Top Best Japanese Restaurants in Jean Lafitte

"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."

"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)."

"Nestled along Tchoupitoulas Street in Uptown New Orleans is Luvi - a light and refreshing Japanese + Chinese fusion restaurant. Its menu is packed with a handcrafted selection of raw bites, Shanghai comfort foods and Asian-inspired cocktails. With housemade sauces, fresh ingredients and carefully prepared creations, Luvi pushes boundaries and sets new standards for fusion cuisine."

"Gyu-Kaku will make a chef out of you by the end of your visit. This unconventional eatery allows guests to cook their meal themselves. Have fun creating Japanese + Korean BBQ classics like spicy pork, kalbi short ribs, harami skirt steak miso and much more."

"The place, in a former K & B drug store, is pretty in a 1990s sort of way with design wows like bright, multi-colored, Chihuly-esque blown glass chandeliers and bi-level white tablecloth dining (the top level is reserved for private parties). The sushi menu melds traditional Japanese dishes and New Orleans ingredients (see jazz roll, Uptown roll, and New Orleans roll on the menu) along with bento box lunch specials and a full bar including an extensive sake list and specialty cocktails. Happy hour happens daily from 3 p.m."

"Clearview Parkway, Suite A, Harahan, (504) 733-8879; Independence Mall, 4201 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite A4, Metairie, (504) 779-7253; www.sakecafela.com. A Clearview Roll features snow crab, avocado, crawfish, cream cheese, tempura-fried shrimp, smelt roe and eel sauce. Reservations accepted."

"Even though they call themselves a café, this is certainly an upscale spot. Make your reservations because it’ll book fast. They, too, incorporate New Orleans cuisine throughout their menu– some highlights include the Crawfish Corn Soup and PoBoy Roll."

"Flouting “California style sushi,” Metairie’s Kanno proffers the usual, along with an entire section of skinny rolls sans rice and soy paper. Available in half and full roll portions, these pared down rolls include the likes of the Elvis roll (named for the chef), made with salmon, avocado, and both snow and blue crab, and the protein roll, with spicy tuna, snow crab, avocado and salmon. A hefty sake menu includes sparkling sake, though it’s not always featured."

"Low key West Bank sushi spot Daiwa, known for its uni, karaoke rooms, and Hello Kitty aesthetic, opened a second location in Metairie a few months ago. The Vets Boulevard restaurant in a former World of Beer location ups the ante in space and menu, with the option of omakase (chef’s choice) dinners and new specialties featuring less common fish like Japanese striped jack and sardines. Lunch was also just added in August."

"5033 Lapalco Blvd., Suite B6, Marrero, (504) 875-4203; www.daiwasushi.com. Spicy City is a deep-fried sushi roll filled with marinated crawfish, snow crab, cream cheese, avocado and jalapeno and topped with eel sauce and spicy mayonnaise."

"The quintessential museum of Louisiana, the permanent collection includes nearly 40,000 world-class works of regional, national and international art, such as Picasso, Braque, Dufy and Miró, and drawings by Degas, who worked just blocks from the museum when he visited maternal relatives in the early 1870s. Lectures, book clubs, film presentations, art classes and musical performances are all presented with aplomb – and you can even take yoga classes in the sublimely beautiful Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, where works of the 20th century's master sculptors reside in a sub-tropical sanctuary. 1 Collins C Diboll Circle, noma.org."

"New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, (504) 482-1264; www.cafenoma.com. An Americana grain bowl includes chicken breast over wild rice, sweet potatoes, cranberries and baby spinach with warm bacon vinaigrette."

"Located slightly northwest of the French Quarter, City Park is a huge park and Botanical Garden to explore. The Park is full of the best things to do in New Orleans, especially if you’re looking for a more chilled out day. From carousels and statues (which you’ll find in the Storyland section) to stunning walks, it’s totally gorgeous and well worth a visit."

"Founded in 1854, this 1,300-acre expanse of moss-draped oaks and 11 miles of gentle lagoons is just 2 miles from the French Quarter,…"

"The name of this sugarcane plantation on the west bank of the Mississippi in St. James Parish comes from the graceful 240-metre alley of southern live oaks running from the riverside to the Greek Revival house. These were planted in the early 1700s, a good century before the house was built, and their twisting branches form a beautiful shade canopy. The house went up in 1837 and has a colonnade with 28 imposing Doric columns, mirroring the 28 oaks in the alley."

"Famed for the 300-year-old allée of live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss that flank its main entrance, Oak Alley Plantation has more to offer visitors than a quintessential view of a Southern plantation. Highlights include numerous exhibitions exploring the complexities of Southern and Louisiana history, 1,300 acres (526 hectares) of grounds, and the historic house itself—all within easy driving distance of New Orleans.More"

"Tours run twice every evening (5pm and 8pm) and include visits to the Lalaurie Mansion (where American Horror Story Coven was filmed), LaFitte’s Blacksmith Shop, and more. Our guide had plenty of creepy tales to share and clearly believed a lot of the ghost stories herself, which made it all the more fun. Our tour group was a little on the larger side, but otherwise, the experience was entertaining."

"Wander down to Governor Nicholls Street to see Lalaurie Mansion, once the home of actor Nicholas Cage, and one of the homes used for American Horror Story Coven. There are also other fancy homes like the New Orleans home of Angelina Jolie down this beautiful street."

"The theatre was originally built in 1906 and completely renovated in 2011. The venue is now used for concerts, plays, films, corporate events, and private parties."

"Named for the beloved New Orleanean gospel singer, the jewel of Armstrong Park was decimated in Katrina and subsequently refurbished into a state-of-the-art facility. The inaugural performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Messa di Requiem established a roster a of stellar lineups, ranging from Broadway shows and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Orleans Ballet Association. Catch programmes such as Shostakovich, La Bohème and comedian Aziz Ansari this spring."

"The Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts is a theater located in Louis Armstrong Park and named after gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who was born in New Orleans. It originally opened in 1973 as the New Orleans Theater of the Performing Arts and then was renamed after Jackson in 1993. The theater was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina but reopened in January 2009."

"On a rainy afternoon in New Orleans, there's no better place to be than the balcony of the historic Prytania Theatre, cooking up some honest to goodness Hollywood romance with your real-life love interest. Opened in 1915, this charming theater is the oldest in the city and the only single-screen left in Louisiana. Couples can share gelato or a freshly made cappuccino during daytime favorites like Citizen Kane or Some Like It Hot or cuddle up for midnight screenings of cult classics like Rocky Horror Picture Show."

"At more than 100 years old, the single-screen theater in Uptown is a step back in time, with red velvet ropes, balcony seating and family-friendly screenings of hand-picked classic films."