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Ever since last May, Harold & Belle’s on Jefferson Boulevard has been closed down for renovations, with only their Peacock Lounge bar/event space open for folks looking to dine. It’s been a protracted construction period, to be sure, but now it seems as though the venerable Creole institution will be up and running by Mardi Gras on February 9. That timeline certainly matches this Facebook photo from last week showing a staff training day well underway.
So what can one expect from the redone restaurant? Well, a more modern dining experience for one. The original Harold & Belle’s opened almost half a century ago but hasn’t seen meaningful changes since the 1980’s, so this new construction run should help bring the place up to speed.
The Legaux family is also planning for the future, with new private event spaces, and a dedicated separate location for on-site live entertainment, including jazz. They’ve even redone the bar, to make sure all that delicious Creole food has something strong to back it up.
Look for Harold & Belle’s to return by February 9 at the latest (and possibly even shortly before), likely with a bit of fanfare attached. The Jefferson Park neighborhood has been down a legend since the loss of the full restaurant last year — and is feeling it even more these days since Johnny’s Pastrami has been apparently renovating, too.