Most commonly referred to as the Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of the most storied cities in America. With a population mostly comprised of descendants from the exiled French-Canadians and gold coast slaves, the true “melting pot” nature of America is personified in this city that sits below sea level. Not only has this city developed its own language, Cajun, but they also have a self-invented blended cuisine referred to as Creole. No other restaurant in Easy town serves up Narlins cooking like Antoine's.

Antoine's can be found on St. Louis Street in the French Quarter. For those who don't know their way around New Orleans, the French Quarter is the only spot in the entire city that stands up above sea level. As such, Antoine's was saved from the devastating water damage of hurricane Katrina, but the restaurant still took some heavy wind damage. Coming together, the community helped to rebuild the restaurant, and this 180-year-old establishment received a much needed makeover and all-around lifting of spirits.

The restaurant is named for Antoine Alciatore who opened it up in 1840. It's the oldest family-operated restaurant in New Orleans, and the citizens have turned this location into a historic institution. Over the years, Antoine's is credited for creating many original dishes, including Oysters Rockefeller, Eggs Sardou, and other decidedly Cajun delights. The menu doesn't stop there by a long shot. Even if you're not a fan of spicy and blackened courses, Antoine's Creole delicacies will change your mind in a hurry. You can get the classics like gumbo and jambalaya, plenty of fresh shrimp, and much, much more.

A lot patron's stop into Antoine's simply for the wine selection. The restaurant is known for its massive storage capacity, holding 25,000 bottles of extremely varied choices from every corner of the globe. The inside of the restaurant is also large, especially compared with the look of the place from the outside. It blends in perfectly with the French Quarter, boasting of the typical black iron rails on the front and the plantation-style construction.

The semi-formal atmosphere comes to life when you step inside, however, with a black-and-white checkered floor pattern, pristine white table dressings, and soft yellow light shining down from the many chandeliers. And that's just one dining room. All in all, there are over a dozen dining areas in the restaurant, all uniquely different and equally beautiful.

With such a large restaurant and large menu selection, one may expect the prices to be on the medium to low side. Unfortunately, Antoine's is a very expensive restaurant to eat at. One dinner for a single person can cost upwards of $80. In comparison to other top restaurants out there, this isn't a lot at all, but for the food Antoine's offers, it's rather expensive.

Price aside, eating at Antoine's is just as much about the ambiance as it is the food. Whether you're in the checkered Hermes room or the sheik-esque Rex room, there are plenty of sights to behold.