New Orleans

Emeril's wine list punches above its size with smart French selections and a genuine commitment to aged bottles — but the markup is real and the by-the-glass story is unclear. Go in knowing what you want and you'll drink well; go in blind and your wallet may feel the consequences.

Solid Range

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Rotating Cast

Set & Forget

Proper

Chemin a La Mer

New Orleans · New Orleans · American, Steakhouse

Chemin a La Mer is a solid steakhouse wine list wearing a French accent — dependable, occasionally exciting, and priced for the occasion rather than the adventurous drinker. If you're here for the river views and a bone-in cut, the wine list will take care of you without surprises.

Solid Range

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

The Country Club

Bywater · New Orleans · American, Creole

The Country Club is a genuinely wild New Orleans experience that happens to have a respectable, fairly priced wine list attached — and that's more than most places with a pool and a clothing policy can say. Send a friend here for the vibe, tell them to order the Riesling with the shrimp and grits, and let the afternoon take care of itself.

Solid Range

Fair

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Tableau

French Quarter · New Orleans · Creole, French

Tableau is a reliable, well-curated stop for serious wine drinkers who also want one of the better dining rooms in the French Quarter. The list earns its Wine Spectator nod — just keep an eye on which bottles you're reaching for if the check matters.

Solid Range

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Set & Forget

Proper

Miss River

French Quarter / Riverfront · New Orleans · Creole

Miss River earns its Wine Spectator nod — this is a genuinely thoughtful list tucked inside a hotel restaurant, with a real sommelier and real producers backing it up. Markup keeps it from being a destination for the wine alone, but paired with the food, it's one of the better all-in dining experiences on the river.

Solid Range

Steep

Varietal Specific

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Set & Forget

Proper

Meril

Warehouse District · New Orleans · Regional

Meril is a reliable wine destination in a city that doesn't always take its wine lists seriously — with a real sommelier, a credible California-France selection, and fair pricing, it earns its Award of Excellence the honest way. Send a friend here, tell them to look past the obvious Napa picks, and let Lauren Briley's list do the rest.

Solid Range

Fair

Basic Stemmed

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Set & Forget

Proper

MaMou Restaurant

French Quarter · New Orleans · French, European

MaMou is a Burgundy love letter set inside a French Quarter bistro, and for the right diner — someone who wants to eat duck confit and drink Drouhin — it absolutely delivers. Just know what you're walking into: a focused, France-first list with prices that reflect it.

Small but Thoughtful

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

King Brasserie

Warehouse District · New Orleans · Creole, French

King Brasserie earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence the honest way — a solid, well-kept list built around reliable California producers that won't embarrass you on a business dinner or a date night. It's not the most exciting wine list in New Orleans, but it's a dependable one, and in a city this competitive, that counts for something.

Crowd Pleasers

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

Jack Rose

Garden District · New Orleans · Creole, Southern American

Jack Rose is the kind of place that surprises you — a lively, joie-de-vivre NOLA spot on St. Charles with a wine list that would hold its own in a more pretentious room. If you're eating in New Orleans and want serious wine without a serious atmosphere, this is your call.

Solid Range

Fair

Basic Stemmed

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Set & Forget

Proper

Gautreau's

Uptown · New Orleans · French

Gautreau's is a genuinely special room with a wine list that rewards the Burgundy-curious and punishes anyone expecting range beyond France. If you're going, lean into the Old World focus — this list knows exactly what it is.

Small but Thoughtful

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

Briquette

Warehouse District · New Orleans · Creole, Seafood

Briquette won't surprise you with the wine list, but it'll take care of you — solid California names, fair enough pours, and a setting that makes a glass of Jordan feel exactly right. Send your out-of-town guests here without hesitation.

Plays It Safe

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Gabrielle Restaurant

New Orleans · New Orleans · Creole, Southern American

Gabrielle holds its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence honestly — this is a focused, well-priced list built to complement serious Creole cooking, not impress wine critics. Send your friends here knowing they'll eat and drink well without getting gouged.

Solid Range

Fair

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Tujague's Restaurant

French Quarter · New Orleans · Creole, French

Tujague's earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence, and the list backs it up — France and Italy at serious depth, in a room that's been feeding New Orleans since before the Civil War. No sommelier and steep markups keep it from reaching Rager status, but as a Wild Card in the French Quarter, it absolutely over-delivers.

Deep & Eclectic

Steep

Basic Stemmed

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

The Grill Room

Central Business District · New Orleans · American

The Grill Room is the real deal for Burgundy lovers making a New Orleans trip — the list has genuine depth, the storage is proper, and the setting delivers. Markup is real and there's no sommelier to guide you, so come with a plan, but come.

Deep & Eclectic

Steep

Varietal Specific

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

Restaurant R'evolution

French Quarter · New Orleans · Creole

R'evolution earns its Wine Spectator hardware — this is a genuinely serious cellar that treats the wine program as a first-class citizen alongside the food. The markups are real and the list skews classic rather than adventurous, but if you're eating Creole this refined in the French Quarter, you want a bottle list that can keep up.

