Le Citron Bistro is located in the quaint, oldest building in Uptown New Orleans and part of the Old Jesuit Plantation. Built prior to 1790 in French Colonial era.
We were the only party in the entire restaurant. There was no ice so the owner had to leave to go get ice which took in excess of 30 min for our party to receive cocktails and ice tea. The service was poor and the waiter literally was sweating on the food. The fish was cold when served, the steak had no flavor an all dishes (were either which were extremely limited) were served with either red beans or jambalaya.
It was a very depressing experience. Would not recommend. No wonder no one else was in the restaurant!
I lived a couple blocks from this place for the last year and just went for the first time a couple weeks ago. The ambiance was great and the building itself was very quaint (owner said its the 2nd oldest building in New Orleans). Food was fantastic and the girlfriend loved it. Had the the best fried green tomatoes I and my girlfriend ever had.
Beautiful historic building with lovely patio, cool ambiance, wonderful bar, attentive service, yummy food, eclectic menu, off street parking and plenty of on street parking too
The restaurant is located in a historic building. I enjoyed the atmosphere. The food and service were wonderful!
There are lots of restaurants in New Orleans but few have the feeling of timelessness and an ambiance of shear uniqueness as the Le Citron. You can tell that your meal was prepared with pride and that there existed a need to please the customer. Truly a timeless unique gem. Don't bother to go there if you are not familiar or uncomfortable with being treated like family. ...you would only take up space in this small and quaint establishment. Leave it to those of us who know better.
Terrific Sunday brunch of soft shell crab Eggs Benedict and smoked lox Eggs Benedict in an historic setting - very nice and a good value! While we were there, the staff was proud of the structure's history and they were quick to share their knowledge. The only seemingly "weak" area is the wine list. It's limited, which is OK if the choices are interesting and well matched to the food. The list could easily be upgrade to match the quality of the food. We'll definitely return.
We made an open table reservation about an hour before we arrived, and the night after the restaurant had a full house for New Year's Eve. They weren't really expecting us, so it was a little awkward when we showed up and they were surprised. They had a reduced staff that night to only accommodate a few tables. I can see the chance of this happening given the situation. The restaurant is in a quaint and historic building, the ambience is fantastic, it was very warm on a very cold evening. The food was also very good. The owner called us a few days later to ask us if the food and experience were good, and to apologize for their surprise in not expecting us. This made a huge impact on us, and we would definitely go there again !
Arrived in NOLA with no reservations for dinner New Year's Eve. All the "name" places were booked. So we searched Open Table and found this gem. The dinner was Pre Fixe and reasonably priced. I had the best gumbo of my stay. The steaks were melt in your mouth. The chef/owner checked on our welfare. It was a wonderful end of the year meal.
Great find! Love the charm and history. Good food! Servers were gracious and friendly.
A little off the beaten path, but a true gem. It's in a beautiful historic building, with magnificent features. The staff, from the owner/chef on down are wonderfully warm people who clearly take great pride and pleasure in what they do. And all the food is outstanding.
Terrible food! Worst soft shell crab ever. No meat at all. Waiter did not come back to check even though only one other table with patrons in entire place.
We went to Le Citron for my husband's birthday. The owner/chef joined the server for our personal table service, so that was great! They also threw in (on the house) a great pineapple upside down cake for his birthday, which was very nice. The ambience was nice - I was interested in the building's history and got plenty of information on it. We had the crab napoleon appetizer, which was good, but needed a little salt and crystal hot sauce for my taste (both were on the table, so that was handy). I had the shrimp creole which was good, but different than a "normal" tomato-based sauce. I felt that also needed a little salt and crystal hot sauce! My husband had the chicken livers, which he thought was great! Thanks David for a nice birthday night!
We had a very nice table in one of New Orleans' oldest buildings, on the old Jesuit Compound. The ambiance was great and the charm was wonderful. The menu was appropriately limited and the items were superb! We each had something different, with special raves coming about the soft-shell crab over grits. The beef tenderloin was tender and cooked to a rare perfection. We topped it off with some prosecco and the meal was complete. I recommend Le Citron Bistro to all our friends as a charming and great place to eat.
We had reservations for Mother's Day brunch. The two ladies who served us appeared to be aggravated that we were there and barely cracked a smile. The food was fair but a bit on the expensive side. The historic building was interesting to look at this once. We do not plan to return.
Very cool place. Good food.
The food and service at this little gem were absolutely top notch! Our server was totally on top of it without being overbearing and the owner/chef made sure all was 100%. Delicious softshell crab entrée was a highlight for sure!
Le Citron is the last standing building of the Jesuit Monastery, perhaps the oldest building in New Orleans. The crowd was light and Susan, partner of owner David, was kind enough to give us a history and her personal attention during the meal.
We meant David after dinner and he further explained the history of the building and his oversight of the complete renovation.
Don't pass up the fried chicken and beans and rice!
A fun experience. Very friendly waiter. Best of all, wonderful food. I had delicious fried green tomatoes, a local fish called drum, and bread pudding New Orleans style (with pecans). Venue is a very old house, maybe one of the oldest in New Orleans. Tables are nicely spaced, not crowded. There is a patio but it was too cold for us to sit outside.
Location is out of the way though, so make sure your taxi driver knows where it is before s/he sets out. We had an unexpected 25-minute tour of the Garden district for what should have been a five-minute drive from our hotel.
Wonderfully prepared food in an historic setting and with excellent service.
The staff at Le Citroen were very pleasant and accommodating and the structure was very old, a little tired, but interesting.
