Harrahs New Orleans

[UptightTO]

5 free nights at Harrah's New Orleans was an offer I couldn't refuse...It's within walking distance of the French Quarter and right on the Mississippi river. From our room on the 23 floor we could see large container ships and tugs pushing barges and much of the city. The rooms are very clean, very nice and the staff are the best I've ever encountered at a Harrah's property...WELL DONE!! All good right? Well here's the other side of the story...it was so hot outside.....( How Hot Was It?) it was so hot outside we were soaked with sweat after just a few minutes and you could hardly breath...Vietnam was hotter folks but New Orleans is a close second...

Then there was the issue of dehydration...but Harrah's had us covered... for a price...how about $6.00 each for two bottles of warm water in our room...Not wanting to pay that ridiculous amount I went out to the vending machine on our floor...but the machine was on the blitz and wouldn't take my money...so I went down a floor where the machine was sold out!!..long story short it took a trip to three floors before I found cold bottles of water for the paltry sum of $3.00 each.

Because it was impossibly hot outside.......we spent too much time in the casino...Now we understand it's more likely you'll lose money rather than walk out with a pocket full of cash...but a few good hands here and there keep you playing and hoping for the monster hand you know is going to hit on the next push of the deal button...but not this time...I've had my share royal flushes and profitable trips and I've also had many losing trips...But alas loosing streaks are the price you pay for free food, free shows and free rooms and the adrenalin pump you get when you do win.... it's meant to be that way...but I've never lost so many hands in a row nor have I lost so much money so quickly as we did in New Orleans We got a few 4OK's and we both got 4A's with a K but it wasn't enough to get us anywhere close to even.

At the $.50 single hand and the three play $.25 machines I was pleasantly surprised to see a 9/5 payback...I of course prefer 9/6 like we get in Nevada...but I thought the payback was fair considering the venue...

Bottom line...would we go back...YES...all in all the best Harrah's property we've been to...despite our loses...

[BillyJoe]

Having taken many NO trips, I echo your sentiment about their staff. I like their southern charm. Coming from Florida, I am a little more accustomed to the heat and humidity, but if there is no breeze, it can be brutal. That's why they have mules on the horse-drawn carriage rides - the horses can't stand the heat.  

If you do a return trip, request that a refrigerator be placed in your room during your stay 'for medical reasons'. I do not know your Caesars Tier status, but I get an arm full of waters from the Diamond Lounge, and take them to the room and the fridge.
As far as casino success, my last couple of trips there, also, have been dismal with regard to VP results.
Good luck if you make it back.  

[rascal]

Laughing out loud! I am a native of South Mississippi, born and raised across the state line from New Orleans. But I lived much of my adult life in the Los Angeles area, where I felt like I was freezing to death most of the time...even in mid-summer. Also lived near DC for a while and a few other places. Now I live most of the year in Arizona not far from Laughlin but also spend time in South Mississippi. So I have experienced the extremes of the climate. New Orleans is not nearly as hot as Nevada and Arizona, but it's not the heat, it's the humidity. If you are not used to it, yes, I guess it might be sort of bad in Nawlins for a Yankee. I don't feel it...we walk all over New Orleans and I have never felt it, but I do sympathize with someone not used to it. As far as gambling in New Orleans, it is a mystery to me why someone would waste their time at that (or other poor poor poor Louisiana casinos when they can be on the Mississippi coast in an hour (or even less, to Waveland and Bay.)

[BillyJoe]

As far as gambling in New Orleans, it is a mystery to me why someone would waste their time at that (or other poor poor poor Louisiana casinos when they can be on the Mississippi coast in an hour (or even less, to Waveland and Bay.)
One point of consideration, Rascal, is the state taxes on hand pays in Louisiana versus Mississippi for out-of-state players. In MS casinos, 3% flies away, never to be seen again. In LA, I get a refund on all withheld state taxes when I file a LA state return.
 
But I do enjoy gaming in Biloxi much more than New Orleans.  

[Minn. Fatz]

Mrs. Minn and I spent an enjoyable few days in the Big Easy the end of last February. The weather cooperated and we were there to see the city rather than to gamble, but I did improve one shining hour at Harrah's playing 3-line BP 6/5 for nickels. Got some of it back playing Dean Martin's Wild Party penny slots. Like your water experience, I had to walk down the street to Mr. B's Bistro to get a decent Sazerac; one of the best in the city imo. We ate delicious beignet at Morning Call, plenty of "swimps" including a great BBQ presentation over fried green tomatoes at Maison on Frenchman Street, crawdads, alligator, soft shell crab, mmm mmm. Took the Grey Line hurricane tour, the riverboat ride, trolly to the Garden District and walked down Bourbon St. There's sure lots of music -- some of it is even good . Looking forward to another visit some time and will probably spend the same amount of time in the casinos.

