Where to score $1.50 martinis in the French Quarter
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
There's nothing so luxurious as a long, lazy New Orleans lunch.
Zoom in: That's exactly what I enjoyed on a recent midweek afternoon when Cindy Brennan sent along an invite to join her at Mr. B's Bistro for a media lunch. And who am I to say no?
The big picture: Brennan is part of the Brennan family tree, which has elevated New Orleans entertaining and dining for decades.
- Cindy's branch of that tree opened Mr. B's in 1979 as she raised her own family in French Quarter apartments nearby.
- Since then, Mr. B's has became known for serving up Louisiana standards with elegance. Think super-dark gumbo, barbecued shrimp, fried chicken, oysters and rich pecan pie.
What I ordered: The Gumbo Ya-Ya ($11) and grilled redfish ($32), which came with pecan-studded popcorn rice and a lemon butter sauce I poured over the entire plate to avoid missing any of the citrusy goodness.
- The sweetest part of my meal, literally and figuratively, was a salty, hot buttered pecan pie ($11) served with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream that barely had time to melt before I'd finished the whole thing.
What I didn't order, because it was, unfortunately, a work day, was a martini.
- Mr. B's has them for just $1.50 (!!) during lunch Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with the purchase of an entree. Bloody Marys are available for the same price then, too.
Pro tip: If you drive, Mr. B's French Quarter location can make parking tricky.
- But the restaurant has a deal with the Solari valet on Iberville between Bourbon and Royal streets, so you can score $5 parking and walk in from the garage through the kitchen.
