Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl is an absolute hidden gem in New Orleans—one of those rare finds that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled upon something truly special. From the moment we stepped inside, we were welcomed like friends, and that warmth carried through until we left, hearts full and spirits lifted after a meal prepared with love, soul, and creativity. The service was nothing short of exceptional—attentive, detail-oriented, and seamlessly coordinated by a team that clearly works together like family. Our server, Jeff—a native New Orleanian and Katrina survivor, was an unforgettable part of the evening. He’s the kind of salt-of-the-earth person whose genuine energy and kindness radiate with every interaction. Every dish felt like a work of art. Fresh ingredients, thoughtful curation, and flavor combinations that were completely on point. Highlights included the warm, delicious bread, a decadent mushroom appetizer, and the pepper jelly eggplant—a perfect balance of sweet heat and savory depth. We loved the playful nods to traditional Southern favorites mixed with inventive new delights. The space itself is warm, inviting, and completely without pretension—a true reflection of NOLA’s spirit. The chefs’ infectious personalities and smiles effortlessly spilled over into the plates they crafted, creating a flawless culinary evening overflowing with food, love, and laughter. I couldn’t recommend Mother of Pearl enough to anyone who wants to experience New Orleans at its finest. This place isn’t just a restaurant—it’s a celebration of everything that makes NOLA magical.

Best porkchop thst I have ever had. The sesame bok chop was good. The burger and the fries were excellent. The duck gnocchi was excellent as well. The servers were great. Love this quaint little place.

A dear friend and I had a one of the best dinners of our lives here. Every dish was better than the next and each one was filled with so much flavor! Jeff and Walker were excellent servers and Shanon behind the bar made fantastic drinks. Can not wait to return!

Husband and I loved dining here. Wonderful, personal service and absolutely delicious food. Good amount of food for the price. Amazing flavors, and you want to drink the sauces with a straw! Only suggestion would be making bread available to soak up all the leftover sauce!

Mother of Pearl is a really special restaurant. We went here with a large group, for a friend’s birthday. We had a great time at the bar before being seated. We ordered appetizers which were fabulous and unfortunately the power went out. The staff could not have handled it better. They brought desserts and wine and we had a fun and happy meal. Just great !! Will come again.

The food was incredible!!! The portions were really generous for how delicious the food was, and the chefs & staff were so friendly! Will definitely come back again!

Checked out this hidden gem for coolinary month! 3 courses for $36 was a fantastic deal! Cocktails and food were delicious. My favorite items were the dill cracklins, shrimp gnocchi, and chocolate torte. I hope they open on Saturdays soon. Will be back!

Honestly, I’m probably one of the pickiest eaters in terms of what I expect from a restaurant. I eat out a lot and have done everything from hole in the walls to Michelin starred restaurants and everything in between in places all over the world. I’m going to say, without a doubt, that this is probably one of the top 5 dining experiences I’ve ever had from a food perspective. Every single bite was incredible. We had the leeks and caviar, bacon confit oysters, the fries, tomato salad, the coconut curry shrimp, the wagyu and mushroom risotto, and the lamb. They were perfect. All of them. Service was kind of attentive. They were busy but treated us with a smile and warmth. It was a small intimate space, a converted New Orleans home and everyone functioned with familiarity and respect for each other. Chef Walker made his rounds and was so humble. I can’t wait to go back again. I’ve been telling everyone about this place since our meal ended last night. It’s fantastic. Go. Run. You won’t be disappointed.

Comfort food in a space with really cool vibe that feels like someone's home. Comfort food here is updated a bit and includes a good variety of seafood themed dishes. Service and ambience were relaxing and friendly. There's a neat monkey theme.

Omggg!! I want to tell everyone about this local gem, yet, I want to able to get a seat when I continue to visit, lol. I stopped in for Coolinary but will certainly be back (especially as their menu is seasonal and will offer different dishes across the year). Here are some highlights: The space: so warm and cozy! It feels like you're going to a dinner party at your down-to-earth Garden District friend's house. It's not a super large spot so, snag a reservation! The food: flavorful and delicious! The essence is home cooked meals with a refined aesthetic and bold flavors. My favorite of the night was hands down the curry shrimp...bursting with flavor! And truly, the price point is reasonable. The drinks: some of the most unique drink ideas I've seen! I mean, there's a cocktail that's infused with pho! I went with more classic mezcal and cognac drinks, and both were refreshing and strong. Yum! The staff: everyone was soo kind and personable! Our bartender Shannon was super skilled and cool...I highly recommend bar seating, lol. Chef Walker came over to greet us as if we were guests in his home...so cool to hear his story! Mother of Pearl is a total must-visit! But, shhhh...only tell your faves!

This was a coolinary find that my friend suggested! It's tucked away in the River bend, wayyyyy uptown, but it's worth the commute (if you aren't in that area) and the metered parking. First, we started with a cocktail. I ordered the bourbon cocktail that comes with slightly smashed peaches. I'm not a fan of bourbon, but this drink was very good because the peaches elevated the cocktail and there were some type of spritzer or ginger beer or something added to it. I would absolutely get it again. As for the appetizers, we had the cauliflower dish and the flatbread. The flatbread had some type of (I think) lemon caper oil drizzled on top. It was so good. I highly recommend this appetizer. The flatbread was very soft and the cured salmon on top was also very good. Cauliflower appetizer was also insanely good. It seems like they were grilled but not too soft and they came in this tahini-like base that was so good. Could not get enough! The entrées that we tried were the fried chicken over a tomato-corn salsa, and the curry shrimp with cornbread. They serve whole shrimp with the head and tails still on. I, personally, find that hard to look at, but that's was the best shrimp I've ever had! Largely due to the curry that it was paired with! The curry looked more like a chili paste, but it wasn't spicy and was full of flavor. The cornbread wasn't too sweet and wasn't grainy--it was perfectly made for that dish. The fried chicken and the corn salsa were also very delectable!! All compliments to the wonderful chef, Chef Walker! I had a wonderful night with my friend and chatty, attentive bartender! Loved everyone and everything here. I will be back!!

