Market Cafe

There are tourist traps, and then there are tourists traps. This one? The worst kind. The kind that doesn’t just catch you—it studies your Yelp history, flatters your optimism, and then serves you a mocha so forgettable it could be a decoy in a CIA training exercise. Let’s rewind. My wife and I, seekers of ambiance and occasional culinary redemption, wandered into Market Café with open hearts and low expectations. The latter proved prophetic. The first red flag? A gigantic outdoor TV broadcasting NFL like it was the Sistine Chapel of sports bars. I should’ve known then. Any place that outsources its soul to ESPN is not here to feed yours. We ordered crawfish beignets, a mocha, and a Pepsi. The beignets arrived looking like they’d been deep-fried by someone who once read about seasoning in a dream. Texture: doughy. Flavor: elusive. The mocha? A warm brown shrug. And the Pepsi, flat, uninspired, spiritually vacant. But the ice? Oh, the ice. Cold, crunchy, and emotionally available. The kind of ice that deserves its own jazz solo. Service was good, though. Our server was kind, attentive, and clearly trying to rescue the experience from the jaws of mediocrity. And of course, the company of my wife, gracious, radiant, and far more forgiving than I, was the true highlight. She found something redeeming in the mocha. She always does. She’s the kind of woman who can spot beauty in a beige wall and joy in a lukewarm beignet. I aspire to her palate and her patience. But Market Café? It’s not a café. It’s a cautionary tale. A place where flavor takes a personal day and ambiance is outsourced to a flatscreen. Would I return? Only if the ice gets promoted to entrée. Or if my wife insists. And she might, she’s got a soft spot for underdogs and a talent for finding grace in the griddle.

The food was good & the atmosphere was phenomenal. But Lakeisha made it all come together. She was amazing. Her smile, her personality and her charm really made our day. She's the reason we'll be back. Thank you Lakeisha...you rock. Keep being the amazing person that you are we can't wait to see you again. #HighlyRecommended

Hats off to Emmett at The Market Café. He was holding a sign up bringing the people in as the Time Zone Band was playing some oldies but goodies. Emmett was a great server, the band was fabulous, and the food was delicious. The drinks were a bit weak for me but was not horrible. For an indoor and outdoor establishment, it was pretty clean. Thanks for a great time relaxing while enjoying Jackson Square and the French Market.

The food was great. The atmosphere was nice I really enjoyed the live music. The best part was the service from Lakeisha. Very friendly, funny & knowledgeable about the dishes and made great recommendations. If I could I would give her more stars!⭐️

Our server Darrell was fantastic! Food was very good- we had their breakfast buffet. The Irish coffee I ordered wasn’t made well, but Darrell got me another one that was much better. I come here each time I’m in NO!

Lakeisha was superb and just outstanding! Food was good, area was clean and band was good. I recommend the mango madness. After my wife tasted it she almost took the whole thing! 100/10 #GoLakeisha

Love this spot, haven’t been back in a few years! Drinks are banging, bartender super nice and friendly. She is the definition of hospitality. You have to try a staple the muffuletta, I got a half. Easily shareable. The Bloody Mary was the pick me up I needed after my hangover.

We went there for drinks the bartender was amazing. Great service and super friendly. Paige was great and so much fun to talk to. Definitely recommended that you go check her out! Drinks were delicious! BEST French 75 I've ever had. So good we went there twice!

This was on my wish list for quite a while, having a real muffaletta. So, when in New Orleans....... It is a specialty in NOLA with an Italian bun layered with sliced ham, salami, mortadella, provolone and swiss cheese, topped with olive salad. It comes with a small container of an olive oil and vinegar mix. Nice to sprinkle on. The bread was a bit dry, but that oil mix improved it. I had a half, more than enough. A whole one is either a share dish or a doggie bag.

I had a very nice bowl of gumbo. It had a few shrimp and some andouille sausage. It had a little heat, but was not really hot temperature-wise. I also wished that a piece or two of some crusty bread was served with it. The "new" thing is to put two prices on the bill. Cash or credit card. It does not simply say 2 or 3% added for credit; there are two prices. Guess we have to get used to using cash again!

We came here to try their Mufaleta. We are not fans of olives but still wanted to give it a try. I'm sure there are places where it's better but we really enjoyed it from here. We ordered half a Mufaleta. They're huge!! We did take out some of the olive salad for our last couple bites but over all, not being fans of olives, it was really good!!! Their taste of New Orleans was also really good! I would get that again. Our server was super friendly. Food was hot and came out quick! For a little quick stop, I'd recommend this place.

