ali rawlings
Best place on Magazine Street! The food is incredible! Can't beat their chargrilled oyster and blue crab beignets. ABSOLUTELY the best food I ate all week...so good I went back 3x! The staff are so incredibly kind and love to make you feel at home, like you've been friends for a long time. You don't find that kind of hospitality these days. It was a breath of fresh air! Keep it up and can't wait to be back!
M St. Julien
Casual spot on Magazine St. serving good cocktails and seafood. The service was great. My faves were the CRAWFISH PUPUSAS (Salvadorian Masa Cakes Stuffed w/ Crawfish & Cheese | Served w/ Salsa Roja and Encurtido), the SHRIMP REMOULADE
(Jumbo LA Shrimp | Fried Green Tomato | Arugula | Chili and Basil Oil) and the Soft Shell Crab Special.
Sarah Daniel
5 stars is too few!!! I dined here for the first time tonight with a party of 15 people, and we were all blown away by the quality of the food, service, and drinks!! The manager Blake, the hostess, the bartender (Tommy, maybe?), the food runners, and everyone else at Basin was delightful. The watermelon margarita is FANTASTIC, and my oyster Caesar salad was one of the best salads I've had in my life. The coconut-crusted snapper was utterly decadent. Thank you all so much for such a beautiful Christmas Eve dinner!! We will definitely be back!!
Teresa Daniel
An incredible little gem in NOLA. We came in with a 15 top with no reservations and they were so accommodating and provided incredible service. Our waiter was Blake and he was awesome! On top of the service the food was AMAZING. Everyone in my group got something different and it all was perfection. Definitely make a stop here when in New Orleans💛
Shane Ager
I ordered the jambalaya, and it was good. Slightly small portion, but flavors were on point. My wife order the Grillades and Grits, and I can't tell you how jealous I was. Easily the best grits I've had. Creamy, cheesy, so good. The short rib was perfectly cooked down and flavored. I'm wondering if they deliver to Illinois.
Stew Cohen
Service by Jessica and crew was fabulous. They were food knowledgeable and funny at times. They were truly interested in helping to make our experience with our dining worthy of a return visit. I had never had Jambalaya before and wanted to taste it. I thoroughly enjoyed Jambalaya Fumada as did my son. My wife ate a beet salad with fried balls of goat cheese. Normally I get a taste but not this time. She was savoring her meal so I didn’t want to disturb her gastronomic delight. Basin Seafood and Spirits is a fairly small restaurant in the Garden District of New Orleans. Sometimes the real gems aren’t the really big restaurants. I spent a lot of time in the French Quarter so it felt great to spend time in the quieter Garden District. I didn’t feel rushed or crowded. If you have time to enjoy the quieter side of life, check out the Garden District and wonderful restaurants such as Basin Seafood and Spirits. Don’t leave without trying the Banana Rum Cake.
Mr. Travel Fox
Nicely decorated restaurant. Service was very lackluster. It was slow down ihr only 4 tables but they were simply not attentive. Aircon way too cold. Everyone with the jacket wore it. Food was good. Caesar salad, shrimp ( they were giant) and a dozen raw oysters. Oysters ($30). They were $12 more experience than at a similar place I dined last night. Overall ok. Clean and nicely decorated. Just please give one server a happy pill and the other one something to be more focused/attentive.
Nadia Lynn
Honestly I just love this bar, it should be way more bumpin’ inside so patronize the eff outta this place!! Food is amazing and vibe is lovely. They play the Adams family on the TV and it’s just so cozy. Best fries!
jennimcfall
Very delicious and loved the vibe. Dark and cozy. Probably our favorite meal on this trip and not as pricey as many other places we've eaten but great quality food and craft cocktails just like the others. Short ribs and grits and charbroiled oysters were sooo yummy. I would be here all the time if I lived nearby. Thank you!
David Scott
Been here a few times over the years. Always good. Went for char-broiled oysters which are some of the best around. Bar tenders are always nice and fun, all the staff seems dedicated and professional. Food is great across the whole menu.
