Walking past the storefront I heard the voice of an Angel as Lillie Lewis was playing the piano with a guitar and bass. Absolutely magical so I sat down at the bar, had a cocktail and some Shortcake to absorb the sound. The menu looked fantastic - the wait staff were there to please. Small intimate space full of charm and made my night
harrison shaul
Unbelievable food. Truly something everyone should taste, IT IS WORTH THE WAIT! but definitely be prepared because 1 lady is cooking for the whole restaurant. Be patient and enjoy.
Lydia M.
Every single meal I've had here has been one of the best I've ever tasted. The best brunch spot in New Orleans, or at least uptown. Wait is completely worth it, especially with the limited (and very kind) staff they have!
Annyh E
People are lovely, considerate, enjoyed the musician and the food.
Rachel H.
Definitely the best shrimp and grits I've ever had! So creamy, cheesy, smooth, perfectly seasoned. And the biscuits are so damn delicious and dense. The band playing live jazz was the perfect pairing for brunch!
Liz J.
Shrimp & Grits, I didn't know I loved them until I stopped here on one of my vacations. Everything is delicious, the staff is friendly and attentive and they have live music. This Chicago girl couldn't ask for more. Will be stopping in again this Mother's Day weekend. Be sure to try the Mama T's Chicken
Inga B.
My favorite local restaurant in New Orleans. Always my first stop when I come into town. Mostly known for brunch but has recently expanded to dinner which is excellent. I highly recommend the Mama T chicken!! Great live music and drinks. I am already reserved for Lundi Gras brunch.
Mike Wise
Kinda pricey, not awesome food. Great little place though! I didn't care for my greens, but the braised chix and sweet mash was good. My wife didn't care for the beef and grits though. Just not for us.**Edit**In response to the owner, the prices are definitely fair; I really shouldn't have put that. As for the rest, dunno... Just not for us. Great music though and definitely a gem.**/Edit**
Janine L.
Papaditypop!!! The shrimp and grits were popping'! Short staffed and plenty busy, the few employees hustled their way into our hearts! Bloody Mary's were decent but the flavors of the shrimp and grits made this an out of this world experience and tip of the cap to the chef!
Tamara Z.
Off the beaten path, more locals than tourists (like us) & delicious food. Like most service industries they are challenged with low staff/slow service but the hospitality & wait were worth it. Thx you for my post race refuel!
For context we choose Live Oak Cafe as a final brunch for our party, before half of them left for Florida, so this meal had extra weight to it. Upon arrival, the manager (?) quickly hurried out to meet us outside the door to check our vaccination cards. While part of our party was trying to find their cards, the manager was staunch in his support of the vax card mandate when denying service to a terribly rude man and his two young kids. As a nurse I was very happy to see this, and had high hopes coming dining here.We were seated at our table and placed our orders (total of 4 entrees ordered for our table). We ended up waiting at least 30+ minutes for our order at this point. However we have mimosas, there's great, live music, and there's clearly only one person back there cooking; so I am okay with a longer wait time.However when a table of 3 and table of 5 (who came in WAY after us) are served before us, we had to object. We quickly called the waitress over (who had just served the table of 5) to question why this was the case.Here is the biggest problem with Live Oak Cafe to me: no one seemed to want to take responsibility for anything here:1) the manager stated to the rude father that it was the cook who was strict about the kids not being vaccinated2) the waitress said it's not up to her which orders are cooked and basically lay blame on the cook (I find it hard to believe our orders matched up EXACTLY with the table of 5 served before us, this should've been a hard stop for the waitress to serve them)3) the manager threw the waitress under the bus and basically said she wasn't competent, with it being one of her first days (which is also an indication of poor training and poor hiring practices).At this point, we just left. The manager made no attempt whatsoever to compensate us or offer any remediation. Based on previous reviews it seems as though service and timeliness has been an issue here for years. I'm also confused since they only offer FOUR entrees/day. Shouldn't this make production more efficient?They also really need a sign outside the door that says, "please wait to be seated" or something similar. Every time patrons arrived, the manager would sprint to try and meet them, only most would be inside by the time he got there, which to me defeats the whole purpose.I don't understand how Live Oak has been in business for this long with these kinds of problems and highly recommend not coming here.
