Dickie Brennan's Restaurant Empire
Get to know Dickie Brennan, of New Orleans’ legendary restaurant family.
In 1991, Dickie Brennan & Company was established to preserve the rich history of New Orleans cuisine. Dickie Brennan, Owner and Managing Partner of Dickie Brennan & Company, is a trained chef and third-generation New Orleans restaurateur of the renowned Brennan family. With the help of famed Chef Paul Prudhomme, Dickie helped New Orleans institution Commander’s Palace introduce the world to Cajun and Creole cooking, sparking a national movement in the culinary space. Today, Dickie Brennan's restaurant group includes several restaurants located throughout New Orleans, with the goal of serving traditional Creole and Cajun flavors with a modern twist to locals and visitors alike:
Bourbon House Seafood & Oyster Bar
Since its opening in 2002, Bourbon House Seafood & Oyster Bar has received national attention, making a spot on Esquire Magazine’s list of “Best New Restaurants," and earning the title “one of the best people-watching perches in the city” by The New York Times. The menu specializes in seasonal local seafood and classic Creole fare. Of course, live music in the Lobby Bar is not to be missed while sipping on their famous Frozen Bourbon Milk Punch or a taste New Orleans' largest collection of American Whiskeys. Bourbon House is also the home of the New Orleans Bourbon Society, which hosts regular whiskey events and tastings, crafting cocktail lessons, dinners hosted by Master Distillers from Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark and more.
Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse is an award-winning French Quarter institution where guests are treated to a grand dining experience and classic New Orleans hospitality. Choose from a menu of high-quality cuts and dishes that feature Louisiana seafood like shrimp, crab, oysters and Gulf fish. Enjoy a front-row seat to Louisiana's iconic flare and order a Dirty Martini, Old Fashioned or Manhattan prepared tableside. After all, Louisiana is home to America's first cocktail, so it's only appropriate!
Dickie Brennan's Tableau
Dickie Brennan's Tableau is located in the heart of the French Quarter and offers a variety of seating options throughout three stories of the restaurant. Enjoy traditional French-inspired New Orleans cooking on their balcony with a view of Jackson Square, in their picturesque courtyard, for an authentic New Orleans dining experience.
Palace Café
Palace Café, housed in the historic Werlein’s music building, has won a number of local and national awards since opening, including Best New Restaurant from Esquire Magazine and USA Today, the prestigious Ivy Award from Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, and Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Their Jazz Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays is a hot commodity, so be sure to plan ahead and secure a spot. And if you're dining in the evening, ordering the tableside bananas Foster is an absolute must. End your night at Palace Café’s Black Duck Bar, named after the most notorious rum-running vessel during Prohibition.
Also owned and operated by the company are Acorn Cafe and The Commissary Kitchen + Market. Located in the Louisiana Children's Museum, Acorn offers a menu fit for both the young and the young at heart using herbs from the Children’s Museums edible garden, plus a kid’s culinary lab (think professional grade play kitchen) and Kid’s Table Cooking Series. In New Orleans' Garden District, The Commissary offers both a dine-on experience with sandwiches, salads, shareable small plates, and more - as well as a market stocked with prepared items for those on the go.
Fun Facts Straight from the Source
Q: Is there a favorite family tradition you’ve incorporated into your restaurants?
A: The cornerstone of my family’s success is hospitality. We’ve always tried to make diners feel welcome, and one example of this is buying an after-dinner drink for people dining alone. This is a family tradition that has been carried on for generations.
Q: When it comes to your restaurant menus, what is the dish you never tire of?
A: Turtle soup and bananas Foster…what can I say? I was hooked at a young age.
Q: Share with us an insider’s tip about making the most of our experience at your restaurants.
A: Listen to your servers! We spend a lot of time educating our front-line staff. Before every shift, our chefs have a meeting with servers to tell them what just came in and is extra special. Depending on the season, we’ll have off-the-menu specials like soft-shell crabs, sweet jumbo lump crabmeat, and Gulf shrimp.
For those avid fishermen out there, take advantage of Dickie Brennan and Co.'s Catch and Cook program, where you can bring your freshest catch right to one of their restaurants for their culinary experts to create a masterpiece just for you.
Wherever you go, you'll have the finest New Orleans dining experience at these establishments!