Arnaud's Restaurant

Arnaud's was founded in 1918 by Count Arnaud Cazenave, a colorful French immigrant and wine merchant who believed that fine food, rare wines, and grand presentation were essential pillars of civilized life. Cazenave acquired a block of interconnected 19th-century French Quarter townhouses along Bienville and Bourbon Streets, carefully converting them into a sprawling dining complex featuring private dining rooms, crystal chandeliers, beveled glass mirrors, and elegant tiled floors. Under his passionate direction, the establishment became world-famous for classic French Creole gastronomy.

Following Count Arnaud's death in 1948, his daughter Germaine Cazenave Wells assumed ownership and management. Known throughout Louisiana as a flamboyant socialite and former queen of 22 Mardi Gras krewes, Germaine expanded the restaurant's international fame and established the Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum on the second floor to showcase her elaborate carnival gowns, crowns, and historical memorabilia.

In 1978, the restaurant was purchased by Archie and Jane Casbarian, who undertook meticulous historical restorations, reviving classic signature dishes like Shrimp Arnaud, Trout Meunière, and Café Brûlot. Today, the Casbarian family continues to operate the historic establishment, maintaining its 1920s elegance, live jazz traditions, original architectural charm, and preserved historic dining salons.

The ghost lore at Arnaud's centers primarily on its charismatic founder, Count Arnaud Cazenave. According to restaurant tradition and decades of staff accounts, Count Arnaud never truly relinquished control of his beloved establishment. Diners and waiters in the Main Dining Room frequently report seeing an impeccably dressed gentleman in an early-20th-century tuxedo standing in the corner, surveying the room with an approving nod before fading into the woodwork. Waiters who worked at the restaurant for decades insist that the Count's spirit appears most frequently during busy holiday services when standards must be strictly maintained.

Another well-known apparition is that of a lady in a high-collared Victorian dress, believed by many to be Germaine Cazenave Wells or an earlier 19th-century resident of the townhouses. She is reported near the Richelieu Room and the upper Mardi Gras Museum, where her light footsteps echo across empty floorboards when the museum is locked and dark. She is often seen gazing out toward Bienville Street with a contemplative posture.

Staff members also speak of a group of well-dressed gentlemen ghosts who frequent the French 75 Bar late at night. According to local lore, these spirits appear to be wealthy patrons from the Prohibition or post-WWII era, enjoying invisible cigars and spirits at corner tables before vanishing when approached by modern bartenders. The combination of culinary history and phantom patrons creates an enduring supernatural reputation throughout the complex.

Employees, patrons, and paranormal researchers have shared numerous ghost stories from inside Arnaud's over many decades. Waitstaff working late shifts in the main dining hall report silverware shifting on pristine white tablecloths, wine glasses ringing softly as if tapped for a toast when no one is near, and heavy wooden doors in the private dining rooms unlatching and opening on their own without drafts.

In the second-floor Mardi Gras Museum, maintenance workers and custodians report the distinct sound of rustling silk gowns, light footsteps wandering between display cases holding historical carnival costumes, and sudden cold spots near Germaine Wells' crown displays. On several occasions, patrons in the French 75 Bar have seen the reflection of a tuxedo-clad man in the antique mirror who is not present when they turn around, leaving an indelible impression of supernatural oversight and lingering presence throughout the historic establishment. Guests also report feeling unexpected cold rushes near the wine cellar entrances during guided historical walks.

Arnaud's occupies 13 contiguous historic buildings dating from the early-to-mid 19th century. The complex covers nearly a full city block, featuring classic French Quarter architecture with stucco exterior walls, iron balcony railings, gas lamps, and interior brick courtyards.

The main dining room features original mosaic tile floors, crystal chandeliers, beveled mirrors, and cypress woodwork. Upper floors contain dozens of historic private dining rooms—such as the Count's Room, the Irma Room, and the Creole Cottage—alongside the Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum showcasing vintage carnival gowns, photographs, and masks. The spatial flow reflects over a century of continuous expansion and historical preservation.

Arnaud's Restaurant is located at 813 Bienville Street, just off Bourbon Street in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter. It is open nightly for dinner service and on Sunday mornings for its famous Dixie Jazz Cottage Brunch featuring live jazz performances.

Dinner reservations are strongly recommended well in advance. Guests are encouraged to visit the complimentary Mardi Gras Museum on the second floor during business hours. The restaurant adheres to a dress code in the main dining rooms (collared shirts required for gentlemen; jackets preferred). The central location allows easy access to nearby historic attractions, hotels, and French Quarter landmarks.

Arnaud's maintains a premier reputation among haunted New Orleans establishments due to its century-long family history, 13 interconnected 19th-century buildings, consistent reports from long-time staff seeing Count Arnaud inspect dining tables, and its unique blend of culinary excellence, carnival history, and French Quarter ghost lore that draws culinary enthusiasts, historians, dark tourism researchers, and ghost hunters from all across the globe.