I ordered the shrimp and grits. Very good hot and lots of large shrimps. Grits has corn in them. Overall very tasty and hot.

Solid lunch and brunch place, a live band was playing. It was a little too loud outside for my liking but they were a lively bunch. Shared a muffuletta that was spot on. Getting drinks took a little longer than I would have preferred but overall a good experience.

Service was absolutely amazing! The waiter put together a gluten free and dairy free option for me! Roast beef debris over fries and topped with olive salad!

Stopped into this establishment after walking for almost miles through the French Quarter with my colleagues to find something to eat :). We walked in and were seated promptly. Woohoo! The energy/vibe of this restaurant is lively and upbeat, with a family essence! I ordered shrimp gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and crab bites! The crab bites were pure crab! Smooth, delicious, and so appetizing to the bite! The tangy sweet and sour sauce was a great touch! The fried green tomatoes were like none that i've ever had before. Delicious, covered in a warm medley of green sauce! These fried green tomatoes gave me old Southern vibes. Now onto the main course, the shrimp gumbo! The shrimp gumbo was a medley of pure flavor, deliciousness, and it had warm notes of heat and spice! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Check this place out! Cheers!

Stopped in for snacks and drinks. I was craving boudin and they had it. The food was good but the waiter messed up our order. He gave my wife's drink to another table and brought us a sandwich that no one ordered and then insisted that someone did. One of the people at my table took it despite not knowing what it was. Let me say that a muffelata is not a sandwich for someone who dislikes olives....

We had the best time at The Market Cafe! Michelle is a rockstar! And NOLA Magic was playing live! We really enjoyed it. We got sick from some food the night before so we wanted something light. The Mufaletta and Greek salad was the perfect combo with ginger ales :) Michelle was so polite and really made sure we had everything we needed. She deserves a raise! This cafe is perfect!

Experienced a Muffuletta for first time and was not disappointed! Size, flavor was amazing! Service was different story got seated quick but then had to ask for silverware which only one was brought out instead of two, never got a return visit asking how our food was and I had to go ask for our check from another waiter as we never saw ours again. Food great... service not as good as could have been

Stopped here for a quick lunch after visiting the Jazz History museum and the French Market. Very helpful and friendly staff. The Muffuletta was amazing! Enjoyed the casual, outdoor seating with live music. Relaxed atmosphere. Great alcohol/drink selection.

Grabbed a bit to eat at the market cafe, located in the middle of the street very close to the French market shopping area. The muffuletta was delicious and came with an Italian dressing like dipping sauce that topped it off. There is an outside seating area with band and indoor air conditioning seating area. The service was great and being able to listen to live music is a huge plus.

This is a great place to get a drink. Here's some live music usually it's jazz, but sometimes they have a variety. They got good drinks and a good mini selection. I like the muffaletta and the alligator but everything's pretty reasonable. I've always had a good experience with the bartenders the bloody Mary was really refreshing and you can cool off from the heat.

My friend and I were looking for a place to eat. We heard the music and decided to eat here. I ordered the pasta which had chicken and sausage and shrimp. It was a plate full of pasta and barely any meat. I was very hungry afterwards because I wasn't going to eat all noodles. One of the waiters looked like he was drunk. He saw someone's dog earlier, sneezed, and kicked the dog as he tripped over it.

Actually came here for emergency bathroom stop but we got seated and had a nibble. We shared a poboy platter and i got a bloody mary. Bathroom were kinda gross but thats not uncommon in the area. But this was around noon ...anyway grateful for bathroom. Server was trying hard but covering everything. Maybe someone called off or short handed. Good location right beside french market.

Came back again and did not disappoint. Had the omelet and a Bloody Mary and both were stellar. The manager is great and takes care of you and makes sure you are good. Ambiance is sweet, they have a live band outside everyday at 9-10am.

Overall, it was a good experience. The Taste of New Orleans dish was delicious. The shrimp po' boy was solid, but the muffuletta had too many olives and not enough meat. The staff was friendly and attentive.

Food was okay, nothing to brag about. Service was good, server was nice. Ambiance was nice clean even on a rainy day. It was 8:45am. The biscuits were dry but had a nice outer crisp. Pancakes were fluffy and egg sandwich was an egg sandwich. Nothing to write home about. All in all not a bad place to get a quick bite

We went here for lunch. We had to wait a long time to get a server, to get our drinks, and to finally get our food. My gumbo was lukewarm and did not taste like an award-winning gumbo, as mentioned on the menu. My husband had a muffuletta, which was not impressive at all. There are many nice restaurants in New Orleans, and this is certainly not one of them.