Jesus P.
I enjoy the food and the vibes of the place especially during the live music on Sundays. I also like that they stick to the vaccine mandate and check peoples cards. I have to knock it down a few pegs because of the long waiting time to get your food. We were told the long wait is due to not having a proper kitchen staff and the cook is making everything themselves. The wait can be pretty long and you can see the hangry faces of other customers. Best go when there is live music and order some drinks to make the time go by easier. If the wait time goes down, then I would rate it higher
Silver Linings Librarian
I’m so excited that my favorite brunch spot is now serving dinner! Decadent down home perfectly sums up the food in this great cafe on Oak St. There is always wonderful music by a wide range of different New Orleans musicians. Last time we were there, Margie Perez was singing! I had my brunch favorite because I cannot resist the shrimp and grits, but my friends had the ricotta biscuit bites does as an entree (the chef/owner Clare Leavy is always happy to work with you). Both dishes were out of this world! I love the fact that this is women-owned, indepdently-owned restaurant and the Oak Street location is too much fun. After dinner and live music at the Cafe, we went up the street to the Maple Leaf for more live music! What a perfect night in New Orleans. I was having so much fun, I forgot to take pictures. Take my word for it, you will love the Live Oak Cafe.
Silver Linings L.
I was so excited when I learned that my favorite brunch place was now serving dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. I couldn't wait to taste how chef/owner Clare Leavy brings her signature "decadent down home" style to dinner. I was not disappointed! I had the ricotta biscuit bites served as an entree (Clare will always work with you on special requests) and my husband had the fried chicken. My food was heavenly, and my husband, who is much more of a foodie and can be very hard on fried chicken, raved about his meal. The night we were there Margie Perez was singing, and every time you go in it's great music--mostly unplugged and acoustic. It really adds to the feeling that you are in restaurant that could only happen in New Orleans. The Oak Street location is perfect--so much to do day or night. After a great meal and great music, we went down the street to the Maple Leaf for MORE LIVE MUSIC! The Live Oak is very strict about Covid safety so it really felt like we were getting back to our most favorite things. And the Live Oak Cafe's shrimp and grits is definitely one of my favorite things to eat in New Orleans! I'll be hitting up brunch there again soon!
Anna L.
Terrible experience, terrible service. I've always heard great things about this place, so when I was back in town, I suggested to our group (party of 5) to come here for our last brunch, since it was nearby. They take safety seriously, requiring vaccination cards for indoor dining, which was no problem at all for us, and we were promptly seated. This was a major plus in our view, ensuring the safety of customers and staff. We started out very proud of coming here. Our table ordered two mimosas, a coffee, and four brunch entrees. We received the drinks quickly, but that was pretty much the highlight of our experience. The cafe was very empty when we walked in, and it looked like there was only one cook working the kitchen, so we didn't mind a bit of a wait even though we came famished. However, a major issue arose when a table of THREE and another table of FOUR, who both came much after we ordered, were both served before us! We watched as these latecomers ate food while we were still waiting with no end in sight. They ordered the same dishes we did! Like WTF, ya know? We called over our waitress, and she had a blank expression when questioned and didn't know anything, couldn't answer any questions, and didn't even apologize. At that point, we got up, paid for our drinks, and left. We wanted to support a local business, but the business practices here were beyond disappointing. The manager (?) did apologize while we were paying, but he simply excused the situation as the waitstaff being super new instead of taking responsibility for poor training or poor hiring, which left a very sour taste in all our mouths. Our reunion group didn't get to have a meal together after five years, as 3 had to immediately leave after the whole ordeal. My boyfriend and I took our dollars to another local business. The live music was the probably the best part of this experience, but we won't be back and won't recommend coming here either.
