You’re walking down Royal Street. The humidity in the French Quarter is doing that thing where it feels like a damp wool blanket, and the smell of old stone and jasmine is everywhere. You see the massive wrought-iron gates at 613 Royal. This is the Court of the Two Sisters New Orleans, a place that’s basically a rite of passage for anyone who likes brunch and history.
Honestly? It's easy to get cynical about "tourist traps" in the Quarter.
But this isn't just a place where people wear plastic beads and drink sugary punch. It’s an institution. The history here goes back way before the jazz brunch became a "thing." We're talking about a site that has seen the transition of power from Spain to France to the United States. It's old. Really old. The courtyard itself is rumored to be the largest in the city, and when you step inside, the temperature actually drops a few degrees because of the canopy of wisteria and the way the air moves through the carriage way. It's a vibe you can't fake.
The Reality Behind the Legend of the Sisters
People think the name is just some marketing gimmick. It's not.
The "Two Sisters" were real people: Emma and Bertha Camors. They were born into a prominent Creole family in the mid-1800s. Back then, if you were a woman of status and you lost your fortune, you didn't just go get a corporate job. You had to be creative. They opened a "boutique" (basically a high-end dry goods shop) called The Shop of the Two Sisters in 1886. They sold Parisian laces, fine linens, and probably a fair amount of gossip to the local aristocracy.
They were fixtures of the community.
Imagine two sisters, dressed in the latest French fashions, holding court in a building that was originally built in 1832 for a local financier named Zenon Cavalier. They didn't start the restaurant; they lived their lives there and defined the building's identity for decades. The actual restaurant as we know it—the one with the massive buffet and the live trio—didn't really take its modern shape until the Fein family took over in the 1960s. Joe Fein Jr. saw the potential of that massive outdoor space. He knew that people would pay for the atmosphere of a lost era.
He was right.
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Why the Jazz Brunch Isn't Just for Tourists
Let’s talk about the buffet. Usually, "buffet" is a dirty word in fine dining.
At Court of the Two Sisters New Orleans, they do things differently. They call it a "Jazz Brunch," and it runs daily. Most places do brunch on Sunday. Here, it’s a lifestyle. You’ve got a live jazz trio wandering around, and they aren't playing elevator music. They’re playing the real stuff—Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, the kind of tunes that make you want to order a second brandy milk punch before noon.
The spread is massive. You have the classics like Eggs Benedict, but then you hit the Creole staples.
- Turtle Soup: It’s thick, dark, and finished with a splash of sherry. If you’ve never had it, it tastes like a very rich beef stew with a unique, earthy depth.
- Corn Maque Choux: A traditional Cajun/Creole side that basically makes corn creamy and spicy without using a ton of heavy cream.
- Shrimp Etouffee: This is the litmus test for any New Orleans kitchen. The roux has to be just right—not too dark, not too light.
The courtyard is the real star, though. It’s paved with original flagstones. It’s got a fountain that actually works and isn't covered in algae. Most importantly, it has the "Charm Gate." Local legend says that if you touch the gate, you'll be blessed with the "charm" of the city. It’s probably just a way to get people to pose for photos, but hey, in New Orleans, you don't mess with the local superstitions.
The Architecture of a Creole Landmark
The building itself is a masterpiece of the "American Townhouse" style, which is a bit of a misnomer because it feels distinctly Mediterranean.
The front of the building is relatively unassuming—just another beautiful facade on Royal Street. But the depth is incredible. The property stretches all the way back to Bourbon Street. In the 19th century, this was a functional necessity. You had the shop in the front, the living quarters above, and the "service" areas—kitchens, stables, and slave quarters—in the back, separated by the courtyard to prevent the whole house from burning down if a kitchen fire started.
It’s a grim reminder of the city's past, tucked away behind the beauty of the wisteria.
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Architecturally, the "Three-Sided Courtyard" layout is what keeps the space cool. The brick walls are thick—sometimes several feet—which acts as thermal mass. It stays cool in the day and releases heat at night. When you sit there, you're experiencing 19th-century air conditioning. It’s a design that modern architects are still trying to replicate in sustainable building practices.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Menu
There's this misconception that the food is "dumbed down" for visitors.
