Dooky Chase Restaurant

Fine dining in a historic building. Gumbo was some of the best I’ve ever had. Chicken creole was loaded with shrimp and andouille, and the portions were huge. Outstanding service.

This place is exactly what it should be-an aging, elegant lady who does everything right, including making her guests feel at home. Food is classics well executed old-style. Service is friendly and good. Portions are large, especially of the catfish.

We came at lunch and had the shrimp salad and the seafood platter. We split both. Both had great flavor to them. We had great service from Hallie.

Delicious food and great service! This is a must when in New Orleans!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Celebrated my birthday at this iconic and historic restaurant with a good Southern meal. The most striking thing about walking into Dooky’s are the white tablecloths and formality of the restaurant and the striking artwork. Photographs and painting grace the walls and are beautiful. Really loved the stained glass! The hostess and staff are so friendly and assure every guest feels special. Terry took great care of us. We ordered four different entrees and they were all well-seasoned and delicious. My husband has declared the fried chicken top of his list and the catfish was fresh, nicely breaded, seasoned and properly fried. Have dessert! Make reservations!

my family and me had our pre-cruise dinner at your Restaurant on September 19th. We were a party of 7, celebrating my 75th Birthday. I wasn't going to send this, but my son encouraged me to do so. To say the least, we were all very dissatisfied with our meals. We were all so disappointed. It seems that you have two big pots in the kitchen. One with Brown Gravy and One with Red Gravy. These are some of the items we ordered: Shrimp Creole-shrimp with thick red gravy Crawfish Etouffee- crawfish in thick brown gravy Chicken Dish (Clemenceau or Ala Dooky)- overcooked and thick Brown Gravy Stuffed Shrimp- stuffing dry and very hard House Specialty Fried Chicken- over cooked and very dry Gumbo- Brown Gravy again Nothing was freshly made. No one ate their entire meal. You may ask why we did not send it all back. No one wanted to complain and put a damper on my birthday. Over the years, I have eaten here several times and always had a good experience. That is why I was excited to have my Birthday Dinner there. We diffidently will not recommend your restaurant to friends traveling to New Orleans

Part of this anniversary trip was to eat at this iconic restaurant. The staff made the evening something we will never forget. The service was great. The food was mind-blowing in its simplicity and magnificence. Make sure you make reservations, this is a seriously popular place!

Definitely not the same establishment my grandparents, aunts, cousins, uncles and other relatives patronized throughout the decades when Mrs. Chase ran it. Unfortunately the atmosphere, service and food quality went way downhill since she passed and would not allow what is going on today to occur if she were still here. It is as if the ambiance, thought, care and overall atmosphere of the establishment went with her. This is just more than a restaurant but an iconic cultural landmark that this dear lady poured her existence into and sadly, it's crumbling. Myself and a large group of family members in town to celebrate the legacy of a deceased member not long ago. Unfortunately we had a less than stellar experience, unlike many, many years ago when we would gather here. I hate talking this way about a black establishment, which I strive to support wherever I go, but don't see myself returning nor would I recommend it any longer to co workers, friends and other colleagues passing through town.

