Top Best Chinese Restaurants in Lower Garden District

"Delicately prepared sashimi does not usually come to mind when discussing New Orleans cuisine, but this tiny Uptown restaurant has created buzz and received accolades since its 2018 opening. Chef Hao Gong worked for years at the popular Sake Cafe, and he’s translated his skills into an innovative pan-Asian menu that displays Japanese and Chinese influences. Raw dishes—salmon with Asian pear, soy and basil seeds; tuna with dragon fruit and spicy soy—are super fresh and innovative, while hot dishes—tofu with shiitakes, wood ear mushrooms and lily flower; Gong’s mother’s pork and ginger dumplings—are creative and satisfying."

"Luvi is one of the best restaurants to open in New Orleans in the last few years, a petite and colorful Uptown cottage where chef Hao Gong wows with his mastery of Japanese and Chinese cuisines. Gong, who worked for years at Sake Cafe, delivers raw and nearly raw fish paired with the likes of cucumber and yuzu vinegar and pink dragon fruit, as well as Shanghai comfort food like dumplings, dan dan noodles, and bam bam chicken. The menu changes often, but can always be counted on for a range of hot and cold delights."

"A former donut shop, LUVI is a small, lovely restaurant with bespoke woodwork and pops of bold colors and patterns. The pan-Asian menu, not common in NOLA, includes Japanese dishes, plus some favorites from the chef's hometown of Shanghai. Try the Lion’s Head, a savory crab-and-pork meatball in bone broth; the Mala Holla, spicy slices of beef; and Chef Hao’s Mama’s Dumplings (his actual Mama’s recipe)."

"Experience the flavors of Hong Kong in New Orleans’ Lakeview at Ming’s. This casual Cantonese eatery’s menu includes American Chinese favorites like fried rice, lo mein and egg foo young. Or opt for Chef Ming Joe’s creations that combine the flavors of his hometown with a pinch of New Orleanian flare like Crawfish Velvet - a stir-fried crawfish dish with pork and black beans in a savory egg-white sauce."

"Tucked away by a Lakeview shopping center, Ming’s isn’t a typical Chinese joint. This Cantonese restaurant is open, airy, sans red dragon decor, and offers outside seating. There are cheap traditional lunch specials but chef and owner Ming Joe has a few tricks up his sleeve."

"By definition, that means they deviate from the norm, or the expected. Let’s be honest, it looks a little like the Department of Motor Vehicles when you walk in."

"Long before lines were forming down the street for Chinese grub at Dian Xin, chef Doug Crowell took a serious leap of faith by opening a little dumpling and noodle joint, appropriately named Bao and Noodle, in the Marigny. It was only 2014, but it seems like the dark ages. A time where Chinese food in New Orleans felt like a vast wasteland of Americanized take out joints frequented by the lovers of gloopy, sweet, bastardized versions of Asian fare."

"Quite honestly, Bao & Noodle is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the whole city. Not only does it have plenty of vegetarian options, there are also daily specials, seasonal vegetables, and daily dumplings cooked to perfection. You can’t go here without ordering the steamed vegan bao, scallion pancakes, Burmese tea salad, and the strange flavored peanuts."

"Whether you’re in the mood for Scallion Pancakes, sweet Sesame Balls with Red Bean Paste, or Yellow Curry, Mock Duck and Mung Bean Bao, there are always vegan options at this Chinese restaurant."

"Adventurous eaters love this Metairie hot spot for its exotic Chinese menu offerings. If bean curd skin, tripe with special sauce, and fried pork intestines aren’t your jam, crispy duck, orange beef and other traditional dishes more than suffice. Daily lunch specials are cheap and good."

"China Rose was my introduction to the New Orleans soup dumpling. A chef friend told me about it, and it felt like Fight Club. The first rule of dumpling club is to not talk about dumpling club."

