Desire Oyster Bar

4.0

329 Reviews

$30 and under

Oyster Bar

300 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Lively
Hot spot

Decorative iron grillwork paired with oversized windows and an antique mirror reveal the fully stocked bar and serve as the backdrop for the Desire bar. Signature features like the tin ceiling and black and white checkered floors give depth to a brand new contemporary bar, highboy tables, and state of the art chargrill station. The color palette and design elements have been carefully curated to complement the existing materials while creating a fresh look for the restaurant.
Desire Oyster Bar is the perfect setting to enjoy a great meal in the center of all the action of the French Quarter.
Once we shuck 'em, we don't just chuck 'em! Desire Oyster Bar is honored to donate all used oyster shells to the Coalition To Restore Coastal Louisiana’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program. These recycled oyster shells are used to restore oyster reefs and shoreline habitat across Coastal Louisiana.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Oyster Bar, Seafood, Creole
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–11:00 am Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(504) 553-2281
Website
https://www.sonesta.com/us/louisiana/new-orleans/royal-sonesta-new-orleans/desire-oyster-bar
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
300 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Neighborhood
French Quarter
Cross street
Located at the corner of Bourbon and Bienville Streets
Parking details
Valet Parking is available at the main entrance at 777 Bienville Street.
Public transit
Canal at Bourbon Street-BusRampart-Conti Streets-Streetcar
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Louisiana Crab Cakes$18.00
Brussel Slaw, Charred Lemon, Cajun Aioli
New Orleans Shrimp Remoulade$16.00
Creole Remoulade, Sliced Tomato, Potato Salad
To Desire for Fries$13.00
Smothered Fries, Etouffee Sauce, Cheddar Cheese & Fried Crawfish
Smack Yo' Momma Oysters$16.00
Garlic French, Buffalo Tossed, Bleu Cheese Crumbles & Dressing
Bourbon Smoked Wings$15.00
Tossed in our House Buffalo Sauce. Bleu Cheese Crumbles & Dressing
Cajun Fried Alligator$13.00
Kickin' Pickles, Pepper Jelly Drizzle, Ranch Dipper

Gumbo & Salads

Have it anyway your heart Desires! Here in da south we eat our gumbo with a scoop of rice or with a scoop of potato salad. Take your pick!

Caesar Desired to be Greek Salad
Romaine, Tomatoes, Kalamata, Feta, Croutons & Parmesan
- Side$9.00
- Full$14.00
Bienville Wedge$12.00
Smoked Pancetta, Cajun Hard Boiled Quail Egg, Red Onions, Blue Cheese Crumbles & Dressing
Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
Tender Chicken, Andouille. Rice or Potato Salad
- Cup$7.00
- Bowl$10.00
Seafood Gumbo
Crab, Shrimp, Crawfish. Rice or Potato Salad
- Cup$9.00
- Bowl$12.00

Po'Boys & Sandwiches

All Po'boys & sandwiches served with fries. Po'boys dressed with tomato, lettuce and pickles

Fried Catfish$16.00
Fried Shrimp$19.00
Fried Oyster$20.00
Fried Chicken$15.00
The Compromise$20.00
1/2 Fried Shrimp & 1/2 Oysters
The Swamp Daddy$18.00
Catfish, Crawfish & Debris Gravy
Angus Cheeseburger$16.00
8oz., Cheddar Cheese, Brioche, Fries & Dressed
Blackened Catfish on a Bun$17.00
Brioche, Creole Cheese Crumbles, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce & Kickin' Pickles
Sticky Chicken on a Bun$15.00
Brioche, Brussel Slaw, Hot Honey & Red Onions

Oyster Bar

Char Grilled Oysters
Garlic, Butter, Parmesan, Herbs
- ½ Doz$16.00
- Doz$26.00
Char Grilled Rockin Oysters
Better than the original Rockefeller! Our Char Grilled topped w/ Creamed Spinach & Herb Saint
- ½ Doz$18.00
- Doz$30.00
Oysters on the Half Shell
Lemon, Cocktail, Horseradish, Crackers
- ½ Doz$12.00
- Doz$22.00
Boiled Peel & Eat Shrimp$16.00
1/2 lb. Boiled in our Cajun Boil. Choice of Hot or Cold