Top Notch place in all ways!! Food is exquisite. Ambiance is perfect. Service is perfect. Highly recommend.

My girlfriends and I went to the Coolinary dinner and were so impressed with this restaurant! You walk in and everyone is welcoming. The place is decorated perfectly for what they are putting out. A very cool vibe. Shannon is making the cocktails and mocktails. They were delicious. We had the creole shrimp and someone had the country fried chicken. Ordered Rosti fries with a horseradish, roasted garlic aioli YUMMy. They were just perfectly cooked and delicious. Hats off to the chefs Jordan, Katie, and Jeff. I'm so glad I picked this restaurant and everyone in the group agreed the service was superb.

Wow. Just wow. We live in Sonoma Valley wine country where you can't throw a stick without hitting an exceptional restaurant, but the dinner we had here during our recent visit to NOLA was the best I've had in years, if ever. Normally you can highlight a few exceptional dishes in a review, but honestly they were all excellent. Chef Walker Geoffrey doesn't misstep. Ever. The man can cook. The dishes were all balanced and nuanced ( a hard combination in my opinion) Visually stunning and yet approachable. Familiar, AND innovative. Just amazing. And the service was stellar. It's a hard line to walk to be personable and professional but the staff here nails it. It's as if your bff invited you to their house for the best meal you've ever had. Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200, go, to Mother of Pearl, you won't be disappointed.

Amazing, under the radar spot in the Carrollton neighborhood. Try as much as you can from the menu - you won't be disappointed. We had the tokoyaki oysters, the scotch egg and the prime rib with mushrooms. Could only get a photo of the steak because we ate everything as soon as it came out! Really great service and relaxing indoor atmosphere.

Last year checked out this hidden gem for coolinary month! 3 courses for under $40 was a fantastic deal! Cocktails and food were delicious. My favorite items were the dill cracklins, shrimp gnocchi, and chocolate torte. I hope they open on Saturdays soon. Been back again for drinks and appetizers since and was very impressed. About to visit again for coolinary!

Been in NOLA for 2 weeks. Been to lots of restaurants. THIS WAS THE BEST!!! New flavors. Fresh. Wonderful cocktails !

Nice ambiance. Wonderful food. I got the andouille bolegnese It was very flavorful. My wife got the steak with mushrooms and risotto. Delicious.

Would highly recommend! We went for COOLinary and we tried everything on the limited menu. Phenomenal food! Amazing service. Will go back! We couldn't decide which dish was better on a 3-course menu. We had a curry shrimp entree, a fried chicken entree, watermelon street corn starter, cauliflower starter, and the desserts were a lemon cake and a tiramisu. Surprising flavors in the best ways! We also had happy hour drinks with dinner because we went at 6 on a Thursday. (We are not old people!)

This is a hidden gem. A wonderful place for any occasion, but especially special ones. The menu is inspiring and the service exceptional. It was recommended & did not disappoint my family and I-and we often spoil ourselves with dining at great restaurants. Try as much as you can on the menu!

I went for the first time for a friend's birthday and everything was outstanding! We started with white wine and a friend got a tomato martini which was to die for. It was unlike anything I've ever had and a week later I'm still dreaming about it. We went during happy hour and a got a few appetizers from that menu, the okra tempura, the fries, and the peach + prosciutto arancini. They were all so good and unlike anything I've ever had. For mains we split the shrimp gnocchi and the stone creek wagyu flank steak. Again, perfection. We also ordered the brown butter griddled cornbread for dessert and they brought it out with a lit candle! So thoughtful and kind. There were 3 of us and we felt like we ordered the perfect amount of food. The total price for each of us was also really reasonable. The service was amazing. The restaurant was so cute on the inside. It felt very romantic. I'm dying to go back!

We had the most wonderful evening with Kim as our server. Besides the food being delicious with a beautiful presentation, the ambiance was very serene. Music was soft enough so we could talk with each other without screaming. The wallpaper behind the bar was cute of monkeys drinking wine. The Mother of Pearl is a neighborhood restaurant feel with excellent food.

The food , service and ambiance were amazing! Definitely will go back! Fun night with friends!!

Went the other night with some friends and had one of the best meals I've had in ages, which is saying a lot. Not gonna give you individual dish recs cause EVERYTHING was wonderful on their fairly limited menu! We shared 3 apps, including a special, all incredibly yummy. I had my own main (scrumptious) and tried two of my friends' mains, both delish. They were out of one dessert so we had two of the other--not a crumb left. Service, atmosphere and value--all excellent! I almost don't want to say too many good things about MoP for fear that it will be overrun by foodies, etc., but, suffice to say, I was on the streetcar yesterday and heard two women behind me talking about where to go for dinner that evening in the Riverbend. Told them about MoP and, before we got off, another friend of theirs had made a reservation for that evening. Hope they enjoyed--I'm sure they did!