<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">GW Fins quickly became one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans. I was able to snag a reservation on a Sunday night a couple of weeks in advance. Since I got the reservation weeks before, there was a lot of built-up excitement leading up to the dinner. Luckily, it didn’t disappoint at all!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The restaurant is located on Bienville Street, right off Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter. I went the week before Mardi Gras, so the dining room was decorated beautifully with purple, green, and yellow lights and lots of beads. Large booths lined the outer edges of the room with tables in the middle of the circular dining area. We were escorted to our table with menus unique to that day. Each day has a different menu, ensuring the fish served is both fresh and delicious. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our server greeted us with water and a discussion about the drink menu. She was able to provide helpful recommendations that made the meal extra special. Rather than regular bread and butter to start, the wait staff walks around with trays of homemade mini biscuits. They were very attentive, placing another biscuit on our plates as we finished the previous. I truly can’t rave enough about our server; she was kind and helpful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, jumping right into the food. We started with the <em>lobster dumplings</em>, which were incredible. The light dumplings were filled with a lobster mousse laying in a lobster bisque. If you like lobster, this is the perfect dish for you. It came with 5 dumplings, so the dish was perfect for sharing. This was a great way to start the meal without getting too stuffed before the mains.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_15871" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15871" style="width: 268px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class=" wp-image-15871" src="https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2025-03-18-at-12.35.51-PM.png" alt="" width="268" height="196" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-15871" class="wp-caption-text">Image via Alexis Cohen</figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next let&#8217;s dive into the main courses, which were unreal. We decided to share the <em>parmesan-crusted sheephead</em> and the <em>blackened drum</em>. I had never seen or heard of sheephead, but it’s simply a sweet, flaky white fish. This dish was topped with lump crab and lay on a bed of sauteed spinach. I’m so happy we stepped out of our comfort zone and tried this new fish because it was amazing! The sweetness of the fish paired well with the saltiness of the parmesan, creating the perfect pairing. Drum is a fish I already knew I liked, but this dish really elevated the fish itself. Mashed potatoes lined the plate along with sauteed spinach and two fried shrimp. Everything on this plate was devoured and one of the best fish dishes I’ve ever had. The portion sizes were big and great to share with another person. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although we were full by the end of the entrees, we knew we had to try their dessert. Our server told us about the <em>salty malty ice cream pie</em>, which is their house special. This dessert was absolutely outrageous. A brown butter pretzel crust on the top and bottom of malted caramel ice cream with chocolate-covered pretzels was delivered to our table. We ate as much as we could stomach after such a good meal. Along with the rest of this meal, it might’ve been the best dessert I’ve ever had. </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_15872" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15872" style="width: 285px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class=" wp-image-15872" src="https://tulanemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2025-03-18-at-12.37.02-PM.png" alt="" width="285" height="237" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-15872" class="wp-caption-text">Image via Alexis Cohen</figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. The atmosphere is incredible and very New Orleans, while the food is out of this world. </span></p>
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GW Fins: Seafood Innovation and Southern Hospitality
Feature image via Alexis Cohen