What a cool spot in New Orleans! Awesome menu with great, authentic cajun food. We had friendly, attentive service that checked up on us throughout the meal. Open area eating allowed us to feel the cool breeze and check out the New Orleans scenery. Great experience

Chose to dine inside and could still enjoy the live music. Promptly greeted and seated. Our waiter was perfect. Food was amazing! Po-boy sandwiches are shareable for those with smaller appetites or who choose to eat a little lighter ;) Enjoyed a meal of po-boys and jambalaya. Will happily return.

Wonderful band played while we ate our delicious dinner and sipped our tasty libations! Had the popcorn shrimp and jambalaya, blu bayou and a daiquiri. Matthew, our server, made our visit memorable in a very positive way!

This place looks like nothing special - we stopped in because we saw that they had the Muffaletta sandwich - which was recommended to us. We ordered a whole one, but the bartender suggested we Start with a half because it is huge. (She was right). It was delicious. But - our friend ordered a double bacon cheeseburger - and it was the BEST CHEESEBURGER I've ever had in my LIFE! And I love a good burger. I've tried many. It was perfect. I'm literally still here so I can't elaborate much more but I needed to leave this review because you all need this burger k bye! :)

The French Market Cafe Don't expect great food. Grilled Chicken and fries was good. Iced tea perfect. Gumbo spicy but horrible. But the setting and music are terrific. Service good. It's a fun sitting spot. Singers are good. The bands are Nola instrumentalists of good reknown. Expect tip jars and DO give. $5 each performance. It's essentially a win win.

It was late, and we needed to grab a bite to eat. There was live music playing, and they had outdoor seating, so we gave it a try. The food is decent, and portions are not big, a little on the small side. The exception is the muffuletta which is huge! The half is enough for 2 people. It was good, with a side of Italian dressing. Service is good. The server really does check in to see if you need anything throughout the meal. Just the ambiance itself with live music was worth it.

Service is super awesome!! Great location for a quick lunch in the quarter. Food is good, flavorful, and not too expensive. Can't wait to come back. Definitely try the bread pudding!

Absolute trash $30 buffet. Bacon, eggs, grits, old pancakes, raw biscuits. In a city with such good food, skip this. I don't care how hungry you are. Edited: it wasn't $30. It was $17. 10 of us (including a baby) went to eat. 6 got the buffet. The bill was $277, so I averaged 300/10=30. They charged us for those who saw the buffet and decided we didn't want to waste the calories on that crap.

I've never tried this place before, so me and a group of friends choose it. I'm sorry we did. I ordered the crawfish beignets. The menu said it was filled with crawfish, misrepresented that statement and at $13 it was not even worth. See pictures. Next, let's talk about the service or the lack of it. Dionka B was our server "with attitude" she didn't want to be there or working at all. I asked for a Dr. Pepper first thing, after taking our order and bringing us ice cups for water, which was in a pitcher for us to fill ourselves, and then bringing everyone else's drinks that they ordered with the meal order, I asked again for Dr. Pepper. She went back in and came out to tell me they didn't have any Dr. Pepper, only Pepsi. To which I responded I would take sweet tea since I won't drink Pepsi. She brought my buddy a soda, who ordered sweet tea originally. I tried it to see if it was Dr Pepper, nope, it was Pepsi. I finally got a sweet tea after asking another waitress. After our order, she disappeared and never refilled anyone's drinks, luckily we had a water pitcher on the table so we could take care of our own waters. The food finally came out being delivered by other wait staff. We had 2 separate families and myself. So we asked to split the bill, she through the biggest fit on splitting it, then said she would do it this one time. Then got them wrong. We finally had to call the manager to handle the situation. On top of this insult she added a 20% gratuity to the bill. Explains why she wasn't worried about doing her job. Needless to say I didn't leave the gratuity amount. And I won't ever go back to this establishment again. Worst food and service I've had in NOLA!

Should have known better than to get something to eat in the middle of a high tourist area. Jambalaya was cold and the rice was mushy and chicken looked liked dehydrated strips. Half a mufaletta sandwich dry as the Sahara dessert...it may have been the other half of someone's sammy from earlier in the day...soooo disappointing.

