Reds Chinese
Bywater, New Orleans
Restaurant in New Orleans, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Reds Chinese in New Orleans' Bywater is the off-script addition that gives a trip texture, it's easy to book without weeks of lead time. Data on pricing and hours is limited, so verify directly before planning around it. Best for food-focused explorers who've already covered the Creole and Cajun staples and want something genuinely different.
About Reds Chinese
Who Should Book Reds Chinese; and When
If you're a food-focused explorer looking to step outside New Orleans' well-worn Creole and Cajun circuit, Reds Chinese at 3048 St Claude Ave in the Bywater is worth your attention. This is a spot for the kind of diner who finds the predictable restaurant row a little too comfortable; someone willing to head into a neighborhood that rewards curiosity with something genuinely different from what the French Quarter puts on your plate.
Because Reds Chinese sits in the Bywater rather than the tourist core, booking is easy. You're not competing with convention crowds or anniversary-dinner planners who locked in reservations weeks out. That low-friction access is a real advantage if you're building a flexible New Orleans itinerary and want to hold a slot open for a spontaneous evening.
On the wine side, the honest note here is that the available data doesn't confirm a deep or curated wine program, that's relevant context for the explorer who makes pairing decisions central to how they eat. If a serious list is non-negotiable for you, venues like Bayona or Saint-Germain are better-documented on that front. Reds Chinese earns its interest through the food proposition and neighborhood energy rather than through cellar depth.
Pricing, hours, the full menu aren't confirmed in the current data, so treat this as a venue to verify directly before committing plans around it. The St Claude Ave address puts you in a stretch of the Bywater that has developed a legitimate dining identity over the past decade, that neighborhood context counts for something when you're building an evening.
For the explorer whose New Orleans visit already has the Commander's Palace lunch and the Pêche dinner locked in, Reds Chinese is the kind of off-script addition that gives a trip texture. Go early in the week if you want breathing room, check hours ahead, independently operated venues in this part of the city can keep idiosyncratic schedules.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 3048 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
- Neighborhood: Bywater
- Booking difficulty: Easy
- Price range: Not confirmed, verify directly
- Hours: Not confirmed, check before visiting
- Phone: Not listed
- Wine program: Not documented, manage expectations accordingly
- Leading for: Explorers, off-script evenings, flexible itineraries
For more context on where Reds Chinese fits in the city's dining picture, see our full New Orleans restaurants guide. Staying overnight? Our New Orleans hotels guide covers the full range. Drinks before or after? Our New Orleans bars guide has options by neighborhood. You can also browse New Orleans experiences if you're building a fuller itinerary around the visit.
Planning details
- Location
- 3048 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
- Website
- redschinese.com
- Phone
- 504-304-6030
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Reds Chinese reads like a neighborhood fixture: low-key, focused, and firmly rooted in the Bywater/St. Roch stretch of St. Claude Avenue. The profile emphasizes a serious kitchen that doesn’t rely on tourist traffic, so the room attracts regulars and local neighbors rather than one-off diners. That combination gives the place a relaxed, approachable feel—not flashy, but confident in its cooking. Expect an unpretentious atmosphere where the food does the talking and the clientele skews local, making it feel more like a dependable community spot than a destination spectacle.
Best For
Reds suits informal gatherings and group meals where the point is good, consistent Chinese cooking rather than ceremony. The profile highlights its position outside tourist-heavy corridors and its loyalty among regulars, which makes it a natural spot for friends, families, or neighborhood groups looking for a casual meal. It’s less about white-tablecloth occasion dining and more about reliable, flavorful plates that reward repeat visits—an option for anyone who wants real neighborhood cuisine in Bywater without pretense.
Ordering Tips
Focus on the signatures that define the place: the Kung Pao Pastrami, General Lee's Chicken, Cheeseburger Fried Rice, and the Cajun Fried Rice. These dishes are called out as notable preparations and serve as a clear through-line for the kitchen’s approach—a blend of Chinese technique with local sensibilities. Sampling one or two of those signature plates is the clearest way to understand what Reds is doing in New Orleans and why it has built a local following.
