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Mona Lisa in The Quarter May Be Forced to Close **UPDATE NOT CLOSING**
Posted on 8/1/25 at 12:36 am
Posted on 8/1/25 at 12:36 am
New owners bought the building and gave the restaurant 60 days notice that their lease will not be renewed.
Solid little place with character and good food. Under the radar spot. I hope some sort of agreement can be reached.
WGNO
VCPORA Insta
Solid little place with character and good food. Under the radar spot. I hope some sort of agreement can be reached.
quote:
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The owners of Mona Lisa Restaurant on Royal Street signed a lease for it in December after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Twenty years later, they may be forced to close.
Farrow Stephenson and Tom Moore say the building has been sold to a new owner, and the new owner has served notice that the restaurant lease will end in two months.
Loved by customers for its elegant Italian dishes (Tom does the cooking) and for its irreverent vibe (Farrow can be sassy), Mona Lisa is not a restaurant for tourists—although tourists who discover it are lucky.
It’s a restaurant for locals, who’ve been lighting up social media in despair that it might be lost. Hear what Farrow Stephenson tells WGNO’s Susan Roesgen in our story above.
WGNO
VCPORA Insta
This post was edited on 8/11/25 at 2:13 pm
8
Posted on 8/1/25 at 5:37 am to RedFoxx
That’s a shame.It’s a neat place.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 5:50 am to RedFoxx
I've been there quite a lot, its a great little hidden gem tucked away in the quarter with great food. I'll have to make visit before they close.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 7:33 am to RedFoxx
Used to eat there when we lived in the quarters. Definitely a spot for locals, but tourists definitely knew it as well. Took many a date there pre Katrina. It was only a matter of time, not mad about it closing. Hopefully it doesn’t turn into a bubble tea spot or some other ridiculous gimmicky white boxed establishment.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 7:51 am to PaBon
The dungeon is closing as well
Posted on 8/1/25 at 8:03 am to RedFoxx
They would probably do better in a different location for less rent
Posted on 8/1/25 at 8:12 am to nicholastiger
quote:
The dungeon is closing as well
False
Posted on 8/1/25 at 8:34 am to RedFoxx
My wife and I discovered it on the first leg of our honeymoon. Had to bring your own bottle of wine back then. We used to try to eat there once a year back when we would go to New Orleans more regularly. Really enjoyed that place.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 8:39 am to nicholastiger
Current owner is retiring, family member taking over it apparently.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:22 am to PaBon
quote:
Current owner is retiring, family member taking over it apparently.
It's the dungeon owner's son who is taking over.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:56 am to PaBon
quote:
It was only a matter of time, not mad about it closing
In what way?
The story says the building owner isn't renewing the lease to the restaurant. There's nothing in the story, article or video version, to suggest the restaurant was struggling.
But Farrow definitely is sassy.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 7:49 pm to deeprig9
I am referring to the cycle of life of New Orleans restaurants in general. ML had a damn good run, but thats the roll of the dice you take when leasing and not owning. Look at the Milan lounge, believe this is what happened to them.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 9:16 pm to RedFoxx
I don’t like the idea of the buildings downtown being bought and then immediately converted away from being a restaurant. Bummer.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 9:26 pm to Breesus
quote:
I don’t like the idea of the buildings downtown being bought and then immediately converted away from being a restaurant. Bummer.
Agreed. There are enough t-shirt, daiquiri, and soap shops in the FQ. We need more local places where people can congregate and pass a good time.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 9:42 pm to Breesus
quote:
don’t like the idea of the buildings downtown being bought and then immediately converted away from being a restaurant. Bummer.
Rumor on social media is a NY couple bought the building and will be living on site while opening a restaurant in the ML space
Talk about setting yourself up for a challenging start
This post was edited on 8/1/25 at 9:43 pm
Posted on 8/2/25 at 7:30 am to PaBon
(no message)
This post was edited on 8/2/25 at 7:31 am
Posted on 8/2/25 at 10:37 am to RedFoxx
It’s almost always a shame to lose places with 20 or more years of accrued history.
Texture matters.
Texture matters.
Posted on 8/8/25 at 7:17 am to Raoul Stimulato
This continues to spiral for the new owner.
At what point do you celebrate the tenant pays rent for decades straight and open your own restaurant elsewhere instead of pushing down the path of financial ruin evicting them to take over the space
At what point do you celebrate the tenant pays rent for decades straight and open your own restaurant elsewhere instead of pushing down the path of financial ruin evicting them to take over the space
Posted on 8/8/25 at 8:00 am to RedFoxx
I was just told they are meeting the owners today who may renew the lease.
This post was edited on 8/8/25 at 8:10 am
Posted on 8/8/25 at 8:55 am to NoSaint
They handled it incredibly stupidly and obviously do not understand the city.
If they REALLY wanted the space they would have told ML, hey, we will renew your lease for 3 years (or whatever), but after that, we do want the space for our own concept.
Be open and honest and up front. Give them time to look elsewhere.
I understand as owners they can do what they want within the law, but PR is a thing and this city can be very protective.
If they REALLY wanted the space they would have told ML, hey, we will renew your lease for 3 years (or whatever), but after that, we do want the space for our own concept.
Be open and honest and up front. Give them time to look elsewhere.
I understand as owners they can do what they want within the law, but PR is a thing and this city can be very protective.
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