A Perfect Day in the Warehouse District
For a relaxed, romantic date night in the New Orleans Warehouse District, Plates is built for exactly that: a small table for two along our big windows and old brick wall, a spread of shareable small plates, and a bottle of Spanish wine to linger over. There's no pressure to commit to one entrée and hope you chose right — you order a few plates, explore the menu together, and see where the night takes you.
That's the whole idea. Plates is the only restaurant in New Orleans that has made family-style and small-plate dining its entire language, and it turns out to be the most natural thing in the world for a date. Sharing lowers the stakes. You taste more, you talk more, and dinner unfolds at your pace instead of the kitchen's.
Where to sit
Ask for a two-top along the windows and the exposed brick. It's the warmest corner of a refined, industrial room inside the historic Cotton Mill — candlelight, high ceilings, and just enough buzz to feel like you're out without having to shout across the table.
What to order
Start with the Garlic Shrimp — our most-ordered plate and the best one-bite summary of what we do: classic Spanish garlic-shrimp tapas rebuilt with the flavors of this city, French black-garlic soubise, Vietnamese chili crunch, and Spanish pimentón. Add the Viet-Cajun Butter Roasted Oysters, our take on chargrilled, roasted in a screaming-hot cast-iron escargot pan with a Viet-Cajun crawfish butter and Italian panna gratta. The Wild Mushroom Toast — inspired by a dish at Mimi's in the Marigny, where our chef first fell for tapas — is the quiet showstopper.
Pour a bottle of Spanish red, and finish the way we'd finish it: Basque cheesecake and a glass of PX sherry. That last course is the one people text their friends about.
Come early or come late
Our daily happy hour runs 4–6 p.m. with cocktails from $8 — a low-key way to start a date at the bar before you move to your table. Dinner runs until 9 p.m., and the room stays easy all night.
Good to know
Reservations for two are on OpenTable; walk-ins are welcome at the bar.
Where we are: 1051 Annunciation Street, Warehouse District, two blocks from the Convention Center.
Parking: metered street parking is free after 7 p.m. and on Sundays, plus a discounted lot diagonal from us at John Churchill Chase & Annunciation.
FAQ
Is Plates good for a date night? Yes — it's one of the most relaxed date-night spots in the Warehouse District. Shared small plates, a deep Spanish and global wine list, and an intimate window table make it easy to settle in for the evening.
Do I need a reservation for two? Reservations for parties up to 10 are on OpenTable and recommended on weekends, but the bar takes walk-ins if you'd rather be spontaneous.
Is small-plates dining enough food for dinner? Absolutely. Three to four plates per person makes a full, satisfying dinner — and because you're sharing, you get to taste far more of the menu than a single entrée would allow.
What should first-timers order? The Garlic Shrimp, the Viet-Cajun Butter Roasted Oysters, and the Wild Mushroom Toast, finished with Basque cheesecake and PX sherry.
When is happy hour? Daily, 4–6 p.m., with cocktails from $8 — a great way to start a date at the bar.