Emeril Lagasse’s Portuguese-leaning 34 Restaurant & Bar is on its way out of the Warehouse District, with the Emeril Group announcing the Baronne Street dining room will close on January 31. The spot, a collaboration between Emeril and his son E.J. that debuted in October 2024, is shutting down due to rising operational costs, according to the company. Staffers are being offered positions at other Emeril Group locations, and a parting social media note hinted that the concept might not be gone for good,according to New Orleans CityBusiness.
The Emeril Group confirmed that 34 at 714 Baronne Street will serve its last guests on Saturday, Jan. 31, as reported by New Orleans CityBusiness. The Warehouse District restaurant, created by Emeril J. Lagasse III and his son E.J., opened in October 2024 and had already landed on the MICHELIN Guide’s Recommended list and picked up a Wine Spectator award, the outlet notes. CityBusiness also reports that employees will be offered opportunities at other Emeril Group venues as 34 winds down.
What 34 Served And Why It Mattered
34 leaned into Emeril’s Portuguese heritage, with ornate tilework, a jamón bar and shareable dishes like bacalhau, caldo verde and rice platters that mixed family recipes with polished, modern service. Those details are highlighted in coverage by Southern Living, which framed the restaurant as a personal project for the chef and his family.
Industry Squeeze Hits Even Star Names
34’s early exit is not happening in a vacuum. Restaurant margins are notoriously tight, and higher costs for everything from payroll to provisions are shrinking the runway even for well-backed names. Analysis from Toast, using survival-weighted Bureau of Labor Statistics data, finds that the average restaurant lasts just over six years. In a broader look at closures and cutbacks, TheStreet places 34 among several chef-driven and celebrity-affiliated concepts that shut down or scaled back in 2025, a pattern observers link to inflation, labor costs and rising rents.
Where The Staff And The Brand Go From Here
The Emeril Group is keeping the door open to another chapter for 34. In a social media post, the company promised, “This isn't the last caldo verde we'll be sharing with the New Orleans community,” according to New Orleans CityBusiness. Other Emeril Group restaurants in New Orleans and Las Vegas, along with the chef’s at-sea concepts, will continue operating while leadership sorts out next steps for the 34 team.
For now, locals still have a short window to get in the door. Reservations are open through the final weekend, and fans who have been meaning to try the Prego sandwich or Bacalhau À Brás can still book a table through the 34 Restaurant & Bar website. For New Orleans diners, the swift rise and fall of 34 is another reminder that even marquee names have to fight hard to keep ambitious concepts afloat in a tough restaurant market.
