Antoine’s

A California native once commented to us, regarding the tuxedo-ed formal service staff at Antoine’s, ‘What’s with the waiters here? Dude, you’re just a waiter.’ To which we say: have some respect for history. Antoine’s is the oldest of old-line New Orleans restaurants, and the oldest family restaurant in America (established 1840). Kitchen and floor jobs are held for decades and passed down between family members, which is practically unheard of in this country. ‘Class’ is an understated description of the atmosphere, where the rooms all look like first-class lounges on the Orient Express and are named for Mardi Gras krewes. That said, the food is admittedly good but not great – lots of heavy sauces and sizzling butter over trout, crabs, lamb and the like. Even the great dishes this restaurant invented, such as oysters Rockefeller, aren’t the best in town, but hey, you’re eating history. Nowhere else will you feel as if you’ve stepped into a Rex Ball attended by Jay Gatsby. We suggest asking your waiter what’s fresh and following suit. Jackets required; denim prohibited.