There was a time when you went to @gwfins for fish from faraway waters. Early on, it taught me about John Dory and Chilean sea bass, all excellent fish.

But then the approach changed, and along the way this restaurant has changed and expanded the idea of what the local Gulf catch can be.

I recently shared one of the roomy booths with a couple who hadn’t been to GW Fins in so long it practically qualified as their first visit. The restaurant has changed that much from its start.

You’re coming for an ever-changing menu that could include barracuda caught by local spearfishermen, swordfish ground for seafood bolognese or cured for a “bacon” in the scallop carbonara, or magnificent dry-aged cuts of bluefin tuna.

Chef Mike Nelson is pursuing new ways with seafood, breaking the local mold while giving a better measure of the depth and quality of local seafood.

Now marking 25 years in business, here’s a glimpse of what it’s like to dine here now.

Link in my bio has the full read

“Fins wings” cuts from the collar

Pictured: Dry aged tuna with house Worcestershire sauce

Dry aged swordfish with black garlic bordelaise

Yellowfin tuna pastrami (my God…) in sandwich form and all on its own

Tuna tartare in firecracker tacos

Blackened barracuda with awhile shrimp

Coconut on the half shell

And the indispensable salty malty

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #visitnola #visitneworleans #frenchquarter #seafood #gulfseafood #seacuterie #dryaged #dryagedfish #nolafoodie #nolafood #neworleansfood Less