Venue details
Ambiance
Ruby-colored lighting in a quirky hideaway with glitz-meets-gaudy decor, juxtaposed Chinese restaurant baubles and thought-provoking photography.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Small
Signature Dishes
- Kung Pao Pastrami
- General Lee's Chicken
- Cheeseburger Fried Rice
- Cajun Fried Rice
Planning details
Location
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Also Consider
- Emeril’s; Cajun, Cajun
- Re Santi e Leoni; Contemporary, €€€
- Bayona; New American, New American
- Pêche Seafood Grill; American Regional - Cajun Seafood, American Regional - Cajun Seafood
- Commander’s Palace; Creole, Creole
Restaurant context
Against New Orleans' most-booked dining institutions, Reds Chinese occupies a different register entirely. Commander's Palace and Emeril's are the obvious choices if you want the full, polished Creole-and-Cajun experience with serious wine programs and service depth to match; but both require planning and carry price points that reflect their reputations. If that's the priority dinner of your trip, book those first. Reds Chinese is a different kind of decision: lower-friction, neighborhood-rooted, suited to the night when you want to eat outside the circuit.
For diners weighing a more relaxed but food-serious evening, Pêche Seafood Grill is the stronger documented option if seafood and a known wine list matter to you; its reputation for value and quality is well-established. Bayona earns the nod for New American cooking with genuine cellar depth, it books up fast enough that you should secure it early in your planning. Reds Chinese, by contrast, is easy to slot in last-minute, which is its practical edge.
Re Santi e Leoni and Zasu serve diners looking for contemporary cooking with more documented structure around price and format. If you need confirmed pricing and hours before committing your evening, either of those is a more reliable bet than Reds Chinese with the current data available. Reds Chinese rewards the flexible traveler; book it when you have room to improvise.
Explore New Orleans
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Reds Chinese guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Reds Chinese
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reds Chinese | 2026 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Featured Restaurants | ; | ; | Easy |
| Emeril’s | Cajun | ; | 2026 Food & Wine Top 10 US Restaurants · #52026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants · #202026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #1012026 Relais Chateaux Restaurants2026 James Beard Award Nominees2026 James Beard Award Semifinalists2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2026 Wine Spectator Grand Award2026 Les Grandes Tables du Monde Members | Unknown |
| Re Santi e Leoni | Contemporary | €€€ | 2026 Michelin 1 Star2025 Michelin 1 Star2024 Michelin 1 Star | Unknown |
| Bayona | New American | ; | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Recommended2025 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #5382024 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #3602023 OAD Gourmet Casual Dining in North America Ranked · #1632002 World's 50 Best Restaurants · #45 | Unknown |
| Pêche Seafood Grill | American Regional - Cajun Seafood | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #1112026 James Beard Award Nominees2026 James Beard Award Semifinalists2025 Robb Report 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century · #692025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #3672025 James Beard Award Semifinalists2025 Michelin Plate2025 Resy Best of the Hit List2024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #175 | ; | Unknown |
| Commander’s Palace | Creole | Star Wine Lists 20262026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Recommended2026 Wine Spectator Grand Award2026 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Robb Report 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century · #322025 La Liste Top Restaurants2025 Wine Spectator Grand Award2025 Esquire Best Martinis in America2024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #394 | ; | Unknown |
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Reds Chinese accommodate groups?
Call ahead before arriving with a party; 3048 St Claude Ave is a neighbourhood spot, not a banquet hall, capacity at smaller St Claude corridor restaurants tends to be limited. Groups of 4 or fewer are the safest bet without a reservation. Larger parties should confirm directly, as no private dining information is on record.
Where is Reds Chinese located?
Reds Chinese is located in New Orleans, at 3048 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117.