Deep & Eclectic

Steep

Varietal Specific

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

Galatoire's 33 Bar and Steak

French Quarter · New Orleans · Creole, French

Galatoire's 33 is the real deal — a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence holder since 2014 that backs up the credential with actual depth, a knowledgeable sommelier, and a room that treats wine as seriously as the steak. The markups aren't shy, but this is the French Quarter and the cellar justifies the trip.

Deep & Eclectic

Steep

Varietal Specific

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Set & Forget

Proper

Doris Metropolitan

French Quarter · New Orleans · Mediterranean, Steakhouse

Doris Metropolitan is playing at a high level — a 400-plus bottle list with genuine depth in Burgundy, Rhône, and Piedmont is rare in New Orleans, and rarer still in a Mediterranean steakhouse. Markups will test your patience in spots, but the ceiling here is high enough that if you know what to order, you'll drink very well.

Deep & Eclectic

Steep

Varietal Specific

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

Saffron NOLA

New Orleans · New Orleans · Contemporary

Saffron NOLA remains an open question until we get eyes on the actual list. For now, it reads as a reliable neighborhood option where the wine won't blow your mind but probably won't disappoint either—assuming they're paying attention.

Solid Range

Fair

Acceptable

Willing but Green

Occasional

Acceptable

Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse

French Quarter · New Orleans · Steakhouse

It's a solid, professional wine program that does exactly what a New Orleans steakhouse should do—pair expensive bottles with expensive beef. Just don't expect adventure or value. Come here when someone else is paying.

Crowd Pleasers

Steep

Varietal Specific

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Proper

The Pelican Club

French Quarter · New Orleans · Contemporary Creole

The Pelican Club won't blow your mind with rare allocations or adventurous pours, but it's doing honest work with fair pricing and enough variety to handle whatever the kitchen throws at you. Worth your wine budget if you're in the Quarter and want something beyond tourist-trap markups.

Solid Range

Fair

Stemless Casual

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Restaurant August

Central Business District · New Orleans · Contemporary French

Restaurant August delivers exactly what you'd expect from a high-end French restaurant in New Orleans — a solid, safe wine list with proper service and premium pricing. Come for celebrations and client dinners, not casual wine exploration.

Solid Range

Steep

Varietal Specific

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Occasional

Proper

Chophouse New Orleans – Prime Steaks

New Orleans · New Orleans · Steakhouse

It's fine. You won't drink badly here, but you also won't discover anything new or get excited about value. If you're here for the steak and just need a dependable bottle, it delivers—but don't make this a wine destination.

Plays It Safe

Steep

Acceptable

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Muriel's Jackson Square

French Quarter · New Orleans · Creole / Cajun / Southern

Muriel's won't blow your mind with wine, but it won't ruin your night either. If you're here for the courtyard and the ghost stories, stick to something French and white, avoid the overpriced Napa Cabs, and focus on the gumbo.

Crowd Pleasers

Steep

Stemless Casual

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Mr. B's Bistro

French Quarter · New Orleans · Creole Bistro

Mr. B's isn't breaking any wine list rules, but it's not embarrassing itself either. Come for the Creole classics, order something French, and you'll drink just fine — just don't expect any deals or surprises.

Solid Range

Steep

Stemless Casual

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

GW Fins

French Quarter · New Orleans · Seafood

GW Fins won't blow your mind with wine list creativity, but it won't embarrass you either. The list does what it needs to do for a seafood restaurant—whites that work, fair glassware, and staff who try. Just watch the markup on the big names.

Solid Range

Steep

Stemless Casual

Willing but Green

Occasional

Acceptable

Ralph's on the Park

City Park · New Orleans · Contemporary Creole

Ralph's won't blow your mind with wine, but it won't disappoint either. Fair pricing and solid fundamentals make it a reliable choice when the occasion calls for white tablecloths and Gulf seafood.

Solid Range

Fair

Stemless Casual

Willing but Green

Set & Forget

Acceptable

Chemin à la Mer

Unknown · New Orleans · French-Creole

We're calling this one on potential and precedent rather than confirmed intel. New Orleans takes wine seriously, and a French-named spot in this city likely respects the craft. Worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood, but verify the list before making it a destination.

Solid Range

Fair

Stemless Casual

Willing but Green

Occasional

Acceptable

Broussard's Restaurant & Courtyard

French Quarter · New Orleans · French-Creole

Broussard's treats wine like it treats food: seriously, traditionally, and with enough French backbone to earn respect. Yes, the markups sting, but the curation and sommelier attention make this a legitimate wine destination, not just a place tourists stumble into for beignets.

Deep & Eclectic

Steep

Varietal Specific

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Active Program

Proper

Clancy's

Uptown · New Orleans · Creole Fine Dining

Clancy's isn't breaking new ground with its wine list, but it doesn't need to. The list matches the room—traditional, well-executed, aimed at people who want a serious bottle with their oysters and don't need their server to explain biodynamic farming. The markup stings on recognizable names, but service is attentive and the cellar is properly kept.

Solid Range

Steep

Varietal Specific

Knowledgeable & Friendly

Set & Forget

Proper

Galatoire's

French Quarter · New Orleans · French Creole