdoors. The wine selection was extensive and amazing, and the bruschetta was out of control. I am not even a fan of whole/chopped tomatoes & I found this appetizer amazing. Our server (I think his name was Jon) was knowledgeable, kind and entertaining. I had the penne a la vodka with lump crab & my husband had the chicken parm... both were outstanding! Such an amazing little Italian restaurant in a city known for its seafood/creole/Cajun cuisine."
    Dined on 5/19/2014
  • "Had a great meal with great service, would definetly return next time in NO. The scallops were fantastic and although the fillet could have been hotter it was great"
    Dined on 5/17/2014
  • "The Italian Barrel came as a recommendation to us and with much hype. It lived up to every bit of it. I would recommend this place to everyone."
    Dined on 5/17/2014
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Diners' Choice Awards
  • New Orleans / Louisiana Winners
  • Italian
  • New Orleans Winners
  • Italian
  • Outdoor Dining
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