"New Orleanians love Five Happiness, a sprawling eatery on Carrollton since 1979. Named for the Chinese tradition of five kinds of happiness: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and peaceful death, Five Happiness adds a full belly to the list. The crispy whole fish with black bean sauce is a winner, ditto the Peking duck, which comes with ten thin crepes for bundling."

"China Orchid in the Riverbend neighborhood has been around for more than 25 years, first opened by the mother of Joe Ming, proprietor of Ming’s in Lakeview. Ming’s mother, Susan, taught him how to cook Chinese food in the kitchen of the family-owned Uptown restaurant, which changed hands in 1992. It’s still a neighborhood go-to for Chinese takeout, with an extensive menu and delivery available."

"Carrollton Ave., (504) 865-1428; www.chinaorchidneworleans.com. An orange peel beef combo platter includes an egg roll, fried rice and egg drop or hot and sour soup."

"A little more than a year old, Wishing Town Bakery Cafe took over the former Morning Call on Severn Avenue, neighbors to the complimentary Sharetea Nola. While also a bakery, Guangzhou-born couple Vivi and Kevin Zheng version of Chinese specialties are some of the best in town. An extensive array of dim sum and cold noodle salads round out a menu of beautiful cakes and pastries, perfect for a celebration."

"Red’s Chinese is a favorite spot where New Orleans’s residents want to indulge in a spread of Chinese flavors. It is a modern joint with a playful design that, coincidentally, creates an inviting and inspiring atmosphere for all kinds of diners. A visit here will bring you face to face with dishes such as crawfish rangoons, kabocha squash soup, General Lee’s chicken, and kung pao pastrami among other inventive and delicious dishes."

"Take your pick for nightlife: Bourbon Street or Frenchmen Street. New Orleans is famous for its nightlife, and no New Orleans itinerary would be complete without including it: this isn’t a place to call it quits and head back to the hotel after dinner."

"The French Quarter is iconic for its architecture, jazz, food, Bourbon Street and of course, its annual raucous Mardi Gras celebrations. So, it makes perfect sense most NOLA visitors start their trip here."

"Preservation Hall played a big part in the revival of New Orleans jazz in the 1940s when the genre took a back seat to rock ‘n’ roll. Previously an art gallery, the venue was an accidental success, with musicians invited to rehearse at the venue by the gallery proprietor and jazz enthusiast Larry Borenstein. Now a full-time jazz venue, Preservation Hall features up to 5 performances a day from some of the most respected musicians in the industry."

"If you’re a fan of live jazz performances, then you must make plans to attend an upcoming show at Preservation Hall. Situated in the heart of the French Quarter on St. Peter Street, the venue presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans Jazz concerts featuring ensembles from a collective of more than 50 local master practitioners."

"Preservation Hall is a famous Jazz venue that dates back to the 1950s. It is located on St. Peter just south of Bourbon Street. Its grungy exterior and unique doors are instantly recognizable, as you can see in the image below from Spencer Horsman of Illusions Magic Bar."

"Bourbon Street is a little overdone as a New Orleans tourist go-to, but some must-see gems that are worth visiting remain. One of them is the Musical Legends Park, which is a small park showcasing the musical and cultural background of New Orleans, Louisiana, teeming with a rich heritage. Throughout the park, there are life-sized, intricately made statues in bronze of many famous local musicians."

"What is particularly noteworthy on Bourbon Street is New Orleans Musical Legends, a cozy park with live jazz music flowing daily. There’s outdoor seating available for you to enjoy the music and it’s connected to Café Beignet (the BEST beignets), if you’d like a snack along with your musical enjoyment."

"One of the most popular spaces for public gatherings along Bourbon Street that doesn't involve the usual tourist schlock and frozen hurricanes. Free jazz sets are performed every day from 10 a.m. till close, and families congregate here to enjoy them."

"Bittersweet Confections is a chocoholics dream, with owner and local chocolatier Cheryl Scripter steering the ship. The signature Bittersweet cake combines moist chocolate cake with creamy chocolate mousse, topping it all with dark chocolate ganache and handcrafted truffles. Vanilla, strawberry shortcake, and red velvet are a few other options."

