Eating New Orleans on a Budget

New Orleans: Where You Can Eat Well Without Breaking the Bank

My mother used to complain that I had champagne taste on a beer budget. Guilty. These days, I don’t imbibe much champagne, but I definitely appreciate the finer things in life, especially good food. And where can you find the best food without a passport? Well, New Orleans, of course.

Go to Happy Hour

If you want to eat at the most swishy restaurants in town, but you don’t have piles of cash, do what I do: Go to happy hour instead of dinner. Happy hour times and menus vary, so you need to look up your favorite places, but I’ve eaten my way deliciously through town. It’s easy to find lists of happy hours, but call to verify as they often change. Note that most happy hours are only weekdays.

• At the Hermes Bar at the legendary Antoine’s, you can get $7 glasses of wine, $4 beer, and discounted cocktails from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Truffle fries and shrimp remoulade are $6 each.
• At Besame NOLA, you get a 5-hour happy hour on weekdays that runs until 5 p.m. It includes Chilean wine for $6 a glass, sangria with Havana Club rum and wine for $5, crawfish queso for $8, pork tacos for $3, guacamole for $8, smoked Gulf fish dip for $6, and more.
• Baronesse on Baronne happy hour runs Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. It offers truffle popcorn for $5, a charcuterie tray for $9, a cheeseburger for $11, skillet jambalaya for $12, and more. Drinks are $5 for the daily special cocktail, $3 beer, $4 house champagne, $5 house wine, and more.
• At the St. Roch Market, you can get $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas at brunch on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. You might have to roll me out of there … and they have an oyster happy hour 3-5 p.m. daily at the Salted Pearl. Raw oysters are $8 a half dozen, $14 a dozen. Also at the St. Roch Market, at this writing.

Eat the Specially Priced Meals

• Commander’s Palace: Want to eat at the restaurant many consider the best in the United States? Yes, you can spend hundreds at the renowned Commander’s Palace. But they always seem to have one meal on their menu that’s deliberately affordable — even for poorly paid journalists like me. At this writing, it was $45 for a starter, entree, and dessert. Note that they have a dress code, so don’t show up in a tank top and sweatpants.
• Affordable lunch at Antoine’s: Want to eat lunch at one of the most venerable restaurants in New Orleans, that opened in 1840? The dish Oysters Rockefeller was invented here. At this writing, Antoine’s is offering a $24 luncheon with two courses, available Monday through Friday. Choices include swordfish and butternut squash soup or roasted beet salad.

Free Cocktail Tour

The Sazerac cocktail was invented in New Orleans and often credited as the first cocktail in the country, consisting of rye whiskey, absinthe, sugar, and bitters. Now, the Sazerac Company has a museum and free self-guided cocktail tour of New Orleans that includes samples of Sazerac along the way. (21 and older) Tours Tuesday through Saturday noon to 6 p.m. The last tour starts at 4:15 p.m.. Tours last about 90 minutes. Make a reservation online at SazeracHouse.com 101 Magazine St. New Orleans. Phone 504-910-0100.

Ride the Streetcars

If you’re doing New Orleans right, your feet inevitably start hurting from all that walking. But this is what I do: I get on one of the city’s classic streetcars and rest those tootsies, while I get a fun, cheap, self-guided tour of the city.

• For example, the St. Charles Avenue line will take you through downtown hot dining spots, near the National World War II Museum, shopping on Magazine Street, and more. You can see antebellum mansions, Loyola and Tulane universities, and beautiful Audubon Park.
• The Canal Street lines run near City Park, certain cemeteries, Harrah’s Casino, Auduon Aquarium of the Americas, the Algiers ferry, and more.
• The RIverfront Line follows the Mississippi River and goes near Jackson Square, the French Market, and the Old U.S. Mint.

Don’t Rent a Car

You don’t need a car in the historic districts you want to visit, and it will be a hassle that’s expensive to park. There are plenty of taxis and Ubers, and you can take a tour or rent a car just for the day if you want to go out of town.

Take the Airport Express Bus

If you’re heading into central New Orleans from the Louis Armstrong airport, you can spend $30-$40 or more to take a taxi — or you can ride the RTA Route 202 airport bus, which costs $1.50. Seriously, this is a deal. Buses run every half hour to hour and drop off two locations in town. You might have to Uber from there, but it will still save you money. Note that the bus runs nine times daily, but some hours there are none. Learn more on the website. flymsy.com/public-transportation

Visit the St. Louis Cathedral

This is the oldest continuously operating Catholic cathedral in the United States, and it’s right across the street from the picturesque Jackson Square. There’s no charge to visit, and it’s worth taking a look. It dates back to 1727. If you’re lucky, you can get a tour from a volunteer docent. There are also daily masses that visitors are welcome to attend. stlouiscathedral.org

Free History of Jazz

Did you know that jazz music was invented in New Orleans, and it’s considered the only original American art form? If you’re interested in jazz, American history, or both, note that the free New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park is right in the French Quarter, and offers live performances, ranger talks, and more. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday. It’s free to visit, but closed on federal holidays. nps.gov/jazz

Conclusion

I hope I’ve convinced you that you can come to this pricey town, eat well, and still not blow the budget.

FAQs

Q: Can I really eat at the Commander’s Palace for $45?
A: Yes, at this writing, Commander’s Palace is offering a $45 meal that includes a starter, entree, and dessert.

Q: Is the free cocktail tour really free?
A: Yes, the Sazerac Company offers a free self-guided cocktail tour of New Orleans that includes samples of Sazerac along the way.

Q: Do I really need to rent a car in New Orleans?
A: No, you don’t need a car in the historic districts you want to visit, and it will be a hassle that’s expensive to park. There are plenty of taxis and Ubers, and you can take a tour or rent a car just for the day if you want to go out of town.

Q: Can I really take the airport bus for $1.50?
A: Yes, the RTA Route 202 airport bus costs $1.50 and runs every half hour to hour and drops off two locations in town.