Sid
Exceeded my expectations by far! Six people in our party and we tried almost the entire menu and four of the appetizers. <br/><br/>The food was all great tasting and generous.<br/><br/>Honestly, part of the "surprise" had to come from the lack of ambiance and the staff.<br/><br/>The wait staff were all nice and friendly and mostly adequate dressed in black t shirts. The look was that of a pizza joint for the staff and the inside of the building.<br/><br/>The prices are surprising for the look of the place. However, the quality of the food and its presentation seemed to belong in a much more alluring place.
Leauxcal Tourist
I went for my gf's birthday. The atmosphere was very small, cozy and dim. Our spring water was $7. My glass of house Chardonnay was $13, it was ok. She had the Nola Mule $10 which was very good. I had ordered the seared tuna steak served with a cold ceviche. While the tuna was quite delicious the ceviche was just ok. She had the lump crab risotto. She said it was good. Overall the total bill with tip was $112. While the food was good. I found it overpriced for mediocre, considering New Orleans has so much better seafood options. We had a good experience but nothing here entices us to come back, "one and done."
Winford
Great food, service and ambiance! I've been hearing about this restaurant and finally got to try it last night. Being Valentine's Day, my colleague and I ventured out early for happy hour which is definitely worth going for to beat the dinner crowd. The Crawfish Mac & Cheese was my favorite dish.
Lil P
We ordered the oysters, beignets, octopus ceviche, and seafood sampler. Service was friendly. All the fish was fresh especially the oysters. Liked the quiet area of Magazine Street. Recommend to anyone trying to get away from the touristy part of The French Quarter.
Douglas Highsmith
Although the food was decent, the service completely killed this experience. Our waiter was so concerned about a big party that my wife and I barely ever saw him. We didn't receive one of our appetizers and found the octopus ceviche strangely presented. Entrees were salty and small. A 45 minute meal took two hours and our waiter had the audacity to ask if we were ready for dessert. Maybe rich locals get good service... Others need not apply within.
Lauren Landry Chemin
Went here last night with my husband to meet his family for dinner and we couldn't have been more disappointed with the service and the mediocre food. We had to find a reservation for 8 relatively last minute so we found it on Open Table. Charbroiled oysters were good but it ended there. Waitress couldn't have cared less about her job, my iced tea was never offered to be refilled during the 2 hours we were there, food took nearly 45 minutes with a full kitchen staff and an unfilled dining room, waitress never checked on us after the food was finally delivered. Gumbo was off, they used an undescript creamy sauce as "remoulade" which clearly wasn't remoulade. Normally my brother in law tips 50% but I'm truly hoping he didn't go over 20%
Jessica Cuevas
We went a few weeks ago... The oysters were so delish and we sampled almost all the appetizers. Brunch has all you can drink mimosas for $13.99 and that's pretty awesome. We will be back... The food was fantastic. Glad I found this place on restaurants.com!
AstreauxNot
Very good food, pretty crappy service. Enjoyed the fish tacos (pricey but exc flavor), the hanger steak (garlicky but well-cooked), and the mahi mahi over oyster risotto. I've had so many bad risottos lately, was glad to be surprised. they also had juke joint on tap which wins them points in my book, and date enjoyed her cocktail. service was super slow and underwhelming. servers were not old pros by any stretch. decor was alright, a little confused, what with the chic edison bulb fixtures, funky mattress spring light, and the ridiculous fish wall hangings and humongous TVs. i'd go back.
Delta
Wonderful Seafood Restaurant in Great Location -- A Must Try!. We thoroughly enjoyed our recent meal at Basin. My husband and I both grew up on the Gulf Coast and we recognize and enjoy good Gulf seafood. The seafood at Basin hits the mark. We enjoyed the whole grilled redfish. It was a huge portion -- enough for two. The fish was wonderfully fresh and perfectly cooked. The grilled oysters were great and the risotto with crab and and mushrooms was out of this world good. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The chef visited our table to inquire about the food quality. The American Mule drinks were good. They could have used just a bit more ginger flavor for my taste, but still quite good. We had a wonderful evening, great service and an overall super experience. We look forward to our next visit. Thank you, Basin!
Food Crank
We found mains and apps to be weak at best. Server gave us incorrect info on salad ingredients. Beer selection pricey for what it was. Deserts were excellent.