The salad was overdressed, pretty unimaginative and apparently not optional. The gumbo was utterly flavorless, and the accompanying bread was a little dry and not very interesting to begin with.
Our group had a variety of entrées none of which were remarkable and all were lacking in any creative flavor.
The atmosphere was quiet in that there were not many patrons in the building.
There are many restaurants in New Orleans to pick from and the prices charged were clearly not in alignment with the product delivered.
We decided to visit this restaurant on Thanksgiving this year because it was open, for one, and because in the past our experiences have been wonderful. Unfortunately we had a late reservation and by the time we got there it seemed that the food had been somewhat depleted and had been sitting out all day. We were very disappointed. Some of the items even tasted spoiled. And for the $40 per head price tag, I cannot say that it was worth it. I must say, though, that the server was delightfully entertaining and was also a really good bar tender. We were thankful for the good drinks, because it helped us to forget how bad the food was. I'd like to reiterate that I think this was an unfortunately event due to our late arrival and will certainly give this restaurant another go, as in the past it has been most excellent. And we do appreciate it being open on Thanksgiving, but next year, we'll go a different route.
We had two meals in the space of a week at Le Citron and had outstanding experiences on both occasions. The drum with etouffe was to die for. The drinks - especially the cocktails - were very generously poured. In fact, after chatting with the host, I was given a complementary sidecar, a free B&B and then a taste of a 15- year old tequila. What a great experience. Although it's a little out of the way on Religious Street, its well worth the cab fare!
We were very pleased with all aspects of the evening. Little quiet, but it was greatly appreciated.
The service & the food were top notch. We highly recommend.
The place: it's like visiting a museum or historic house. Stunning renovation of Uptown's oldest standing building.
The service: we happened to be there early on a Sunday when all the staff did not make it in to work. The owner was our host, bartender, and chef and did an exceptional job at all. It was like having a gourmet meal at the mansion of a close friend.
The food: everything we had was delicious and perfectly prepared.
It was our first experience at Le Citron. We went at the end of the Sunday Brunch. The staff was especially accommodating and friendly. The food was freshly prepared and delicious. The atmosphere of the building is most interesting. I would highly recommend Le Citron to anyone and plan to return myself - often.
Great atmosphere in the oldest building above canal street. Was quite as it was a slow night, food was great, large servings. Will return next time we are in New Orleans.
My husband and I tidally eat put on Thursday nights for our weekly "DATE NIGHT". We try and pick a different restaurant each week. Choosing Le Citron Bistro is by far one of our best choices yet. The good, staff and ambiance was superb!!! I would recommend to anyone loving a good creole quiet meal.
Very impressed....
Le Citron Bistro is one of those finds you write in your planner as a "MUST RETURN" location.
Yes it is off the beaten path a bit, but well worth the exploration to find. No it is not in the FQ nor the CBD or even the Garden District. It's about 5 minutes from the convention center. Driving past you would never know it was a food jewel. But trust us it is.
Order anything from the menu....we had the Red Beans & Rice Egg Rolls. I had the fried Shrimp and Catfish. My partner had the Drum. All were the best food we've ever had in NOLA. Yes, even better than Restaurant August and that is a feat in itself. The bread pudding was AMAZING.
We will be back again and again!
The food isnt refined but very comforting. The waitress was very Nice. The place was quiet And we got a lot of attention. The bread pudding is delicious! We will be back to try brunch.
This was my first visit but won't be my last. Great ambiance and service in historic building. Homemade hot bread and sea bass. What is there not to love?
LeCitron is a hidden treasure. It's rare that they are busy. The food is good. The owner is the chef and he does a good job of pleasing the palate. I wonder why more people don't go there.
Wooonderful food, all locally caught, very fresh.
Soft shell crab was exquisite and the chicken and gator sausage jambalaya that came with it--soo flavorful.
Yum yum yum
Le Citron Bistro is a place an out-of-towner would probably not stop in without a recommend or a little research. Very unassuming exterior. Very old building. Super atmosphere. We got a warm greeting when we entered, and from that moment on, we really felt welcome and special. The food was (so far as a Californian can tell) genuine Creole. I have a feeling that the menu changes all the time depending on availability of fresh ingredients. I had soft-shell crabs, and wife had Drum, a wonderful white local fish. I can't recommend Le Citron Bistro enough. Definitely off the tourist track, but still only a few blocks from the French Quarter. We highly recommend them as a New Orleans dining experience.
This place was so old, so cool, and so delicious! We were there when the film crew was blocking off access to your facility. Everyone was genuine, gracious and unecessarily apologetic. The food was perfect, uncomplicated, and the servers, beverages and bill were a great part of the experience for my first visit to NOLA!
We had family in from out of town and it was delightful because it was quiet! We avoided all the crowds in the French Quarter and had the courtyard to ourselves. The food and service was fantastique!
I really enjoyed the food and level of attention they gave us. With a party of 7, things can get hectic, but our server was outstanding and the food was delish! Thanks so much!
excellent food, service, ambiance!
The food at Le Citron Bistro was top quality and the price was very reasonable, especially for New Orleans where eating out can be pricey. I highly recommend Le Citron Bistro. It is located in a historic building (1810), so the setting has old world charm and character. The food, however, is modern day delicious. It is worth the trip to the Lower Garden district to eat at this hidden gem. Your taste buds will thank you!
Homemade bread outstanding.
Drum filet would have been very good, but was too salty. Ask for no or light salt!
They graciously took my entree off the bill.
FAQs
Le Citron Bistro is rated 4 stars by 96 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.