Herbsaint

Reviews

• JK

  Jea Kim

  Sep 29, 2026
  5.0
  Cajun cooking in French bistro clothes. Flagship of Donald Link's little NOLA empire, the same guy behind Cochon and Pêche. Figured it'd be the perfect crash course in Louisiana cooking so I came in for dinner. The menu was Cajun and Creole dishes mixed in with French bistro classics like duck confit and overall it was a great meal. For gumbo, I came in thinking a straight salt and umami bomb with chicken, tasso and andouille sausage. But there was a bitter edge. I was told that this was the old Cajun country style, and traditionally, they use really dark roux with smoked pork products. It was thinner and brothier than the thick gravy gumbo I pictured, but I liked it more for being different. The fried green tomatoes were their take on the NOLA classic with shrimp rémoulade, except the sauce was a French gribiche. Tomato stayed firm in the fryer, and with chilled shrimp on top, it kind of flipped the dish. Felt more like eating fried shrimp and chilled tomato slices. The pile of greens looked like a parsley avalanche but it was much gentler than it looked and a little anise-y. Homemade spaghetti was one of the most highly recommended dishes, and it was basically a gricia (guanciale, cheese, pepper, plus butter here) that you turn into a carbonara yourself by breaking open the breaded, deep fried poached egg. Crunchy crumb with the chewy fresh pasta was my favorite texture of the evening. The yolk never spread evenly and honestly the bites with a whole pocket of it were the best ones anyway. Only dish I didn’t like was the Muscovy duck leg confit. Since Muscovy is a lot leaner than the moulard ducks French confit is usually made from, and confit fat barely got into the meat. The one I had came out dry and stringy, with the citrus gastrique not having much fat left to cut. The dirty rice under it was made the old way with chicken liver instead of the ground beef versions I'm used to, and I'd come back just for a side of it.
• KG

  Krista Gonzales

  Sep 12, 2026
  4.0
  Best dessert ever (brown butter tart) and the best better pecan ice cream I’ve ever had. The pasta was great too. The gumbo was criminally underwhelming for New Orleans, and the atmosphere would use a serious facelift. Very turned off by the carpet.
• DR

  Donald Richard

  Sep 12, 2026
  1.0
  High end does not necessarily mean healthy. If you want healthy food, this is not the place. Limited menu, noisy and limited space whereby the conversations of diners near you interfere with a pleasant meal for yourself. Staff got irritated when questions about the food I was ordering was questioned. First and last time for me dining there.
• CW

  Cior Wills

  Sep 11, 2026
  5.0
  I didn't love what we ordered but have to say that is probably on me vs the restaurant, BUT I want to say here that the service at this place is at top notch and we had the best care throughout our visit, from perfectly made cocktails to warm wait staff. We had an excellent night. Herbsaint definitely won our hearts with how well we were treated and how perceptive and skilled the staff was throughout the meal. Y'all are true gems. Thank you.
• SR

  Steve Reed

  Sep 9, 2026
  5.0
  My partner and I wandered into Herbsaint on our first night in New Orleans, and it ended up setting an incredibly high bar for the rest of our trip. Everything about the evening was fantastic. The staff was warm, friendly, and attentive without ever being overbearing, and the food was absolutely incredible. Every dish felt thoughtful, beautifully prepared, and packed with flavor. From the special meatball soup and vegetable dishes to the fried green tomatoes and dessert, there honestly wasn’t a miss. The cocktails were excellent too. Herbsaint manages to feel refined and special without being stuffy, which is exactly the kind of restaurant we love. An amazing first dinner in New Orleans and easily one of the highlights of our trip. We would absolutely return. Five stars without hesitation.