The salads are great especially on a steamy afternoon. They had no issue with the pupper and brought him out some water for his bowl. The live band was awesome even though we moved to the side for more of a breeze. The singer came to make sure it because of them!

I made a long list of all the iconic foods we wanted to try in our trip to New Orleans , and after some research the Muffuletta sandwich jump to the top of the list. I am huge sandwich fan and especially ones that have Italian cuts. I was recommended to go an Italian shop in French Quarter but they were closed for remodeling and I was told to go the Market Cafe close by. The cafe is really nice with glass walls all around giving you a nice view from all angles. We ordered the Muffuletta and waited a while until it arrives. It was huge, cut to four triangles packed with salami, two types of hams, Swiss , and provolone cheese. The meats and cheese were super fresh and tasty but the main attraction is the diced olive oil spread on top which gave it an explosion of flavor. The bread was round and nice and toasty. The sandwich is one of the best I ever had and would travel again to have it.

First place we had to make a stop at while waiting on Place D'Armes to clear a room for us. (Why I prefer camping or dragging our RV... you don't have to wait on a room and you're in your own bed. The place is a tourist trap and so are most the places on Bourbon street.. there's no need to go to Bourbon St unless you enjoy the Purple Drank and hurricanes... nuff said.. I wasn't impressed with the food. To eat a graciously served meal, by those who take pride in the restaurant name, look outside of "The Quarter." I have to give I a few stars due to the attempt to 'live music entertain and keep the spirits alive in the culture. Rice dishes were dry... service was slow. The desire for good food is in the Garden District. Don't forget to tip your servers and also thank you to the spirits you walk among. They know you're there!!

A great spot for lunch! My family and I sat outside, the shade from the sun was nice and the aesthetic of the cafe itself was fairly relaxing. The live band was great, and the service staff were really fast and nice. A lot of good options to choose from and they were all really good. I had the Greek salad which was light but filled me up, highly recommend.

If you are in the area shopping for art or having beignets and coffee stop past the market cafe . You can vibe out with a live band and try some nawlins favorites. Service is quick, friendly and efficient.Try the gator bites or gator sausage . Otherwise, what are you here for

Service was good and ambiance was great. Sat outside in the sun and enjoyed the music and warmth. Food was just OK (IMO). I had the 1/2 muffuletta. Bread was good, but sandwich just didn't do it for me. Perhaps I'm not a muffuletta person. The 1:3 sandwich was more than enough. I only ate 1/2 of that as it was so large. Still worth stopping for lunch. Can't beat the location or atmosphere.

We stopped here on a food tour of the French Quarter, and it was definitely one of the highlights of the tour. The Shrimp po-boy was absolutely delicious and worthy of returning back for a second time. The pickled Bloody Mary, though, was one of the best bloody Mary's we have ever had. They use a pickle-flavored vodka, which brings the drink up another level - I've never tried anything like it before. Right in the heart of the French Quarter, it's super lively here and makes the meal more enjoyable. Best to walk here as the streets are super congested, and parking is hard to find

There's a surprising lack of restaurants at *this end* of the city. At least, that's the way it felt the day we stumbled around under the oppressive heat and humidity. We'd already found the French Market lacking and had spent a ton of time (and a bit of money) in the Dutch Alley co-op and wanted to find a filling lunch before making our way back to the hotel. The Market Cafe had a jazz trio on their patio, a lot of open seating and the friendliest server we ever met in Bridget. She welcomed us in, got us seated on the patio (my choice, I wanted to enjoy the live music, despite the heat and humidity) and got our orders in right away. I went with the Gator Po'Boy ($16.95) and my husband got the bowl of gumbo ($11.95). We also decided we needed to share the shrimp boil ($21.95 for a pound), because that was pretty much all we scented on the wind while we were wandering the streets. We were very aware that the heat and humidity (have I mentioned it was August in New Orleans?) were sucking our strength, so we opted for water and iced tea instead of an adult beverage. Plus, we knew we'd have ample opportunity to get our booze on later that night. At any rate, the po'boy and gumbo came out first. The gator sausage was spicy and meaty and had a good snap to the skin. The bread was fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, and the po'boy was perfectly dressed. My husband wasn't a huge fan of the gumbo - again, it didn't exactly fit his image of "the perfect bowl", but he liked the flavor and how everything melded together. His only gripe was that it was a thinner sauce than he'd prefer. It took a hot minute for the shrimp to arrive. It actually got to the point where we were thinking of asking Bridget to cancel our order, but she arrived with the pound of shrimp, super-hot and steaming, and a lot of apologies. Apparently, she grabbed the shrimp out of the pot the second the kitchen said it was ready, because she knew we'd been waiting on it for a while. That was totally unnecessary but so appreciated. The shrimp boil was good and messy, as you'd expect from something like that. The shrimp themselves were huge, juicy and perfectly cooked. We made a right mess on that table, which we tried to clean up to make it easier on Bridget. The jazz trio added a nice soundtrack to the afternoon, which we enjoyed while dining. We took a couple pictures and a quick video of them before dropping in a tip and closing out our tab. Bridget was by far the nicest and funniest server we had the pleasure of meeting during our week in the city. Ask for her if you happen to stop in for a bite!