Walking past the storefront I heard the voice of an Angel as Lillie Lewis was playing the piano with a guitar and bass. Absolutely magical so I sat down at the bar, had a cocktail and some Shortcake to absorb the sound. The menu looked fantastic - the wait staff were there to please. Small intimate space full of charm and made my night
Unbelievable food. Truly something everyone should taste, IT IS WORTH THE WAIT! but definitely be prepared because 1 lady is cooking for the whole restaurant. Be patient and enjoy.
Every single meal I've had here has been one of the best I've ever tasted. The best brunch spot in New Orleans, or at least uptown. Wait is completely worth it, especially with the limited (and very kind) staff they have!
People are lovely, considerate, enjoyed the musician and the food.
Definitely the best shrimp and grits I've ever had! So creamy, cheesy, smooth, perfectly seasoned. And the biscuits are so damn delicious and dense. The band playing live jazz was the perfect pairing for brunch!
Shrimp & Grits, I didn't know I loved them until I stopped here on one of my vacations. Everything is delicious, the staff is friendly and attentive and they have live music. This Chicago girl couldn't ask for more. Will be stopping in again this Mother's Day weekend. Be sure to try the Mama T's Chicken
My favorite local restaurant in New Orleans. Always my first stop when I come into town. Mostly known for brunch but has recently expanded to dinner which is excellent. I highly recommend the Mama T chicken!! Great live music and drinks. I am already reserved for Lundi Gras brunch.
Kinda pricey, not awesome food. Great little place though! I didn't care for my greens, but the braised chix and sweet mash was good. My wife didn't care for the beef and grits though. Just not for us.**Edit**In response to the owner, the prices are definitely fair; I really shouldn't have put that. As for the rest, dunno... Just not for us. Great music though and definitely a gem.**/Edit**
Papaditypop!!! The shrimp and grits were popping'! Short staffed and plenty busy, the few employees hustled their way into our hearts! Bloody Mary's were decent but the flavors of the shrimp and grits made this an out of this world experience and tip of the cap to the chef!
Off the beaten path, more locals than tourists (like us) & delicious food. Like most service industries they are challenged with low staff/slow service but the hospitality & wait were worth it. Thx you for my post race refuel!
Restaurantji Recommends
For context we choose Live Oak Cafe as a final brunch for our party, before half of them left for Florida, so this meal had extra weight to it. Upon arrival, the manager (?) quickly hurried out to meet us outside the door to check our vaccination cards. While part of our party was trying to find their cards, the manager was staunch in his support of the vax card mandate when denying service to a terribly rude man and his two young kids. As a nurse I was very happy to see this, and had high hopes coming dining here.We were seated at our table and placed our orders (total of 4 entrees ordered for our table). We ended up waiting at least 30+ minutes for our order at this point. However we have mimosas, there's great, live music, and there's clearly only one person back there cooking; so I am okay with a longer wait time.However when a table of 3 and table of 5 (who came in WAY after us) are served before us, we had to object. We quickly called the waitress over (who had just served the table of 5) to question why this was the case.Here is the biggest problem with Live Oak Cafe to me: no one seemed to want to take responsibility for anything here:1) the manager stated to the rude father that it was the cook who was strict about the kids not being vaccinated2) the waitress said it's not up to her which orders are cooked and basically lay blame on the cook (I find it hard to believe our orders matched up EXACTLY with the table of 5 served before us, this should've been a hard stop for the waitress to serve them)3) the manager threw the waitress under the bus and basically said she wasn't competent, with it being one of her first days (which is also an indication of poor training and poor hiring practices).At this point, we just left. The manager made no attempt whatsoever to compensate us or offer any remediation. Based on previous reviews it seems as though service and timeliness has been an issue here for years. I'm also confused since they only offer FOUR entrees/day. Shouldn't this make production more efficient?They also really need a sign outside the door that says, "please wait to be seated" or something similar. Every time patrons arrived, the manager would sprint to try and meet them, only most would be inside by the time he got there, which to me defeats the whole purpose.I don't understand how Live Oak has been in business for this long with these kinds of problems and highly recommend not coming here.
