In a food city as brilliant and crowded as New Orleans, restaurants can frequently come and go, and 2025 has proved to be no different for the food and dining industry.
Nearly 20 restaurants and bars have shuttered their businesses halfway through the year and owners are hunkering down to brace for another hot summer, the slowest time of year for the city’s service industry.
Eight restaurants have already shut their doors in the last month ahead of the slump, and others, like Boucherie, are preparing to temporarily close during peak slow months.
As we prepare for the summer blues, here a look back at what restaurants have closed so far.
BABs, Bywater
Chef Nina Compton closed her Bywater restaurant known for its modern American menu at the end of May after 7 years in operation, choosing to focus her energy elsewhere.
Compton and husband also own Compere Lapin, a James Beard winning restaurant that combines the flavors of Caribbean and Creole cuisines, which will remain open in the Warehouse District.
Justine, a French brasserie in the French Quarter, opened in 2019. (Contributed photo)
Denny Culbert
Justine, French Quarter
French eatery Justine closed the doors to its French Quarter restaurant on May 25, serving their last meal just ahead of the city’s summer slump.
The restaurant, which owners Mia and Justin Devillier called their “love letter from Paris, told from New Orleans,” originally opened in 2019.
Maypop restaurant in downtown New Orleans on Friday, July 16, 2021 (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
Maypop and MoPho, CBD and Mid-City
Asian fusion restaurants Maypop and MoPho, both owned by chef Michael Gulotta and business partner Jeff Bybee, both closed on May 4.
For Maypop, the restaurants final nail in the coffin was a building collapse that has since left rubble and safety barriers blocking the business’ front entrance.
Gulotta and Bybee have floated the idea of opening a slimmed down version of MoPho in the future, but no plans have been solidified. The MoPho location inside Louis Armstrong International Airport in Kenner remains open.
BY CHELSEA SHANNON | Staff writer
Ugly Dog Saloon, Warehouse District
After 25 years of serving up smoked meats and drinks downtown, the barbecue joint closed its doors over Memorial Day weekend.
Owners said the closing was a back-and-forth decision for them, saying their hearts were “full and heavy” as they decided to cease operations.
The restaurant’s former owners are ow embarking on a new adventure — taking over Yum’s Cafe in Grand Isle.
Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar moved to a new location up Magazine Street in 2024. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar, Uptown
After location changes and a legal battle for the bar’s name, Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar, owned by Jeffrey Carreras, permanently shuttered its Magazine location at the end of May.
The bar had only been at its 3226 Magazine St. since early last year, but it previously operated at 2604 Magazine St. for more than a dozen years.
The Channel currently operates at the 2604 Magazine St. location.
The taproom at Zony Mash Beer Project in New Orleans, built in a former movie theater, has a mosaic of woodwork around it.
Staff photo by Ian McNulty
Zony Mash Beer Project, Gert Town
The New Orleans brewery opened in a former historic movie theater served customers for a final time on June 1 after 5 years in business.
The spot was known for its pop-ups, live music and community events it held throughout the week.
Brocato’s Kitchen, Mid-City
Though this Mid-City restaurant was only open for a year, its owners have been staple in the New Orleans food scene at Jazz Fest for years.
Troy and Cherie Brocato decided to close their brick-and-mortar shop in May, turning their focus to their long-standing catering business.
Though the Brocatos are mulling opening another restaurant, there is not currently a timeline for a new location.
Trilly Cheesesteaks serves up the Philadelphia classic five-days a week.
BY CHELSEA SHANNON | Staff writer
Trilly Cheesesteak, Mid-City
The Mid-City Philly Cheesesteak spot, one of the few places in New Orleans to get an authentic Philadelphia staple, closed its doors to customers in March.
The restaurant started as a weekly pop up at Bud Rips Old 9th Ward Bar in 2017 and later opened its permanent spot on Banks Street in 2018.
Owners cited the rising costs of ingredients, insurance hikes and a looming lease renewal as reasons for the closure.
Zoe’s Bakery, Uptown
The Covington-based bakery known for its coffee and baked goods closed its Uptown location on Maple Street earlier this year.