Open-air, live jazz, authentic creole food, and mouth-watering cocktails. What more could you ask for?! I ordered the half Muffaletta and could only eat half of the half. A whole muffaletta is the size of your head, so order smart! I took my leftovers home, stored them in the fridge for three days, and when I ate them, they were still delicious! The fried alligator and dipping sauce was also delicious.

The waitress recommend the alligator bites soooo good. The shrimp was seasoned very well. Just wish it was was fried a little harder My cousin said he really enjoyed the brownie sundae.

Good place to stop for a second, but I wish I chose something else. I took a quick recommendation and boy was I disappointed. The little combo with the gumbo - was not the move! I knew it was a risk - but I barely ate anything. Not great - at ALL. Service was a little slow - but kind of friendly. Drinks were weak. The taste or the liquor were not hitting the spot.

Very good food and an excellent location to sit on the patio and hear some live music. The service was good as was the band. I thought this particular band was a little pushy about asking for tips -- even after we had already tipped them -- and also asking the patrons directly to buy them drinks, including champagne. Weird. Anyway, we ordered the "Taste of New Orleans" and a half muffuletta. The cups of étouffée, gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice were very good. The muffuletta was just ok in my opinion (lots of bread and very little else, but very large!). It was plenty of food for my husband and I. We decided on this place as we ducked out of a rain storm, and we had a lovely experience. We'll definitely return on another trip.

Loved the fried shrimp platter delish. My wife had the roast beef po boy was also good. The fries are awesome and the waitstaff are very nice and attentive. One of the best meals I have ever had in New Orleans. Our neighbor had the muffaletta looked tasty will try that next time.

Friendly. Live music . I came here for the pudding. I'm years past it was exceptional. Today, not so much. The sauce was watery. The bread pudding itself was hard. I was disappointed. :(

Poxy and overpriced. Not recommended. Was hoping for a good blacked chicken Alfredo. Super average with hardly any chicken and it certainly wasn't blackened. Avoid.

Service was amazing. Music was a bit loud but we found refuge inside and I was able to enjoy my partner's company in relative peace. I had two bloody Mary's and both were good. The Pickled Bacon Bloody Mary was amazing. Stop by and enjoy a beverage in the AC. I didn't try the food but it seemed like typical New Orleans fare. Nothing hugely unique. I'd come back here again!

The food here is just "okay". It's very touristy. The service is a bit slow, but the live jazz music and strong drinks make up for it. The taste of New Orleans offers x4 different cups of NOLA staples, and it's fun to try everything; but again... it's just okay. Stop by here for a drink and the music. Maybe an appetizer.

Best kept secret for no wait and a $16 breakfast buffet. While there was a line wrapped around Cafe Du Monde just a few feet past. there was Market Café with a live band performing in front of the restaurant. The server was very friendly and busy. I ordered the breakfast buffet which included pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage bacon, mixed fruit, hashbrowns, grits, and sweet cornbread. So filling and great price. Didn't feel rushed. Indoor and outdoor seating.

Came here on part of a food tour with my boyfriend. We were given a piece of a shrimp boy! It was delish! We learned that "dressed" means lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise. This particular po boy was delish and had flavor in every single bite! Everything was a wonderful marriage of flavors. Although we were on a food tour, service was still amazing! Our server continually checked on us to see if we needed anything or if we needed any refills on water. So delish! I would definitely come back for a full po boy!

Food was yummy! We ordered the seafood platter and the New Orleans plate (I believe this is what it was called). My favorite was the crawfish etouffee. The gumbo was a little salty but other than that good service and tasty food! In terms of the ambiance, their heaters outside are strong and the country music was great.