Want the inside word on New Orleans' most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which restaurants have been getting a notable increase in attention this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at New Orleans businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are closing the summer out strong.
Mambo's
This Cajun/Creole spot, which offers seafood, soul food and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp.
Citywide, seafood spots saw a median 1.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Mambo's saw a massive 169.2% increase, maintaining a sound 4.5-star rating throughout.
Located at 411 Bourbon St. in the French Quarter, Mambo's offers an expansive menu of classic Cajun/Creole dishes, such as crawfish poutine, blackened redfish, po'boys and fried seafood platters.
Melba's
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about St. Roch's Melba's, the well-established Cajun/Creole spot, which offers chicken wings and sandwiches, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp saw a median 1.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, Melba's bagged a 2.2% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a mixed 3.5-star rating.
Open at 1525 Elysian Fields Ave. since 2013, Melba's offers a large menu of home-cooked "plate dinners" such as barbecue ribs, fried or grilled shrimp and catfish, pork chops and baked chicken. Po'boys, chicken wings and other comfort foods are also served.
Two Chicks Café
The Central Business District's Two Chicks Café is also making waves. Open since last September at 920 Gravier St., the traditional American spot, which offers breakfast, brunch and lunch, has seen an 11.5% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2% for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Two Chicks Café's review count increased by more than 140%.
Two Chicks Café offers classic breakfasts, like pancakes, omelets and French toast, a wide variety of sandwiches for lunch, and fresh fruit juices and smoothies. Over the past month, it's maintained a healthy 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
