An old-school tiled and mirrored dining room is filled with longtime regulars and starry eyed tourists. Galatoire's tuxedo-clad waitstaff provides a near-perfect mix of crackerjack service and experienced, knowledgeable patter. While the main dining room is first come, first served, the upstairs area takes reservations. Those who prefer to wait can sip a cocktail in the bar.

The definitive Creole classics: tangy shrimp remoulade, turtle soup, red snapper topped with sinfully rich lump crab sauteed in meuniere sauce. Try crabmeat maison, lump crab in a cold sauce tinged with Creole mustard and flavorful capers, as a cooling appetizer. Expect the perfect marriage of fresh, local seafood and rich, French-inspired sauces. Trout Marguery, a rolled fillet of poached trout paired with shrimp, mushrooms and hollandaise sauce is a rich Galatoire's trademark.