Cedar19942
Working thru a lil growing pains - the foods good, can be pricey especially if you're one that needs five dishes. Staff served in a team effort any very friendly. Management is listening and working to better themselves. I'll give them a few months and revisit.
Snootyblondegirl
I can't tell if the food is good or not because, and I'm not kidding, it is colder inside than outside. It's maybe 50 degrees inside. The food is cold, we are leaving. With no comp and we are the only paying customers. Really
Donaldjones900
Great Discovery. Just walked in. Oysters on the half shell were large, fresh and tasty. My wife had the tuna sandwich and really enjoyed it. All was good and service was fine. Avoid the lines at the other places.
Bill Nolan
This is a restaurant town and the bar is set high. This place simply doesn't make the cut. Way too slow, watery drinks, no sense of hospitality at all. Don't bother with it. Good was good once it came.
NinaBeansXX
Love Food? Don't Go Here.... My boyfriend and I LOVE to eat. He is a chef and I am a foodie... We stopped here because their menu sounded awesome. We sat in the courtyard which was awesome. Our server had little personality and left a little to be desired with service considering there were only six people total when we ordered our food. I got the chargrilled oysters, good, but not great. My boyfriend ordered the raw and enjoyed them. Our time was running short so we asked for our food to go, it took a bit of time but we eventually got our Zucchini Fritters and Basin Burger. There was little to no taste or flavor in either dish, and the burger patty was TINY. I mean TINY. It was also burnt on one side. The fritters were also some how burnt and undercooked at the same time. The french fries were practically raw with no seasoning.<br/><br/>Point is, don't waste your time. You're better off at Dat Dog where re we have eaten multiple times and had awesome service and delicious food, or Rum House where I have always been pleased.
RRR
Oyster Special. We went last night for the Saints game and they had a great oyster special going on with $.50 oysters all night. The oysters were ice cold and delicous. This was the only thing we ate, so I can't speak to the rest of the food but we had a great time and really enjoyed the oysters!
Ray Cannata
Not cheap but a nice addition. Entries were not cheap at $21-28. Specialty cocktails ran $9-11 each. And portions sizes for the four of us varied wildly. My seafood platter was enormous, but my friend's duck was tiny. The quality was solid, and the drinks strong. Service was extremely attentive. It was far less crowded than everything else in the area, but I don't think that was because it was getting bad buzz. A good addition to this hood.
Srichardsnyc
Bad experience. The seafood/lobster platter was interesting sounding so we ordered. When it arrived, the disappointment arrived along with it. The shrimp were old, the lobster was sad and the kitchen manager, 'Chris', well, she was even worse. We called her over to point out the concern and all she did was argue. She said she was 'giving it away at $65.00' and she would take $10.00 off. I wasn't asking for anything taken off, just a fair price. She said she seasoned it all herself and didn't understand why it wasn't good. I further explained, surprised why she was even being combative, that the product itself started off bad. ...that it wasn't her fault, it was just bad seafood. She still didn't care. After ten minutes, I couldn't take her lack of caring and inability to understand the root cause so we over-paid for bad seafood and went next door to the Super-Tasty Amici. Basin's kitchen manager, Chris, sucks. Go next door to Amici or Long John Silvers if you want better seafood than Basin offers. _Steve R
Dine Local
Not Happy--Hoping for improvement. I am glad Basin has opened, and I hope it will prosper, but after my recent evening there it has a long way to go to earn my praise. Oysters on the seafood platter were nearly charred, and therefore inedible. Amberjack in a special dish of the evening was nicely grilled, but then microwaved to reheat it before serving. How do I know this? It was tough, overcooked, and burned my mouth with steam heat that simple grilling isn't physically capable of creating. Unhappy customers.
Localyokel1976
This is a great new addition to the neighborhood. Very tasty food. Very strong drinks. And the people that run it are very friendly and know what they're doing. I highly recommend checking this place out
Baye Elizabeth
Went on one of the first few nights and was disappointed. I had a martini which was simply made wrong, the crawfish beignet was delicious but the service was remarkably slow and disorganized and it was for the most part far too pricey for what you got. Maybe these are early kinks but I do not plan on going back.