Since the location’s closing, French Truck Coffee has moved into the space, making it the 13th location of the franchise.
The bakery still operates their Covington location at 118 W 32nd Ave. and operates a booth at City Market on Elysian Fields Avenue.
Tonti’s Cocktail Bar and Bistro, Algiers Point
The popular Algiers Point French bistro and bar closed in February after 2 years in business.
Tonti’s Cocktail Bar and Bistro, an Algiers restaurant, announced its closure on Facebook on Saturday afternoon. (Photo from Tonti’s Instagram account)
The neighborhood restaurant was known for its vast French offerings and other casual bites as well as hosting various community events.
The restaurant’s chef Chet Henderson mentioned on social media that he would be transitioning to a new opportunity in Austin, but did not give a reason for Tonti’s closure.
The Franklin, Marigny
After the electric bistro in the Marigny shut down in March, a new restaurant has already opened in its place.
The Franklin, known for its happy hour deals and bright neighborhood feel, operated at 2600 Dauphine St. for 11 years.
Shortly after the closure, Evviva moved in, reuniting a cast of pros the Link Restaurant Group. The new Italian spot is operated by Heather Lolley and Humberto Suazo, who run the Bywater taco hotspot Galaxie. And in the kitchen is executive chef Rebecca Wilcomb, who won a James Beard award in 2017 while working at Herbsaint.
Wild South chefs Clayton Estess and Amanda Wachowski work on a dish during dinner service at the tasting menu restaurant. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune)
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
Wild South, Lower Garden District
The Lower Garden District spot that once boasted a five-course tasting menu ceased operations in January, making it one of the first New Orleans restaurant closures of the year.
However, fans of the eatery’s chef Michael Stoltzfus still have reason to celebrate as he has since returned to the location with a new, more casual concept: Here Today Rotisserie. The new spot serves chicken dinners, plates and sides.
El Cúcuy, Irish Channel
The taco shop on Tchoupitoulas Street opened in September 2020 amid the COVID pandemic, but was forced to close its doors at the beginning of 2025.
The restaurant, named after the mythical Spanish monster, sold street snacks, tacos and margaritas all inspired by Austin Lane’s hometown on the border of Texas and Mexico.
Barbecue ribs and brisket and fried chicken share a platter at Frey Smoked Meat Co. in New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Frey Smoked Meat, Mid-City
After opening Frey Smoked Meats in 2016 after years of competing in Hogs for Cause, chef and owner Ray Gruezke decided to close the Mid-City restaurant in March.
Phyllis Jordan in front of the flagship location of PJ’s Coffee on Maple Street in 1988.
Photo by G. Andrew Boyd / The Times-Picayune archive
Original PJ’s location, Uptown
The flagship location of PJ’s Coffee on Maple Street closed at the beginning of 2025 after 50 years in operation.
Now a coffee empire with over 160 U.S. shops, Phyllis Jordan originally founded coffee brand in 1978. The Dallas-based public relations company that oversees the PJ’s franchise said the closure was a result of “severe disruptions” caused by ongoing construction in the Carrollton neighborhood.
Medium Rare, Uptown
The Washington D.C.-based steak and frites chain quietly closed at its Uptown location next door to Whole Food market earlier this year after opening in 2023.
Last day at the Milan Lounge in New Orleans on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Photo by Chris Granger, The Times-Picayune)
Chris Granger
Milan Lounge, Milan
Milan neighborhood residents mourned the loss of the small dive bar in April after the owner’s lease ended, forcing the establishment to close its doors.
The former hole-in-the-wall’s location has since gotten a new tenant, John Michael Rowland, who also owns upscale restaurants Pigeon and Whale and The Husky.
Wit’s Inn, Mid-City
In March, popular sports bar closed nearly a year after a security guard was shot and killed while working the front door.
Wit’s Inn has been operating in an entertainment strip on North Carrollton Avenue for well over a decade and was one of the first institutions to return to the city after Katrina. The bar has changed hands a few times over the years.