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Restaurant Ratings

The ratings are based mostly on the degree to which the food excites us, and a little on environment, service, and other considerations. I rate restaurants relative to all other restaurants in the New Orleans area. Here's what the stars mean to me:

starstarstarstarstar
Among the best locally.

starstarstarstar
Excellent and ambitious.

starstarstar
Worth crossing town for.

starstar
Recommended.

*
Acceptable.

No star
Unacceptable.

Cost Ratings
Each dollar sign indicates a ten-dollar range, including a normal meal for the restaurant (dinner, if they serve other meals), not including drinks, or tips. So, for example. . .

1$--$5-15
2$--$15-25
3$--$25-35

. . . and so on, with no upper limit. While this scheme may suggest mathematical precision, know that perception of price varies from diner to diner as much as the star ratings do. So consider this an estimate.

All reviews are based entirely on meals I have personally taken at the restaurant and paid for from my own pocket. I don't take free review meals, nor am I reimbursed by anybody for my restaurant expenditures.

starstar
pricebar

Lakeview Harbor

Hamburgers. Seafood.
Lakeview: 911 Harrison Ave. 504-486-4887. Map.
Lunch and dinner seven days.
Very Casual.
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
It's one of the two or three best vendors of hamburgers in the city. Beyond that, the menu includes other popular American eats: chicken wings, fried mozzarella sticks, salads, fried seafood, and a daily special. Nothing stands out like the hamburger, though.

WHY IT'S GOOD
The hamburgers are ground fresh and formed on the premises, grilled to order (it's all right if that order is rare), and served with a baked potato. It is darn near everything that a hamburger should be: crusty on the outside, juicy inside, ideal texture. A close second is the filet mignon sandwich, but I still think I'd prefer the burger.

BACKSTORY
The people who opened this place (1994) came out of the Port of Call organization, and wanted to expand on the idea in a more accessible location. They have succeeded. Hurricane Katrina, which put eight or nine feet of standing water in this neighborhood, forced a renovation, but the restaurant was open faster than anyone guessed it would be.

DINING ROOM
Like most great hamburger specialists, the Lakeview Harbor at least feels like a bar. (Although the legal definition of the difference between bar and restaurant makes the place a restaurant.) The bar and the televisions ore over here; the tables are over there, by the windows. It's almost too dark to read the menu. There is neither a harbor nor a view of the lake.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Chicken wings.
Seafood stuffed mushrooms.
Hamburgers.
Filet mignon sandwich.
Seafood platter.
Steaks.
Baked potato.

FOR BEST RESULTS
Get the hamburger and a beer, even if you're too old to be eating many hamburgers. It will remind you of your college days. This is not a fast-food hamburger; it takes what will seem like a long time to come out.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Because it's so busy, the place has a way of getting untidy at times. You might stand there waiting for a table for awhile before someone comes up and greets you. The lights could be turned up a touch. Why margarine and not butte ron the potatoes?

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

This review was updated with new information on 11/8/2009.

 

A list of all 275 full, current reviews is here.