About Us

Ivan Sayles and Rich Venticinque of Rachel’s Waterside Grill are rallying to bring Long Islanders their own bit of the Big Easy. On April 1, Sayles, Venticinque, Sal “Big Daddy” Bisulca and partners will open Nawlins Seafood Co., a two-story New Orleans-style restaurant embodying all of the taste, pomp and spirit of Bourbon Street.

Sayles and Venticinque have a reputation for restaurant excellence. Rachel’s has long been the name for five-star dining on the South Shore, voted the Best Seafood Restaurant on Long Island for four years. With Nawlins, the partners are attempting to bring their culinary expertise to a younger and broader demographic. The slogan “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” said Sayles, “is French for ‘let the good times roll.’” And Nawlins will appeal to foodies and hipsters galore, with craft beers and a menu that lives up to Sayles and Venticinque’s platinum standard.

Our Mission

Situated just between Rachel’s and Bracco’s in the space formerly occupied by Bonito Hibachi and Sushi, Nawlins will resemble Bourbon Street’s side-by-side voodoo vendors and bars from the street, complete with Spanish-era landmark tiling. On the canal side, an enormous riverboat wheel will hail boaters who can dock and simply walk up to the restaurant’s rear entrance.