I’ve spent enough time in NOLA kitchens to know that the chefs at Court of the Two Sisters are under a lot of pressure. They are serving hundreds of people a day. Maintaining the quality of a Remoulade sauce or a Bananas Foster at that scale is actually harder than doing it for a 20-seat bistro.
Take the Grillades and Grits.
This is a staple of New Orleans "high breakfast." It’s medallions of veal (or sometimes beef) simmered in a rich brown gravy with onions, peppers, and celery—the "holy trinity." If you mess up the grits, the whole dish is ruined. They have to be creamy, not gritty, and seasoned enough to stand up to the gravy. It's soul food with a French accent.
The dinner service is a different beast entirely. It’s more formal. You get the white tablecloths and the flickering candlelight. While the brunch is famous, the dinner is where you see the "old world" service. The servers here aren't college kids working a summer job. Many of them have been there for twenty, thirty years. They know the menu, they know the history, and they know exactly how to de-bone a fish tableside without breaking a sweat.
The Ghosts and the Gossip
You can’t have a building this old in New Orleans without a few ghost stories.
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Local guides often whisper about the sisters themselves. Some say Emma and Bertha never really left. Staff members have reported seeing two elderly women sitting in the courtyard after hours, dressed in late-Victorian mourning clothes. Is it true? Who knows. But when the sun goes down and the shadows of the vines start dancing on the brick walls, it’s easy to believe.
Then there’s the story of the "Pirate" Jean Lafitte. Legend has it he used the courtyard for meetings because it was private and had multiple exits. While historians are a bit skeptical—Lafitte is basically the "George Washington slept here" of New Orleans—the building was certainly around during his heyday.
How to Actually Enjoy Your Visit
Don't just show up at noon on a Saturday and expect to be seated immediately. You’ll be standing on Royal Street in the sun, getting cranky.
- Book the first or last seating. If you go for the earliest jazz brunch slot, the food is the freshest and the courtyard is the quietest. If you go late, you can linger over your coffee while the lunch crowd clears out.
- Dress the part, even if you don't have to. There’s no strict dress code for brunch, but you’ll feel better if you aren't in a t-shirt and flip-flops. It’s a "hat and seersucker" kind of place.
- Check the weather. The courtyard has some covering, but if it’s a sideways-rain kind of day, you’ll be moved inside. The interior dining rooms are beautiful—full of dark wood and history—but the courtyard is the soul of the place.
- Ask about the "Daily Special" even at the buffet. Sometimes the kitchen puts out a small batch of something seasonal, like soft-shell crab or mirliton salad, that isn't on the standard menu.
The Verdict on Court of the Two Sisters New Orleans
Is it the "best" food in New Orleans? That’s a loaded question. This is a city with a higher density of incredible restaurants than almost anywhere else in the world. You can find more "experimental" Creole food at places like Toups' Meatery or more "modern" takes at Compère Lapin.
But that's not why you go to the Two Sisters.
You go because you want to feel the weight of the city's history. You go because you want to hear a trumpet solo while you eat a shrimp cocktail. You go because there is something deeply satisfying about sitting in a courtyard that has survived hurricanes, fires, and the changing of empires, and realizing that the simple act of eating lunch is part of a 200-year-old tradition.
It's a piece of the New Orleans puzzle. Without it, the French Quarter would lose a bit of its heartbeat.
Actionable Steps for Your New Orleans Trip
If you're planning a visit, start by checking the Court of the Two Sisters official website for their current "Jazz Brunch" hours, as they can shift slightly depending on the season or private events. Make a reservation specifically for the courtyard; while they can't always guarantee it due to weather, it's worth putting in the request. After your meal, take a five-minute walk over to Pirate’s Alley or Jackson Square to keep the historical momentum going. If you're into photography, the lighting in the courtyard is best between 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM when the sun filters through the wisteria without creating harsh shadows. Finally, don't leave without trying the Bananas Foster—it’s a classic for a reason, and the flambé presentation is a perfect end to the experience.