Review Bywater American Bistro - New Orleans

Very nice, love the atmosphere. Food was great. The bread was awesome; I ordered it twice! Will definitely go back. Enjoyed the company of my son, who took me there with my friend. Will go back.

I had an amazing meal here. The cocktails were wonderful, especially the Sent Lis. The music they had on was also great, from, UB40 to Social D, to Marley. Added to the atmosphere. My Red Snapper was delicious.

The food was excellent and the service was very good. But it is a very small menu and to be out of both tuna tartar and the roasted chicken at 7:30 on a Saturday night is unacceptable. Then at dessert they ran out of the pound cake. I get that it’s a small, busy restaurant, but it’s not as if the menu changes daily. Someone in the kitchen needs to step up and order better to meet the night’s demand.

Absolutely delicious food. Service was fantastic. Music was great. The staff was amazing. Can't say enough good things about this place all around.

Good food, romantic setting, decent service. The food was very tasty, but I noticed the portions were super small. It could be my americanized eyes being bigger than my stomach, but they were smaller. The smoked gouda dip with Brussel sprouts was really good. The service was swift and courteous. There's plenty of parking and a great space for a date night. I wouldn't bring children.

What a lovely Easter Holiday experience. I’ve been to many many restaurants, to either dine in or work and the Bywater American Bistro was absolutely my best dining experience yet! The staff worked together on the 5 steps of service. And even the bartender was bussing tables at one point. My friend and I are SO impressed! Every step from the greeting, to ordering our dishes, the timing between courses and drinks- EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING WAS FLAWLESS. Thank you Bywater Bistro for providing an amazing New Orleans Easter Brunch experience!!

My Hats Off to Melvin,Steven,Nina Compton, and the entire team for making our dining experience so amazing!! The food was spectacular, and the service was on point. We also experienced HIP -Hop night with a DJ, and a 360 photo platform !! What a fun night!! If ever in NOLA....CHECH IT OUT !!!!

Spectacular dinner and drinks! I had the crudo, cavatelli, the chocolate ganache dessert, and two delicious cocktails. I sat at the bar which looks right into the kitchen. Fantastic ambiance and wonderful staff! The bartender took great care of me - she made excellent recommendations. Don’t miss out on this place!

Stopped by for a quick bite. We were not disappointed. Lasagna is rich and delicious. Randall the bartender gave amazing service. Limited menu but everything extraordinarily prepared. You will not be disappointed.

The best food we had in New Orleans! Everything was delicious, the service was great and the atmosphere was very nice! We had the half chicken, the pork belly and the fish dish and we loved everything!! I can’t recommend this place enough! Definitely pay a visit if you are in New Orleans!

I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at this local gem in the Bywater. Maria was my server and bartender, accompanied by Randall, their master cocktail mixologist. He uses fresh ingredients like habanero, watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, etc., to create one-of-kind delicious, and unique creations that are sure to get your tastebuds dancing. I started my food Journey with the blackened octopus, cooked to perfection, followed by the burrata paired with peaches. I followed the recommendation of Maria and Randall and got the Cavatelli with shrimp and fresh herbs. It was much lighter than I expected, which was a welcomed surprise. The entire staff was welcoming and attentive. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent, qualities that will keep me coming back every time.

Such a memorable dinner! The drinks were flavorful and well balanced. The appetizers blew us away. Everything was plated to perfection, came out quickly, and were absolute flavor bombs. Highly recommended!

Phenomenal. The service, the cocktails, the food were all spectacular. I couldn't wait to come here after enjoying Compere Lapin so much, and I was not disappointed at all. Every dish was perfectly flavored and cooked. Nina Compton is the best chef in the business right now - nobody beats her on imagination or execution. I highly recommend Bywater American Bistro to anyone who enjoys good food.

Excellent experience! The food was fantastic and the service wonderful. They accommodated my wife's dietary needs with grace and class. They made her dish dairy free and we're knowledgeable about what the other dishes contained and answered questions easily. We were checked on frequently but not intrusively. They did a fantastic job!

A fantastic meal! She wanted to come for the atmosphere and wasn’t disappointed. Loved the service, drinks, and the half chicken dish! My wife rolled her eyes back in her head over her gulf fish.

Very fun atmosphere to dine in, and many options on seating. Food ingredients were fresh and local, with flavors that you want to just devour in one bite. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time!

Delicious cocktails, delicious food! We came in late but it was still busier. Sat at the bar and enjoyed a late night dinner. Definitely a fun atmosphere and you can tell the chefs care about every single order they prepare.

Staff welcomed us warmly, we were 2 and ordered: - Barbequed Octopus/ Smoked Carrot Purée - Ricotta & Tête de Moine Tart/ Hazelnut Honey/ Arugula Salad - Cavatelli/ Littleneck Clams/ Gulf Shrimp/ Pork Belly - Coconut Tres Leches/ Whipped Cream We were amazed by every dish we ordered and how good it was, the octopus was one of the best ones I've ever had, cooked just perfectly, the combination of the tete de moine cheese and tart was heavenly and finally the cavatelli entree was everything we wanted in this dish. Dessert was the cherry on top. Amazing service, knowledgeable people that actually care for you to get the best experience you can have. Chapeau bas, I will be back.

Another wonderful restaurant. I had the brunch while I was there. It was all so delicious that I felt like I should have been rolled out the door. My main meal was bananas foster French toast with grits and hashbrown potatoes. I started with the cold brew coffee that hit the spot. A very cool little place inside a huge building in the Bywater area.