I enjoy the food and the vibes of the place especially during the live music on Sundays. I also like that they stick to the vaccine mandate and check peoples cards. I have to knock it down a few pegs because of the long waiting time to get your food. We were told the long wait is due to not having a proper kitchen staff and the cook is making everything themselves. The wait can be pretty long and you can see the hangry faces of other customers. Best go when there is live music and order some drinks to make the time go by easier. If the wait time goes down, then I would rate it higher
I’m so excited that my favorite brunch spot is now serving dinner! Decadent down home perfectly sums up the food in this great cafe on Oak St. There is always wonderful music by a wide range of different New Orleans musicians. Last time we were there, Margie Perez was singing! I had my brunch favorite because I cannot resist the shrimp and grits, but my friends had the ricotta biscuit bites does as an entree (the chef/owner Clare Leavy is always happy to work with you). Both dishes were out of this world! I love the fact that this is women-owned, indepdently-owned restaurant and the Oak Street location is too much fun. After dinner and live music at the Cafe, we went up the street to the Maple Leaf for more live music! What a perfect night in New Orleans. I was having so much fun, I forgot to take pictures. Take my word for it, you will love the Live Oak Cafe.
I was so excited when I learned that my favorite brunch place was now serving dinner on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. I couldn't wait to taste how chef/owner Clare Leavy brings her signature "decadent down home" style to dinner. I was not disappointed! I had the ricotta biscuit bites served as an entree (Clare will always work with you on special requests) and my husband had the fried chicken. My food was heavenly, and my husband, who is much more of a foodie and can be very hard on fried chicken, raved about his meal. The night we were there Margie Perez was singing, and every time you go in it's great music--mostly unplugged and acoustic. It really adds to the feeling that you are in restaurant that could only happen in New Orleans. The Oak Street location is perfect--so much to do day or night. After a great meal and great music, we went down the street to the Maple Leaf for MORE LIVE MUSIC! The Live Oak is very strict about Covid safety so it really felt like we were getting back to our most favorite things. And the Live Oak Cafe's shrimp and grits is definitely one of my favorite things to eat in New Orleans! I'll be hitting up brunch there again soon!
Terrible experience, terrible service. I've always heard great things about this place, so when I was back in town, I suggested to our group (party of 5) to come here for our last brunch, since it was nearby. They take safety seriously, requiring vaccination cards for indoor dining, which was no problem at all for us, and we were promptly seated. This was a major plus in our view, ensuring the safety of customers and staff. We started out very proud of coming here. Our table ordered two mimosas, a coffee, and four brunch entrees. We received the drinks quickly, but that was pretty much the highlight of our experience. The cafe was very empty when we walked in, and it looked like there was only one cook working the kitchen, so we didn't mind a bit of a wait even though we came famished. However, a major issue arose when a table of THREE and another table of FOUR, who both came much after we ordered, were both served before us! We watched as these latecomers ate food while we were still waiting with no end in sight. They ordered the same dishes we did! Like WTF, ya know? We called over our waitress, and she had a blank expression when questioned and didn't know anything, couldn't answer any questions, and didn't even apologize. At that point, we got up, paid for our drinks, and left. We wanted to support a local business, but the business practices here were beyond disappointing. The manager (?) did apologize while we were paying, but he simply excused the situation as the waitstaff being super new instead of taking responsibility for poor training or poor hiring, which left a very sour taste in all our mouths. Our reunion group didn't get to have a meal together after five years, as 3 had to immediately leave after the whole ordeal. My boyfriend and I took our dollars to another local business. The live music was the probably the best part of this experience, but we won't be back and won't recommend coming here either.