Plates & Bowls

Fried Oyster Plate$31.00
Southern Cornmeal Breaded, Fries, Corn Fritters
Fried Shrimp Plate$29.00
Southern Cornmeal Breaded, Fries, Corn Fritters
Fried Catfish Plate$22.00
Southern Cornmeal Breaded, Fries, Corn Fritters
The Big Fried Catch Plate$35.00
Southern Cornmeal Breaded Shrimp, Catfish, Oysters. Fries, Corn Fritters
Jambalaya$18.00
Local Spices, Sausage, Chicken & Rice
Red Beans & Rice$17.00
Slow Cooked, Grilled Sausage
Etouffee Yo Way$26.00
Choice of one: Shrimp, Chicken or Crawfish. Rice
The Creole Trio$25.00
Red Beans N Rice, Jambalaya & Cup of Gumbo
Shrimp N Grits$25.00
Stone Ground Southern Grits, Tasso, Blackened Shrimp & Roasted Red Pepper Cream
Fried Chicken & Waffle$19.00
Southern Fried, Hot Honey, Cane Syrup
Blackened Catfish$23.00
Tasso Cheese Grits &Southern Greens
Cajun Ribeye$32.00
10 oz. Cut, Lightly Cajun Dusted, Cajun Butter, Skillet Potatoes
The Pasta 3 Step
Step 1: Pick Yo Sauce. Step 2: Pick Yo Topping. Step 3: Enjoy! Sauce: Cajun Alfredo, Roasted Red Pepper Cream, Pesto Cream. Topping:
- Grilled Chicken$19.00
- Fried Oysters$24.00
- Grilled Shrimp$23.00

Extras

Fries (Regular or Sweet)$6.00
Southern Greens$6.00
Red Beans$7.00
Tasso Cheese Grits$5.00
Vegetable of the Day$6.00
Southern Style Potato Salad$6.00

Sweet Endings

Bread Pudding$8.00
Whiskey Sauce
Bourbon Pecan Pie$8.00
Salty Caramel, Whip
Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake$8.00
Triple: Milk, Simi & Dark

Beverages

Iced Tea$4.00
Fountain Drinks$4.00
Coffee$4.00
Bottled Water (Sparkling)
- Small$4.00
- Large$6.00
Bottled Water (Still)
- Small$4.00
- Large$6.00

Local Sodas

Bottled Abita Root Beer$5.00
Swamp Pop$5.00
Satsuma Fizz, Praline Cream, Ponchatoula Pop

What 329 people are saying

Desire Oyster Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.0

4 based on all time ratings

4Food
4Service
3.8Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

329 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner VIP
Phoenix2 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 19, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great oysters and fabulous happy hour! $1 each oysters for happy hour. 👍🏻
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New Orleans3 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 18, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This spot is always electric! The energy and food are great and the service is always good, too.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New Orleans1 review
5.0
Dined on June 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We arrived earlier than anticipated, but were seated immediately at a window table of our choosing! The customer service was amazing! The fried oysters and gumbo were incredible and bae really enjoyed his Desire burger! Chefs kiss! The place was not too noisy and the price point was very fair. We will definitely return and highly recommend Desire Oyster Bar!
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S
Sandsinv VIP
New Orleans30 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 9, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have been going to the Desire for years, first trip was in 1988. Food is GREAT and the service was EXCELLENT. Our server, Pete has been working at the Desire for years. He was very professional and attentive... I Highly recommend the Desire Oyster Bar.
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s
stape VIP
Cincinnati27 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 4, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience and food. Chargrilled oysters/shrimp remoulade with fried green tomatoes were executional. Loved the shrimp po boy and sweet tea!
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RM
RobM VIP
San Francisco11 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great diner on Bourbon Street. Fantastic food, drinks, and service.
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JC
JohnnyC
Washington DC2 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 6, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
The reviews I read of this establishment raved about the wonderful staff. The young lady who "greeted" us at the door seemed very indifferent to our arrival, as did the young lady who seated us. We got water and menus promptly, and our main waitress was initially good. Everyone was happy with their orders. After we received our food, the main waitress disappeared, only to appear again to deliver the check. I don't recall getting asked if we wanted dessert, and our water glasses were never refilled. We had to wave down a different waitress to get a to-go box. There was a murder on Bourbon Street that night, apparently close to where we were dining, as for most of our dinner all the windows were flooded with red and blue police lights. This was not the fault of the restaurant; it's all location, location, location. Bourbon Street lived up to its seedy standard.
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AA
AmyAthens
Atlanta2 reviews
2.0
Dined on May 3, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
The crab cakes were not made on site. Seemed like the freezer section. The Caesar salad I’m pretty sure came from a big bag. We made a reservation but clearly you did not need one. Got the grilled oyster Rockefeller. To Desires redemption, they were very good. Go there, get the oysters. Skip the rest.
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CL
CocoL
Montreal9 reviews
2.0
Dined on April 28, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
Restaurant attitré de l’Hotel Royal Sonesta. Extrêmement bruyant; impression d’être dans une cantine. Plats essentiellement faits de fritures, sans aucun effort de raffinement. Nous étions en famille. Vraiment déçue!
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w
whiskey2dis VIP
New York City18 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We loved the food. We had the most delicious jambalaya, etouffee and gumbo.
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FAQs

