Coop's Place, New Orleans

This place is great not only because the food is authentic New Orleans cuisine, but because there is no dress code (the grungier the better) and the kitchen is open until at least 2am every nite. This place is essential for when you've been partying on Bourbon Street all night and you just have to get some food.

Favorite Dish: Rabbit and Sausage Jumbalaya - (my fav)
A traditional Creole rice dish, simmered with tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, local seasonings, boneless rabbit, and smoked pork sausage.

Chicken Tchoupitoulas -
A mouth-watering combination of boneless chicken breast sauteed with cream sauce and flavored with shrimp and tasso. Served over rice with our Creole green beans.

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Coop's is a small place on the far side of the French Quarter, which is delightfully far from most of the crowds. This place packs a whollop, pretty popular with locals. There was line outside in which everyone was from New Orleans, we were the only ones outside. There's no reservations or name-placing, you just hang out in line and wait for a table. Or you can sit at the bar, which is entertaining.

Favorite Dish: I had the fried chicken, which was old-fashioned delicious. 3 pieces, with home-made slaw and rabbit and sausage jambalaya. The other dish, which my friends had, was a 5-set taster platter, with fried chicken, the jambalaya, seafood gumbo, and two other items.

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Coop’s Place is a small, down to earth bar with friendliest staff we met in New Orleans. A lot of people (the locals) like to stand at the bar and have their dinner there but we preferred a table next to the wall (like most of the visitors), the wooden tables give a nice touch to this casual and definitely not fancy place, a cute place with a laid back vibe. The waitress came with a big smile, give us some info on the menu and we made the order.

We enjoyed our beer and coke till the food started to arrive with a bit of delay I can say. But we liked the atmosphere and we didn’t really care, it was funny when another waiter came with this easy-going style and asked where is our food! :)

Most of the plates come in different sizes (small medium and big). So, we had Gumbo cup ($5.25 it was more spicy than expected), jamboyala bowl ($7.25 delicious) shrimp remoulade salad ($8.25 just ok), red beans and rice with sausage ($8.25 great, we had some really bad ones elsewhere in town) French fries ($4.25) and as I said abita beer($3.5) diet coke ($1.5).

The bill came up to $45 with the tip, I think this place has really reasonably priced Cajun food.

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Just a local dive, Coop's has some great Cajun/Creole meals. When I arrived around 8pm, the dinner crowd still had the place packed. I found a table in the corner by the jukebox and soaked up the atmosphere until the busy bartender/waiter made his way over. With no Abita on tap, I settled for a Corona then I ordered their sampler with gumbo, shrimp creole, fried chicken, red beans and rice, and rabbit and sausage jambalaya. The food was spectacular, though I got worried when I saw the scary cook with the 20+ facial piercings, tattoos, and the serious skin problems... not to mention the fact that she was petting the dog in the bar and hauling out the trash in between trips to the kitchen. I just hope she washed her hands... maybe it'll hit me later.

I returned to Coops when I made my next trip to New Orleans in late August. This time the restaurant was not so busy, they had Abita on tap, and the waiter/bartender was very friendly and tossing a few jokes our way (what is the name of the crab? ... Claude or Clawed... ha ha ha). A better experience than my first trip, and the food was just as good.

I love this place! When in NOLA, I typically eat here at least twice.
This restaurant is tucked away at the less-frequented end of Decatur (heading towards Esplanade) and has mostly locals in it, though there are often tourists who stumble upon it (and then, return...like me!)
Here you can get a variety of po' boys, gumbo, jambalaya, salads, seafood dishes, etc.
There's a bar too.
Very laid back feel---casual, dark interior.

Favorite Dish: Pasta Oriental--strange to find such a great pasta item in a restaurant that specializes in Cajun food, but there you have it.

They also have a great variety of hard ciders in the bottle. My favorite is Ace Pear.

We travel to New Orleans every other year, and as in all our travels, we seek out places that are real, down to earth, off the tourist path. Coop's is all that and more. A dimly lit tavernly atmosphere, awesome food, and drink. Nice people, real people. Great beer and Scotch selection as well. Don't expect to go there and get your tourist butt kissed, this place is for locals and non-bead wearing visiters. Be real, and be very happy!!!!

Favorite Dish: All the food rocks. My favorite thing here is a simple beer: Anchor Liberty Ale, from San Fransisco. Good.

When my beloved wife treats me to Commanders for lunch, I balance out the day with dinner at Coop's. It's a bar. It's got a shrine to a flight attendant, a juke box, tv,smoke, chalk board with some specials (or maybe the entire menu) and real people. I sat and listened to two hours of Sinatra one night played by some guy who was crying at the corner of the bar. I love Sinatra , but I believe he had other reasons for the song selections.

Favorite Dish: Good jambalaya and a surprisingly good burger one night. It's bar food, but better than you'll get at most bars.

I came for the taster's menu but found the gumbo very good. They had a decent selection of beer. Decor was dark wood bar with some tables & chairs for the eaters. Expect brisk service. Walk in. Dress casual.

Favorite Dish: Gumbo