Mister Mao

We had an OK experience. We had high expectations given all the accolades they recently received. And while nothing was bad, we weren’t wowed by anything either. Most of the dishes felt like they were lacking a punch, the service was a bit all over the place and it was just a little too loud / dark to fully enjoy the atmosphere. It’s definitely possible they were having an off night, but it wasn’t our best experience in NoLa.

Fine dining but for casual people. This creative approach to open minded cooking brings all manner of people together around the table. That’s the sign of good food after all.

We were seated right away, we ordered some delicious cocktails and we ordered the two person brunch special. The atmosphere of the restaurant is super eclectic and cute, but it was very hot and there were a couple large parties that made it loud, our waiter offered to seat us in the cocktail lounge when we first sat and I wish we took him up on that ha oh well. The food was delicious and the two person brunch special could have fed four people haha we took some home. Overall very fun and delicious.

4/5 stars, hands down. The service, food, and ambiance at Mister Mao were top-tier. If you’re in NOLA for brunch, do yourself a favor and go for their $50 brunch deal—it’s designed for two people and is more than enough to leave you happy and full. And let me tell you… their San Francisco Garlic Noodles will change your life. OH. MY. GOD. Buttery, garlicky, slightly fishy, and packed with umami—it’s the best dish I’ve had in a while. Honorable mentions go to the broccoli, rice dumplings, and their salad *chef’s kiss*. Now, about the bottomless mimosas—this is where they lost a star. The menu lists them at $35, but we were charged per person, bringing our total to $80 for two (after taxes). The fine print wasn’t clear, and even our waiter seemed surprised. While I get that restaurants have to make a profit, transparency is key—especially when it comes to pricing. If each person is paying separately, then each person should get their own bottle of champagne, period. The manager attempted to explain, but the reasoning didn’t hold up. That said, this place is still a must-visit, and I’d absolutely recommend it—just be mindful of the mimosa situation. Go for the food, stay for the exceptional service, and prepare to be wowed.

busier now that they got michelin attention, so be patient. unique and amazing small dishes. good music and vibe

Ashton was an amazing server! She helped guide us on the menu, gave EXCELLENT descriptions of each dish and how to properly enjoy each dish step by step, I’ve never been big into trying new things but this place deserves all the credit in the world! Such a great experience with an affordable price! Thank you Ashton for inviting us and showing us what we’ve been missing! I will DEFINITELY be back! 🙂

Mr. Maos for me was completely unexpected in the best way. Another eclectic restaurant whose food is asian with touches of Indian and mexican. Absolutely delicious. I rate based on overall experience and this was a great one. Sam was a wonderful waiter. Personable, happy at his job and seemed very proud of the food that was being served. As this is a sharing restaurant he gave us an idea of how many dishes to order based on our parties size and then when we were ordering told us if what we ordered was good for our group size. The pani puri and fried chicken from the spicy portion of the menu were great. Chicken was extremely crunchy but still juicy and had a nice heat but definitely not overly spicy. The pani puri was very interesting. Its a hollow crunchy shell that the spicy mint water was poured into. You pour as much or as little of the mint water as you want so you control the heat level of each bite. Very fun and tasty. Strawberry chaat was a fun salad with crispy bits and tons of flavor. Hanger steak was cooked and seasoned well, probably one of the least inventive dishes but would order again. Most items we tried were new to us but would happily eat all of them again. A fun lively restaurant with inventive food, an overall great experience.