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About Nola
Nola is a New Orleans-inspired restaurant and bar at 535 Ramona Street, just off University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. It sits in the Ramona Street historic corridor, inside the Pedro de Lemos building, which dates to 1908. The menu and the cocktails lean toward the American South, with a mix of the cultures that shaped New Orleans cooking.
The building is a big part of the experience. Nola says it holds one of the largest collections of Southern folk art in the country. The two-story restaurant has eight dining rooms, an open-air courtyard, an oyster bar and a streetside parklet. Nola's website and contact emails link it to Avenir Restaurant Group.
What is on the menu
The July 2026 all-day menu opens with Pearl's Oyster Bar. It lists raw West Coast oysters from Washington, Tomales Bay and Baja California, an oyster shooter and baked oysters done in a Rockefeller style. Cold seafood includes crabamole with Dungeness crab and avocado, a shrimp ceviche and a chilled prawn cocktail.
Small plates are where the Louisiana cooking shows. There are two gumbos, one with chicken and andouille sausage and one with crawfish and gulf shrimp. You will also find barbecue shrimp and grits, a jambalaya skillet, fried green tomatoes with remoulade, crawfish and andouille fried rice and mac and cheese. Po' boys come with barbecue pulled pork, blackened salmon, spicy fried shrimp or grilled portobello.
The Nola Classics section holds the bigger plates: a spicy crawfish boil with andouille sausage, corn and potatoes; a spicy jambalaya you can order regular, spicy or very hot; a crawfish and shrimp étouffée; a Cajun pasta; and fried chicken and waffles. Separate menus cover lunch, brunch and drinks. The cocktail list leans South too. The restaurant jokes that after a couple of its Hurricanes you will swear you are in New Orleans.
Dietary notes
The menu labels dishes as gluten free, vegetarian or vegan. It also marks dishes that can be adapted. Plant-based options include a Beyond vegan jambalaya, a chimichurri rice bowl with brown rice and vegetables and a grilled portobello po' boy. Most oysters and several seafood dishes are marked gluten free. Tell your server about allergies before you order.
Brunch, happy hour and late drinks
Nola serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Happy hour runs Tuesday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. The kitchen closes between 8 and 10 p.m. depending on the day, but the bar stays open later: until 11 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. on Sunday. That makes it an option for a late drink downtown on a weekend. It is closed on Mondays.
Who it suits
Nola suits a lively group dinner, a weekend brunch or drinks with friends after work. The menu is built for sharing, with oysters, small plates and po' boys that are easy to pass around. The many rooms and the courtyard give groups some choice of setting. It is less suited to a quiet, planned dinner for which you want a guaranteed table at a set time, since the dining room does not take reservations.
Groups and private parties
All regular tables are first come, first served. Nola does not take reservations for the dining room. The exception is contracted parties, which can book the restaurant's private spaces. Submit a request through the private party form on the website. The events team follows up from there.
Tips for visiting
Since there are no reservations, come early for dinner on weekends or plan around happy hour. Takeout is ordered online through Toast. Delivery goes through DoorDash. Gift cards and a rewards program are available on the website. The Palo Alto Caltrain station is a short walk away.
Ramona Street's Spanish Colonial Revival buildings are worth a look before or after your meal. Our Palo Alto architecture guide explains the style. See our brunch guide for weekend ideas and our bars, wine and beer guide for more places to drink downtown.
Location and getting there
Nola is at 535 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.
The Palo Alto Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.
Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday to Thursday | 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (bar until 11 p.m.) |
| Friday | 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (bar until 1 a.m.) |
| Saturday | 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (bar until 1 a.m.) |
| Sunday | 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (bar until 10 p.m.) |
Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.
What is nearby
- Marvel Cake, bakery or dessert shop, under 0.1 mi
- Citibank University Avenue, service business, under 0.1 mi
- De Novo, store, under 0.1 mi
- Forest Spa Boutique, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
- The Wine Room, bar, under 0.1 mi
- University Avenue, under 0.1 mi
- Lytton Plaza, under 0.1 mi
- Cogswell Plaza, 0.1 mi
Other restaurants nearby: Ettan (under 0.1 mi); Bistro Maxine (under 0.1 mi); Zingsters (under 0.1 mi); Pizza My Heart (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.
Before you go
- Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
- Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
- If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.
About this listing
Checked October 30, 2026 against Nola official website; Nola all-day food menu, July 2026. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Nola in Palo Alto?
Nola is at 535 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area. The nearest Caltrain stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.2 miles away.
Does Nola in Palo Alto take reservations?
No. Nola seats its dining rooms first come, first served. The only exception is large groups that book its private spaces through the private party request form on its website.
When is happy hour at Nola?
Nola's happy hour runs Tuesday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
Does Nola have vegetarian or gluten-free dishes?
Yes. Nola's menu marks dishes that are gluten free, vegetarian or vegan, or that can be made that way. Examples include a Beyond plant-based jambalaya, a chimichurri rice bowl and a grilled portobello po' boy.
What are Nola's hours?
Monday: Closed; Tuesday to Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (bar until 11 p.m.); Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (bar until 1 a.m.); Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (bar until 1 a.m.); Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (bar until 10 p.m.).