Desire Oyster Bar offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (504) 553-2281.

Desire Oyster Bar is rated 4 stars by 329 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

300 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Additional information

Cross street
Located at the corner of Bourbon and Bienville Streets
Neighborhood
French Quarter
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–11:00 am Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Oyster Bar, Seafood, Creole
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Valet Parking is available at the main entrance at 777 Bienville Street.
Public transit
Canal at Bourbon Street-BusRampart-Conti Streets-Streetcar
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.sonesta.com/us/louisiana/new-orleans/royal-sonesta-new-orleans/desire-oyster-bar
Phone number
(504) 553-2281

Desire Oyster Bar

About this restaurant

Not available on OpenTable

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Additional information

Starters

Louisiana Crab Cakes$18.00

New Orleans Shrimp Remoulade$16.00

To Desire for Fries$13.00

Smack Yo' Momma Oysters$16.00

Bourbon Smoked Wings$15.00

Cajun Fried Alligator$13.00

Gumbo & Salads

Caesar Desired to be Greek Salad

Bienville Wedge$12.00

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Seafood Gumbo

Po'Boys & Sandwiches

Fried Catfish$16.00

Fried Shrimp$19.00

Fried Oyster$20.00

Fried Chicken$15.00

The Compromise$20.00

The Swamp Daddy$18.00

Angus Cheeseburger$16.00

Blackened Catfish on a Bun$17.00

Sticky Chicken on a Bun$15.00

Oyster Bar

Char Grilled Oysters

Char Grilled Rockin Oysters

Oysters on the Half Shell

Boiled Peel & Eat Shrimp$16.00

Plates & Bowls

Fried Oyster Plate$31.00

Fried Shrimp Plate$29.00

Fried Catfish Plate$22.00

The Big Fried Catch Plate$35.00

Jambalaya$18.00

Red Beans & Rice$17.00

Etouffee Yo Way$26.00

The Creole Trio$25.00

Shrimp N Grits$25.00

Fried Chicken & Waffle$19.00

Blackened Catfish$23.00

Cajun Ribeye$32.00

The Pasta 3 Step

Extras

Fries (Regular or Sweet)$6.00

Southern Greens$6.00

Red Beans$7.00

Tasso Cheese Grits$5.00

Vegetable of the Day$6.00

Southern Style Potato Salad$6.00

Sweet Endings

Bread Pudding$8.00

Bourbon Pecan Pie$8.00

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake$8.00

Beverages

Iced Tea$4.00

Fountain Drinks$4.00

Coffee$4.00

Bottled Water (Sparkling)

Bottled Water (Still)

Local Sodas

Bottled Abita Root Beer$5.00

Swamp Pop$5.00

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does Desire Oyster Bar offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Desire Oyster Bar restaurant rated?

Not available on OpenTable

Additional information