I've eaten at a few restaurants in New Orleans, and although I'm far from an expert, I can definitely recommend a few:

Commander's Palace - It just doesn't get any better than this. Period.
201 - Try the rack of lamb...mmmm!
Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville - Great place for drinks and reasonably priced food.
House of Blues - Great atmosphere and food. Tons of "Outsider Art" for that Big Easy feel. Another good place for drinks, too.
Tujaque's - I think it's N.O.'s oldest restaurant... tons of history and you can see it displayed on the walls with photos, antiques and other memorabilia. Great food, too!

You can also read reviews and see videos in our New Orleans Dining & Restaurant Guide

Also, for things to do, check out our New Orleans Attractions section... I'd recommend walking around in the French Quarter (of course!)... you'll find so many cool shops, bars, restaurants, etc... IMAX theater if you've never been to one, the Aquarium of the Americas, NOMA (New Orlenas Museum of Art) - they have a great exhibit from Egypt thru February, Harrah's (if you like to gamble), Garden District tour, and visit every restaurant or bar that looks inviting to you!

And if you still need to find a place to stay, you can check our New Orleans Hotels and Accommodations section or search for a room with our Hotel search engine!

And for general info about New Orleans, see our New Orleans Travel Archives

Good luck!