Mytheleneblue
Crawfish Lovers Unite!. Think of a crawfish dish infused with modern elements (or not) and this place has it... We had the crawfish platter (a crazy amount of boiled crawfish- to perfection, I migh add). Then we had crawfish beignets which is something I had never had back home in Texas before and it was just simply delicious and to die for... And, to top it off, we had these amazing stuffed crawfish heads. Pardon my ignorance but I can’t remember the name of the dish. The photo below will do this review much better justice. Do not leave without having a watermelon margarita, yes, even if you're a dude.
Tati Friar
TOTAL MUST FOR ANY TOURIST!. This is the single best seafood place in New Orleans with a rich history and authentic charm of the Garden District. This place is well-known for its fresh seafood, particularly their modern charm, fresh oysters and, the eclectic fusion that goes into every dish. If you’re a tourist, it’s important that you know that it’s about a ten min drive from the French Quarters but totally worth the trip (I CANNOT stress this enough). In fact, we would have never known about it had it not been for the insistence of our hotel concierge and a few recommendations from the locals. For starters, get a watermelon margarita which will not be your typical sugary over-the-top drink and order the gumbo. Their recipe dates back a couple of hundred years reason why it is garnished with potato salad (you're welcome for the brief historical culinary lesson). I would strongly suggest the tuna tartare (yellow fin tuna, watermelon, cucumber & a killer vinaigrette) and trust me, it won't be a watermelon overload. In fact, if it's summer time, you will thank me for the suggestion. These items go well with the scortching and relentless heat of New Orleans. After a long day of walking in the NOLA heat, this was the best treat -in the history of ever-.
Sandra
Great Food!!!!!. Great new seafood place to go. Have been there twice and service and food was exceptional. Have eaten the whole fish, oysters, shrimp and the latest the tuna tartar (which I never thought I would like, not to crazy about raw fish) but it was incredible. Will return for more.
Andrew J.
A Great Friday Night.... The outdoor dining experience that I received from Basin Seafood last week was phenomenal. The location of the restaurant couldnt have been better, as it is set among the most lively and hip part of Magazine Street. I feasted on tuna tartare and a blackened shrimp salad. My girlfriend's entree was the highlight of the evening (and everyone else's). I cant tell you how many people walking down the sidewalk asked us what we had ordered. This restaurant has the only authentic grilled-whole speckled trout in the city.<br/>My only regret of the night was not ordering a second Tuna Tartare; it was THAT good.
NOLA Diner
Two words - Charbroiled Oysters!. This new Magazine Street restaurant opened last week during Jazz Fest. I usually like to wait a few weeks after opening before visiting, but the menu looked really appealing so I gave it a shot. The restaurant is located in the former Rocky's Pizzeria building, and wow, they did a lot of work on the interior! It has a light, comfortable, welcoming feel to it. A nice representation of upscale casual dining. I went with four friends and we started with raw and charbroiled oysters. The raw oysters were fresh and clean, very nice, but the stars were the charbroiled oysters. These are the best I have tasted in New Orleans! No joke. For entrees, I split the whole grilled fish with my friend (speckled trout, but it changes daily) and my tablemates ordered the seafood gumbo and the stuffed flounder. The gumbo was really nice, with a complex flavor and loads of seafood. You can tell they really take their time to do it right. Bonus, it comes topped with a scoop of potato salad, which offers a nice contrast to the gumbo flavors. I didn't get to try the flounder because once my friend took a bite, she announced there would be no sharing. I can assume it was good! The whole fish was a really beautiful presentation (sorry no pics). It was served on a platter accompanied by charred corn on the cob. The fish was nice and moist and had a great flavor, and I would have gladly gone for a swim in the sauce! I also saw they have crawfish by the pound on the menu. Apparently they have a custom boil setup on the back patio. Something to try next time! To sum it up, go there. Great local place to get awesome seafood. You will not be disappointed!
Jessica Rae Hamann
Everything is delicious! Service was exceptional. Charbroiled oysters were fabulous. This place is on it's way to being great. Menu still limited, but every option available seems worth it. Everything is very fresh.
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