G.W. Fins

808 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
504-581-FINS   http://gwfins.com
 
(I promise we'll work on getting photos of the food, but we haven't been to GW since before we got the idea for this blog! the photos featured here are from the restaurant's Facebook page.)

Overall Ratings (H in orange, C in purple)
Food: A+/A
Ambiance: A+/A
Service: A/A
Drinks: A+
Overall Experience: A+/A

H says, Much like our Olympic athletes, GW gives it 110%! This wonderful restaurant is by far my favorite in New Orleans so far. The prices are a bit higher, but again, the service, the food, and the wine are all top-notch. If you want to go out for the evening and have an amazing meal in a great atmosphere, go here. If you don’t, go anyway--you will love it.

C says, H introduced me to GW Fins. Though I had heard about it (and had eaten their lobster po-boy at the Po-boy Festival: OMG), I had never been to the restaurant. It is a great place to go for a nice night out. Entrees range from $21-$38, with the majority just under $30, which is certainly not cheap, but not exorbitant for a special occasion by any means. The thing I like best is that they change their menu every day based on what is fresh, so you know you're getting the best fish. (There are a couple non-seafood entrees on the menu, but when you're at what has been dubbed the best seafood restaurant in New Orleans, get the fish!)
Overall thoughts from H:
First step, make a reservation. If you plan on eating in the dinning room anytime after 7pm, make a reservation and when you do, ask for a booth in the back. The back booths are perfectly lit and allow you to look out over the rest of the dinning room. It is, in one word, perfect. Dress is business casual. The first time I went, I wore a jacket and did not feel out of place, but just a collared shirt and slacks will work just as well. [C says, The back booths are really nice and cozy, and you'd probably be comfortable in anything from a sundress to a cocktail dress, depending on your mood!]

Once seated, you are presented with a menu which changes daily based on what fresh fish and foods they got in that day. They tend to stick to a few dishes, all of which are amazing but you will almost always see something new when you go. The wine list is amazing--a great selection by the glass and by the bottle. If you are unsure of what to get, ask the waiter when you order. I tend to stick with red wine regardless, but my Dad had a number of white wines which he enjoyed. [C says, Their signature dish is the "scalibut": halibut topped with sliced scallops and served with lobster risotto. Delish, if just a touch salty. But, everything I have had there has been good--you can't go wrong.]

Now, once you have ordered food and wine, they start bringing out biscuits. Warm and delicious with butter, if you finish these, they bring more, and more and more, until you stop eating them. Be careful or you will fill up on these and not want dessert. Trust me, wait, it will be worth it.

The last time I went, I had my favorite, Yellowfin Tuna served rare with light vegetables and sticky rice. This meal is to die for. The fish is perfect and the sides absolutely enhance the dish. If they have it on the menu and you enjoy tuna, get it. The servers will continually check on you throughout the meal to make sure you have everything you need. It is not overbearing and every time I was about to complain about something they would solve it before I said a word. The only reason I gave them an A instead of an A+ is that they don’t grovel over you the way they do at Commander's. Which is fine, but an A+ is for perfection, as as much as I love G.W. Fins, the restaurant isn’t really set up this way.

For dessert, I would recommend the bread pudding, as it is fantastic. Also, I believe all bread pudding should come with vanilla ice cream and they were happy to add this to my desert; making it absolutely perfect. Any of the other desserts are great as well, but the bread pudding is fantastic. [C says, the bread pudding is white chocolate bread pudding with dark chocolate chunks and caramel. It really is delicious.] Did it come through that I really enjoyed my experience at G.W. Fins? I absolutely plan on being back time and time again. Right now, actually they have a great summer special where you can get a 3 course meal for $35. That is well worth it as well, but if you want the full experience, I would go with it, it may be a bit more expensive but definitely worth it.

C says, The summer special is a great deal (my three courses were cheaper than H's wine!). It is only Sunday-Thursday, and the menu changes daily. Last time I had the crispy lobster appetizer, which is basically the lobster from the po-boy they make at the Po-Boy festival--yum!, then the flounder, and finally the chocolate cherry cake with butter pecan ice cream. The ice cream was splendid. I also have to give a shout out to the sizzling smoked oysters that are often available as an appetizer (H's dad would be so upset if we didn't mention them!)--they are really delicious, though they don't top Drago's charbroiled oysters for me. This is definitely H's favorite, and I love it, too. I'm happy to go whenever he wants!