A Heartbreaking Visit to a Once Legendary Institution As a native New Orleanian, walking through the doors of Dooky Chase on September 24, 2025, for my mother’s birthday should have felt like coming home. The last time I dined here was post-Katrina, when the late, great Leah Chase was alive—moving gracefully through her kitchen, ensuring every plate carried her signature love, care, and the unmistakable soul of New Orleans Creole cooking. Back then, Dooky Chase wasn’t just a restaurant; it was an experience—flavors that wrapped you up like family, a space that held history, pride, and excellence in every bite. This time, however, what awaited us was a painful reminder of how far this legendary restaurant has fallen. We came with high hopes, ordering all the classics that defined Sunday dinners and family celebrations—gumbo, fried chicken, mac and cheese, mustard greens, red beans and rice, stuffed shrimp, seafood platter, and fried soft-shell crab. For dessert, we closed with bread pudding and peach cobbler. Each dish, we thought, would reconnect us with those cherished memories. Instead, we were left stunned at the lack of care, seasoning, and soul. The gumbo, though slightly flavorful, was watery and thin. When I asked if seafood was included, I was assured “shrimp and blue crab.” Yet my cup was barren—neither shrimp nor crab touched my spoon. For a restaurant that boasts itself as a cornerstone of Creole cuisine, this was crushing. The fried chicken arrived dark, nearly burnt, and biting into it revealed pink, undercooked meat. Mustard greens tasted straight out of a can—overpowered with vinegar, completely void of the slow-simmered, smoky tenderness that generations of grandmothers perfected. Mac and cheese, once the crown jewel of soul food, looked wrong before the first bite, and confirmed my suspicion with its bland, lifeless flavor. The red beans were the greatest insult of all. Hard, undercooked, lacking creaminess, and seasoned with nothing recognizable. No onion, no garlic, no salt or pepper. In New Orleans, cooking red beans poorly is almost a sin—this is the dish that anchors the city, and here it was unrecognizable. The seafood dishes were no better. The soft-shell crab was dried out and flavorless, while the stuffed shrimp were fried hard as leather, robbed of all succulence. Each plate felt like it had been rushed, overlooked, and served without pride. We prayed dessert would redeem the meal, but instead the peach cobbler and bread pudding were served in tiny portions, both lacking the warmth and comfort that should define Creole sweets. They looked and tasted like afterthoughts. For all of this, we paid more than $300 plus tip. We walked out not only unsatisfied, but with a heavy sadness—for what was once the heartbeat of Creole dining now feels like a hollow shell of its former self. Dooky Chase’s website still proclaims its proud history—its role as a gathering place for civil rights leaders, artists, and presidents. It still carries the weight of Leah Chase’s legacy, a woman who was not only a chef, but the Queen of Creole Cuisine, a cultural icon who believed in feeding people’s souls through her food. And yet, what is being served today would never meet her standards. Leah would not approve of food stripped of its love, care, and authenticity. As locals, we want Dooky Chase to succeed. We want to continue recommending it to visitors, to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones within its walls. But as it stands, I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone. New Orleans is filled with establishments still honoring tradition, still cooking with flavor, love, and pride. Until Dooky Chase finds its way back to Leah’s standard, it has lost its right to claim the crown of Creole cuisine. Leah once said, “You make gumbo, you make history.” My hope is that this family-owned institution remembers its history, rediscovers its flavor, and returns to the soul food temple it once was. For the sake of her legacy, for the city, and for those of us who grew up knowing w

Great service, awesome atmosphere and the food is excellent. You have to try the red beans and fried chicken. The chicken is perfection.

Absolutely wonderful food and service. I’ve not had a meal as good as this in quite some time. I’ve been to New Orleans at least half a dozen times and this is the first time I’ve visited - IT’S A MUST! Get off Bourbon Street for this truly authentic experience. And if you’re a Disney fan, there are a few treats of art as Leah Chase was the inspiration for Princess Tiana. Though, Leah Chase was a queen! Tips: - Definitely get a reservation (start looking a month in advance) - Plan to be here for at least 90 minutes to two hours. Food is cooked fresh, we had appetizers, main course, and dessert in just under two hours (two people) - Canal streetcar is about a half mile away, great for having a true New Orleans Experience if you’re coming up from the French Quarter

Great food, very nice atmosphere and the staff was very attentive.

Very busy but excellent friend chicken. We went there for lunch and it seemed like there were an equal mix of locals and visitors.

Been many years since dining here. WOW! Felt some good to be a historic setting in New Orleans. Food was excellent. Very popular and well deserved.

The history of it was great. They also have a wonderful staff. But the food was underwhelming. The gumbo had more a thin, watery texture. The seasoning of the crab stuffed shrimp was off and served with a few pieces of dry potatoes. But the bread pudding was good, served hot and sweet.