Spirits Food & Friends - Alexandria (LA)

5 /5 Gabby Barrentine: Ms. Rachel was our waitress and cocktail provider. She was so friendly. The hummus she recommended for our starter really kicked off the meal. Her drinks were delicious and refreshing. Her cucumber Gin and Tonic was a sparkling surprise that went really well with my perfectly barely seared Tuna steak with grilled pineapple and jasmine rice with a wasabi honey sauce that could have been drunk. My honey got a steak that was cooked just how we like it: RARE. YUM! NOT TOO SALTY. I hate a good piece of meat that is ruined by over salting. I loved the layout of the outside eating area with all of the flowers and the super groovy music. They had Townes Van Zandt, Merle Haggard, and Tyler Childers playing over the speakers. It is by far the best dining experience Ive had in a long time. I usually end up regretting going out and wish I had just cooked at home instead of wasting my money on restaurant food. They get a 100% approval rating for atmosphere, taste, and service! Who knew such a gem was waiting on an out of the blue Louisiana adventure!?

3 /5 Matty DeFreitas: Several people suggested Spirits Food & Friends, so I decided to stop in. The food overall was good, but the service at the bar left something to be desired. The bartenders pretty much neglected me the entire time. While I don’t mind being left alone while eating sometimes, a little attentiveness would’ve been appreciated. For food, I started with the deviled eggs, which were exactly what I expected—classic in flavor, though the sauce presentation was a bit messy. Next, I had the New Orleans BBQ shrimp with grits. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and flavorful, but the grits seemed slightly overdone and the plate had so much sauce it looked more like soup than a balanced dish. Still, the flavors were there, and the portion was filling (though I wish there had been more grits). For drinks, I tried an old fashioned, which unfortunately wasn’t great. Personally, I don’t think fruit should be muddled into an old fashioned—it overpowers the whiskey, which is the whole point of the cocktail. Overall, my experience was decent, and I can see why this spot is highly recommended by locals—but some refinement in service and balance of flavors would go a long way

2 /5 Mzuzi: Atmosphere and environment was great. Staff was awesome but the food was so bland. I hardly tasted salt.The mash sweet potatoes tasted like they only added a tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt. I was unimpressed by the salmon, it was dry and the asparagus was slightly overcooked. I also had bread pudding which was also bland and charred tasting (dont know how that could be possible considering its a dessert). Overall, I could make this at home and it would taste so much better. It was my first and last time going. There wasnt anything that would get me to come back. Good job on plating though!

4 /5 Anthony Sanchez: Spirits "new" location, relatively speaking is beautiful and inside is well appointed. There is adequate parking with easy access from Jackson Street. My review may not be totally great if I compare it to New Orleans restaurants I grew up with, so Ill just be honest and fair. Even though takeout is available, it is recommended that in order to get the full social experience, eat in. Spirits has a nice "dating" environment. And can be a pleasant social evening out for families and friends. The atmosphere is good. Service is generally competent and friendly. The menu is varied, large enough, and can be adventurous. As a personal note, Im happy I am not a steak eater. Market prices can vary into the upper stratosphere. This is not fast food with fast food prices. However, it is worth the experience for a nice pseudo-gourmet event. Recommended.

5 /5 Nate Slayter: I had an awesome experience here! I placed a pickup order, and the process was super efficient and easy. I got the creamy crawfish redfish (three orders!), two orders of curly Q fries, and two mac and cheeses. Everything was hot, fresh, and absolutely delicious. The staff was super friendly, too. I’ll definitely be coming back for more!