During the summer, I finally got to visit one of the spot on my list, 1803 NYC. This is another place where you can find New Orleans style food, like Cheeky Sandwiches, but you can get more than sandwiches here at 1803 NYC. It had a black flag with “1803” on their red brick exterior wall, which was helpful to find the place. But, as we got closer, I was really impressed with their outdoor seating! First of all, it was massive. The amount of seating they had was crazy! And, it was covered, so no need to worry about the rain, and it also blocked some sunlight with the faux vines going thought the top.

The reason why I had the 1803 NYC on my list was because of the way it looks in the inside. I know, I usually focus on the food more than anything, but it just looked so beautiful!!! And, for that reason, we opted to eat inside instead of outdoor.

So, where did the “1803” came from, you ask? Well, good question! It comes from the infamous Louisiana Purchase. And with that, their interior and dishes are inspired by New Orleans. It “evokes the sultriness of an evening in the French Quarter” which is a great line I must say… The balcony and contemporary tropical design makes it extra special, and they even have an underground speakeasy to really complete the New Orleans feel.

They had another room behind the bar, with pearly pink booth seats. As most (if not all) table seating in the main room are high top chairs, if you want to have a “normal” height seating, you can ask for the booth if they are available.

 While dining at the 1803 NYC, a jazz band came in and started to play music from the balcony up top. We were not expecting that, and it was so nice! Their music was mellow and soothing, not loud but just loud enough to hear every note. Perfect for a relaxing weekend brunch!

Our server brought us a large water bottle with mint in it, which was awesome. We started our bunch off with some cocktails. We ordered Watermelon Lychee Sangria ($15) and Fais Do-Do ($15).

Watermelon Lychee Sangria was made with Gin & Brandy Infused Watermelon and Lychee, with Choice of Red, White, or Rose Wine. I chose Rose, and it came in a huge wine glass, which I was very happy with. It had watermelon cubes in it, and I mean, watermelon cut into cubes. And guess what, they were so boozy! They soak the watermelon with lychee and Gin & Brandy mixture, and the flavor seeps out from the watermelon into the drink. The drink got stronger as the time passed even with the melting ice cubes. It was AWESOME!

Fais Do-Do is made with Vodka, Grapefruit & Orange Juice, Rose Water, and Orange Blossom. Fais Do-Do might mean “go to sleep” in French, but not in Louisiana! It is a Cajun dance party. Why? Well, it refers to the way Cajun mothers try to shush the young babies they brought with them to the festivities to put them to sleep in a nearby room, so they could dance. You learned something interesting here, right? Me too! And this cocktail was certainly festive! It was very fruity, and elegantly sweet. Bigger glass than expected, which was great! We enjoyed this one a lot too. They do make excellent cocktails here at 1803 NYC!

As we waited for our food to come out, the server brought two kinds of hot sauce containers to the table. One was Jalapeño, and another one was Fresno Chili. How awesome is this? I couldn’t wait to try some…

They food menu looked super enticing, we wanted to order them all… But, I finally decided on Jambalaya ($26), which is made with Shrimp, Chicken, and House Andouille Sausage. It was a big portion! Enough to share between two people, although you really wouldn’t want to…because it tastes so good! It had a nice kick to it already, but I tried some with each of the hot sauce, and it added extra deeper, earthier flavor, making it to the next level. It had perfect seasoning, so if you are not fan of the heat, it is great without the hot sauce. It had loads of tender chicken, plump sausage and shrimp, a great dish!

My hubby went with Cast Iron Cajun Frittata ($18), made with Crawfish Meat, Andouille Sausage, and Baked with Three Eggs. It is served with Home Fries, Biscuit and Side Salad.

Frittata was loaded with plump crawfish and sausage, so good! The salty flavor from the crawfish and sausage was perfectly balanced with the sweetness from the cheese. It was packed with flavor, with a nice amount of seasoning, yet keeping the flavor of the natural ingredients alive. Biscuit was buttery and flakey, moist and baked perfectly. The home fries were tasty too, and the salad was very fresh. Every bite was a delight.

Their bathroom was located between the main room and the back room, to the left of the bar.

Once you enter, you are immersed in this super bright, tropical room! I know there are some of you out there, who loves to take a selfie inside a bathroom, for whatever the reason…no judgement! And you will absolutely love taking a selfie in here! Just don’t take too long, if someone else is waiting for the bathroom…

We had an amazing brunch here at 1803 NYC. The atmosphere, the music, the cocktails, and the food…everything was great! We would definitely go back for more and more. I can’t wait for my family to be able to come for a visit again, this will be the first place we will take them!

1803 NYC – 82 Reade St, New York, NY 10007