"Well known for its chocolate confections (including a to-die-for chocolate king cake during Carnival), Bittersweet Confection also offers fresh-baked bagels, biscuits, scones, muffins, and croissants. Have a craving outside the area?. Fear not -- the bakery recently opened a second location in the food hall/community center St. Roch Market."

"While many at-home cooks have turned to stress baking, there’s no reason not to let the pros take over every once in a while. Get your breakfast taken care of with takeout or delivery from Gracious’ Prytania Street location. The quiches change daily, but a recent addition featuring parmesan, bacon, and roasted pepper makes us think you can’t go wrong."

"Cold-drip iced coffee and the “Kermit” Cruffin (a hybrid of a croissant and muffin) prove that Gracious Bakery has its heart in New Orleans. Savory lunch offerings and cakes are available, and of course, cookies. Every day, you’ll find flavors like oatmeal, sugar, peanut butter, ginger snap, and chocolate chip."

"The pastry cases at Gracious never disappoint, and neither do their donuts. When you make a stop here, pick from options like blueberry glazed, mango cream-filled with coconut or honey cornmeal—then grab a couple of baguettes to make sandwiches for later."

"When Iraq war veteran Kelly Mayhew’s life fell apart, he started baking—these days, he’s not-so-secretly one of the most capable bakers in town, selling basket loads of baguettes (and so much more) from an old snowball stand in the middle of a residential section of Old Metairie on Mondays and Fridays. If there’s anything left by the time you get there, the regulars might just fight you for it."

"Bringing a bar for those who like to mix work and play to New Orleans, the Business Bar opened at the end of February with cocktails, classic gastropub fare, and a vibrant atmosphere. Owners ​Jade Newman and Jessica Robinson are New Orleans natives that founded the restaurant to fill the void for a place that is conducive for people to get work done while enjoying quality food and drinks, even if it’s early (especially given an increasingly remote work reality). Small plates of truffle fries and fried Brussels sprouts, classic Caesar salads with grilled chicken or shrimp, flatbreads, and tacos are all available for takeout, too."

"The new Business Bar on Freret is a bar/restaurant targeted to those who like to mix work and play — here, you don’t have to worry about being a buzzkill by whipping out your laptop, or wrapping up a day of remote work while sipping on a cocktail. Owners ​Jade Newman and Jessica Robinson wanted to combine high-quality food and drinks with such a setting, and the drinks are a highlight indeed: seasonal spritzes, martinis, and frozen drinks, as well as a menu of “rise and grind” cocktails that include caffeinated options. View this post on Instagram"

"Local music fans, neighborhood drinkers, and curious tourists all come to see one of the city's favorite sons, Kermit Ruffins, in action at his namesake bar. Inside has the feeling of a tricked-out family basement, but with Mardi Gras colored tiling. The drinks are cheap, the food is (often) free, and the music flows like the lifeblood of the Seventh Ward."

"Before visiting New Orleans for the third time last fall, I binge-watched the HBO series Treme on Amazon Prime. The show is named after the neighborhood north of the French Quarter, where jazz music was born in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several of the lead characters are musicians; viewers are treated to a lot of terrific music."

"Are you looking for a great place to watch live entertainment around New Orleans, Louisiana?. If so, you should head on over to Kermit's Treme Mother in Law..."

"Saturn Bar's month to month Mod Dance Party offers visitors with enough 60's swagger to wind the night away. DJ Matty also DJ Kristen loan realness to the gathering's notch by adhering to a soundtrack involved exclusively of vinyl records from the period. Wearing Twiggy eye cosmetics, bouffants, cigarette pants, and realistic small scale dresses, the group accept the presence of the Mad Men fan tradition gone brilliantly astray."

"ClaudeWhat could possibly be the exact opposite of a place like Foundation Room?. Yup, Saturn Bar it is. Calling it a “dive bar” wouldn’t be adequate or accurate; this joint is a NOLA institution."