LOVE Nina and Compere Lapin, but do not go to BAB expecting the same experience. My girlfriend and I came here tonight for our 2 year anniversary partly because we love Nina and have had multiple great experiences at her Compere Lapin restaurant. Food: Mediocre. We shared the Farro Risotto. Heavy handed with the salt is the easiest way to describe this dish. Otherwise, ok. She had the Yellow Fin Tuna Steak, which was very good, BUT...if you look at the online menu, Red Snapper is listed as an option, but it was not printed on our menu. Our waiter never mentioned it, but after we had ordered we overheard another waitress mention it as still available to her table. This would have been selected had we known. I had the Duck....and sent it back after it arrived at my table gray and overcooked. I confirmed with the waiter that it should be medium rare and not well done. I could not eat it. The waiter was apologetic and took back the dish and remade it without hesitation (this is only the 2nd time in my adult life I have sent back food at a restaurant). The second offering I received was much better, but still not even close to what I would expect from a Nina Compton restaurant. Service: Terrible. Our waiter was fine enough, but not hearing about the Snapper was disappointing. The gentleman who was delivering our starter stayed at our table long enough to drop the plate, state the name, and walk away. Nothing more. Very cold. The young lady who delivered our entrees was kind, but after she dropped off my 2nd Duck entree, she returned to ask, "was it worth waiting again for?" which I found incredibly rude and unprofessional. Overall I was disappointed perhaps because I had built up the expectations to be much bigger than I should have. However, either Nina's expectations are slipping or her staff is betraying and misrepresenting her. However, if I am to pay almost the same price point as a downtown restaurant, I expect the same quality food and definitely expect the same quality service. We will continue to patron Compere Lapin on occasion but will hesitate to ever go back to BAB unless there are major improvements to the service.

Talk about exceeding expectations! Nina & Larry & company have gone above and beyond with BAB. From the service to the cocktails to the food, everything is at once innovative and fits perfectly in its place. The one downside of Compere Lapin that I have always found is the noise levels and BAB has found the perfect blend of energy and ambiance. Our server Molly was friendly, knowledgeable and professional and really made our evening lovely (and was SO accommodating of dietary restrictions!). The cocktail options were beautifully crafted and absolutely delicious (and the wine & beer lists were well-curated). We tried a few charcuterie (the Foie Torchon might have been the best I tasted that evening) and appetizers. My pork belly, though fatty, was flavorful and never felt heavy. We couldn't resist and had to order all 3 dessert options, all of which were excellent. The riff on strawberries & cream was a perfectly refreshing ending for me. A warning on the nutella option though - major spicy heat! If I still lived in the Rice Mill, I know exactly where my paychecks would be headed... Still, I cannot wait for a return meal!

A sneak peak was most appreciated, so first of all thanks to Nina and Larry. Dining in the room were several of the top New Orleans chefs including Beard winners and nominees so the pressure was on. I’m gonna rave about two dishes but first, my fiancé said that the torchon was the best she’d ever had. Not being a fois gras/pate guy, I’ll yield to her exquisite tasre, after all she picked me!! We had the Fried Oyster with jasmin rice and gravy. The flavors of the gravy were unique and new, combining Carribean, South American and New Orleans. Combining jasmin rice with fried oysters was genius. We loved loved loved the snapper with broccoli rabe. Normally our gulf coast snapper ideas are limited to what we know. Dusk’s to a new take on an old favorite. In addition to the delicate flavor and superb texture the creative design of the peppered sauce over the fish gave an appearance of a tigers stripes, elevating the food to art. We will be back again and again.

We were regular at Mariza and wanted to try the brunch here. I would say it was good but not great. Thebfrench tiast is amazing with a very European crust and a killer sauce! I’ve had the breakfast corn dogs before at other restaurants and theirs were good but the oil was a bit hot ( on all fried foods at our service) and were a little burned tasting. The Bridget was dry and the eggs were great. The beans and bacon sides were good but not memorable. Overall, it’s a nice place but not one to run around town for. I won’take a final judgement until a number of other trips with more dishes as well as trying evening dishes.

Best food I've eaten in quite a while. Stunning old warehouse location, understated decor and the kitchen is right open for you to watch the alchemy happen. I had roast pork belly on wild rice with roasted cabbage on a creamy sauce, lots of tasty cheffy bits added for taste and texture. And a trio of homemade ice cream, I would have licked the bowl clean if at home. Gourmet food, decent portions and my bill was only 34 bucks, plus a tip for the friendly and professional staff. I could not recommend it too highly

Such a cool space it sells itself. Loved Mariza's but especially love this place. Had the red snapper and ordered every side on the menu and everything was delicious. Staff was friendly and helpful. Cocktails were tasty

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek and taste the amazing and delicious dishes Nina and Levi have prepared for BAB’s during their pre opening dinners. I cannot wait to go back and try the other half of the menu I didn’t get to taste. Favorite dishes: Picked shrimp Boudin Farro grains (sorry... I forgot the actual menu name) Rabbit Curry (amazing x100) Oh... how can I forget the great service? Larry and team make for such a comfortable atmosphere.

This may be my new favorite restaurant in New Orelans! 13th trip to my favorite city but 1st time at BAB. Wonderful, flavorful dishes with amazing textures and exotic flare! You won’t be bored here because everything is totally original and will affect your taste buds way differently than you’re used to! Wonderful staff as well. Our waiter Carlos was amazing. Knowledgeable and highly enthusiastic. You could see he loves his job and the food!

We were in town from Houston. Great food and exceptional service from hostess to our server Lally.

Great place, great food... Duck cannelloni were so amazing we decided to have them again instead of dessert... Looking forward to coming back and trying Brunch...

Excellent dinner at the bar last night. Great staff and amazing food. Loved it! Can't wait to go back but I might just have to order the Agnolotti again and again! The Mother Rock white blend was amazing. Seriously, I can't wait to return.

Wonderfully friendly staff, great service, and delicious food. They hit the trifecta!