[rascal]

OK.....if anyone is headed to New Orleans and wants to know where to go to beat the normal touristy restaurants, etc, let me know. This is the dining capital of the Free World, but within the Quarter there are only a few places worth the hassle --- the rest are overpriced glitz.

[UptightTO]

Would you include Mothers Restaurant in your list of NO best? Simple fare well done...

[Minn. Fatz]

Our experience, walking mostly around the Quarter, was when we got hungry we found a place (but not a chain; why go there to eat at Bubba Gump), checked out the menu and if we saw something we liked went on in. Unlike the music, we found very little to complain about the food in NO. In particular the fish and seafood is right out of the water. Those BBQ swimps at Maison on Frenchman popped right out of the shell. I can still taste 'em.

For beignet, take the red line streetcar past Cafe du Monde to the end of the line at City Park and walk to Morning Call; well worth the trip. On the way back, stop at Mandina's at 3800 Canal. If you're lucky you might see Harry Connick stop by.

[rascal]

UpTightTO:
Many of the "name" restaurants in the Quarter are, in fact, mostly patronized by tourists. They are overpriced and pretentious. One of the most overpriced and most pretentious was Brennan's, which recently closed due to a family squabble. Good riddance! Their $50 "Breakfast at Brennan's" was about as good to me as a $7 Waffle House breakfast. Other overpriced pretentious snotty-nosed "famous" restaurants in the Quarter include Antoine's (An-tynes), Galatoire's (Gala-twas), and Arnauds.

But there are some top scale restaurants in the Quarter that are worth the price and the huge parking hassle, such as Orleans Grapevine and Pelican Club. We always go to Pelican Club when in New Orleans. Expensive, but worth it, I promise!!

My thought is just like Minnesota Fats' comment above --- why would you go to New Orleans to eat anything other than Gulf seafood and/or South Louisiana culinary creations? Red Snapper right out of the Gulf and served the same day that it is caught is a New Orleans speciality, along with shrimp in any form.

The top recommendation I can make to you is Commander's Palace in the Garden District, just to the west of downtown. It is expensive and you generally need reservations, but if you want to sample true New Orleans-style grub, it's the place to go. Top-notch service, easy parking, very relaxed, probably the single best restaurant in Louisiana, which is saying a lot.

I would also recommend Ralph's On the Park, just across from City Park, which is west of the Quarter and the central business district. Another good choice is La Petite Grocery on Magazine Street headed toward Uptown.

In fact, if you get on Magazine Street in downtown and follow it uptown along the Mississippi River, you will find literally dozens of good bars and restaurants, some quirky but interesting. But some of the best New Orleans dining can actually be found in out of the way little dinky taverns and bars that are generally just known to the locals. One example, just one, is Delachaise on St Charles Avenue in Uptown. Truly dinky and totally not obvious to the casual eye, but this is one of the best places to eat in New Orleans.

Now, as far as bars, do not go to New Orleans without stopping in the late afternoon at the Columns Hotel, also on St Charles in Uptown. You can sit out on the wide front porch under a slow moving fan and sip your drink while you watch the street cars rumble past on St Charles Avenue, which at that spot is one of the most storied boulevards in America. Also, do not miss the Roosevelt Hotel downtown. Take your camera and pose your wife and family in the lobby, and enjoy the 1930's-style bar that has been totally restored just like it was in the 1930's.

Yes, New Orleans is as humid as can be, and you definitely have to stay out of the bad areas, but the good parts of New Orleans make it one of the best cities in the world, and certainly the cultural and dining capital of the nation. There is so much more to the city than Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street, yet too many visitors just go there and no where else!!

[TxGameShowFan]

I just came back from a week in New Orleans. I wholeheartedly second the suggestion to go up Magazine Street away from downtown. (Decatur crosses Canal to become Magazine.) We ate twice on Magazine and found at least two others but just ran out of time.

I want to add to What Not To Do: The Jazz Brunch at Court of Two Sisters. Great ambiance, snooze-worthy food.

There are also plenty of tours. I recommend two:

-- Mardi Grad World. They have a free shuttle from the French Quarter and Canal. It's a $20 behind-the-scenes tour of Mardi Grad float construction.
-- New Orleans School of Cooking Demo class, on St Louis between Decatur and Chartres. $30. You'll spend about half the time cooking, and half the time learning about the history of Louisiana cuisine. (And eat some damned good gumbo!)