Espíritu

“We were walk-ins, and even though our 1st time experience was at the bar, Zari made our 1st time visit exquisite-her friendly, energetic spirit, her spunk, and her suggestions. I love mezcal so trying her suggestions was fabulous. Even giving me a sweet taste of what they just got in to join the mezcal club was divine. I like the fresh ceviche that is inspired by a mezcal, and the fresh tortilla. My tacos were delish. As long as Zari caters to us, we will return!”

“Dinner at Espíritu last night was a standout experience from start to finish. We kicked things off with the Creole Queso—loaded with crawfish, roasted poblano, pico, and sour cream—served with chips. It was rich, comforting, and deeply flavorful. I especially loved the house pickled vegetables, served escabeche-style for the table; a thoughtful touch that set the tone for the meal. Our group sampled a wide range of tacos: tempura fried fish tacos with Napa cabbage slaw and chipotle aioli, marinated pulled pork tacos with pickled onions and cilantro, and marinated chicken tacos with diced onion and cilantro. I couldn’t resist trying the cauliflower taco with walnut-habanero crema, pepitas, pickled beets, chimichurri, and cilantro—and it was fantastic. Complex, balanced, and easily a highlight for me. For me, the true star of the night was the mezcal program, which is nothing short of exceptional. Espíritu’s selection is deep, thoughtful, and clearly curated by people who genuinely care about the spirit. This isn’t a token list—it’s the kind of lineup that makes mezcal lovers lean in. The bartender was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and generous with their time, happy to talk through agave varieties, producers, and flavor profiles, and to steer me toward bottles I might never have discovered on my own. Every pour felt intentional, and it elevated the entire experience. If you appreciate mezcal—even casually—this alone is reason enough to visit. From the outside, the building is fairly unassuming, but once inside, the bar and table setting create an inviting, intimate atmosphere that really works. New Orleans already holds a special place in my heart, and Espíritu is now firmly on my list of places I can’t wait to return to on my next visit.”

“The restaurant is well decorated and fun. Videos play on a screen about the making of mezcal. We were here on Loteria night. That was fun. Service is great. Friendly and positive. Our drinks were well prepared and food. Meals were great. Tacos were good. The esquites was okay, the corn is not toasted.”

“Our Espírience was made particularly pleasant by Ericas fantastic service. The restaurant is tastefully decorated and has a great atmosphere and many nods to Mexican culture including Calaveras. The food menu is vast, with plentiful options for all dietary requirements. I had the birria tacos and a side of black beans, all of which were exquisite. They also have Mexican Coke which I understand is made with cane sugar instead. I couldn’t tell the difference but am not an oficiando since I rarely have Coke. I am not surprised at the quality due to the proximity to the Mexican border, which perhaps surprisingly reaches further north than the location of New Orleans. There were no Jarritos but Erica insightfully pointed out that here such drinks are available in many corner stores. There are a range of non alcoholic drinks (namely cocktails) which are delicious, and form a great set of options to pick from.”

“Food and drinks were amazing! The prices were reasonable. We particularly loved the strawberry margs and the chicken tinga tacos! I wish there was more salsa that came with the chips we ordered. The ratio seemed a little off there. The service unfortunately wasn’t as good as the food. Everyone was very friendly but you could tell they were a bit disorganized / not flowing well (even though it was early in the night). Would still go again and recommend others give it a try!”