12 stellar special-occasion restaurants in New Orleans

With gracious attitudes and pitch-perfect timing, the staff at Arnaud’s is as happy about your special occasion as you are. Celebrate with tasty Creole plates and an effervescent French 75 cocktail. Not to mention an exquisite view: Arnaud’s beveled glass windows overlook charming Rue Bienville. Add a swinging jazz brunch on weekends, and toasting an occasion at this French Quarter classic is a no-brainer. In addition to the main restaurant, there’s a more relaxed sibling spot, Arnaud’s Jazz Bistro (set next to Arnaud’s main dining room) and a smaller annex called the French 75 bar for drinks.

This storied restaurant has anchored Creole dining on Royal Street since 1946 and is a go-to for birthdays or anniversaries. No festive meal here is complete without the bananas Foster, a flaming bowl of bananas, butter, and rum invented by founder Owen Brennan in the early 1950s. The cinnamon-scented show is the perfect ending to breakfast at Brennan’s, where the highlights are Creole-accented egg dishes. Stop by the courtyard every Friday at 5 pm sharp, when the staff sabers a bottle of Champagne (call ahead to make sure the courtyard is not reserved for a private event).

Antoine’s has managed to survive and thrive since 1860. The storied restaurant has outlived the Great Depression, two World Wars, Prohibition, and a pandemic. Through it all, a celebration at Antoine’s mattered. The kitchen cranks out some of the city’s most famous dishes, such as oysters Rockefeller and eggs Sardou. While dinner is a given here, there’s also a special jazz brunch. The grand restaurant can seat over 700 people at one time in several rooms that one could get lost in. During Prohibition, a door in the ladies’ room led to a secret chamber where a coffee cup full of booze was the reward. Finding the way back—well, that was another story.

Sleek, monochromatic Shaya was made for big nights out. Step into the uptown blue-tiled space, where the smell of wood smoke offers a preview of what’s to come. Pillows of pita bread, slow-cooked lamb, spiced hanger steak, and gulf shrimp kebabs are baked to perfection in a wood-burning oven. The menu draws from Tel Aviv’s ultra-original food scene, a blend of culinary influences from North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Greece. With all that going for it, it’s no surprise the celebration-worthy spot earned a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2016.

This intimate neighborhood Spanish tapas restaurant on Esplanade Avenue might just be the perfect date night or anniversary spot. The dining room is full of two-tops big enough to hold a large pan of paella to share, but small enough to have a quiet conversation. The menu’s greatest hits include tender strips of grilled calamari, garlicky mushrooms, and fideuas (an angel hair pasta-based paella). Save room for housemade almond nougat ice cream; it comes in a large parfait glass and is big enough for two.

Chef and owner Justin Devillier, whose expertise landed him a 2016 James Beard Award: Best Chef South, takes traditional New Orleans cuisine to the next level at this charming Cajun spot. From blue crab beignets to shellfish stew with collards, Devillier’s riffs on Southern flavors are spot on. The chef and his team can also create a specific menu experience just for your party, depending on what you’re celebrating. As for its name, the Creole-style cottage started its journey as the Central Tea, Coffee, and Butter Depot in the late 1800s, and the genuine hospitality is still alive and kicking.

Classy and sophisticated, the Grill Room promises a very splashy special occasion-meal. Its glitzy setting—wall-length, hand-painted murals, mirrored ceilings, and one dazzling chandelier—is fit for a grand proposal. Expect an impressive spread of modern Louisiana dishes presented with an artistic eye. Executive chef Vlad Kogan and chef de cuisine Alex Kuzin design an always-changing menu of dishes like wild mushroom steak and fried South Carolina quail, and, if it’s offered, the strawberry pavlova with basil panna cotta is a must. If you’re not here to pop the question, consider coming for the popular lunch special—a luxe take on the meat and three.

New Orleanians have celebrated anniversaries and birthdays at the Rib Room for more than 60 years. The restaurant earned a 2023 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience award for its wagyu dish served on fried rice cake with Cajun caviar and torched bearnaise, and it continues to consistently outdo itself. Chef Ronald Proano goes way beyond king cuts of prime rib and dazzles with local seafood like the crab salad with heirloom tomatoes and burrata. Before or after, keep the celebration going with a drink at Touché bar next door.