Here's What To Know About The Verdict Lounge From Kitchen Nightmares

Each new season of "Kitchen Nightmares" brings exposure to different restaurants and comes steeped in the expectation that Gordon Ramsay will blow his top at the owners. In September 2024, the hot-headed celebrity chef headed to New Orleans to profile several restaurants, including The Verdict Restaurant and Lounge.

The Verdict opened in 2022, aiming to "capture the spirit, the warmth, and the soul of the South," per the establishment's website. Owner Melika Honoré explained the name was inspired by the good and bad decisions she has made throughout her life (via WWLTV). Designed with a judicial theme, the lounge even displays the text, "I am the judge, I am the jury, I am The Verdict of my life" on a wall. Honoré chose New Orleans East for the location because it's her home neighborhood and to do her part in revitalizing the area, which was hurting for business. With "Kitchen Nightmares" taking inventory of the lounge, it could either be a big boost for The Verdict or final nails in the coffin.

Appearing on "Kitchen Nightmares" to be judged by Gordon Ramsay is no cakewalk. Before we find out the celebrity chef's verdict on this restaurant and lounge, let's dig into more details.

The Verdict is a Black- and female-owned family business. Owner Melika Honoré is behind the restaurant's concept and marketing, and her mom, Michiko Honoré, is the head chef. Melika's sister, Tashika Honoré-Holden, is the operations manager, and the lounge employs some extended family members on the staff. Years before opening The Verdict, the three women ran Cast Iron Rose, a soul food restaurant that is now closed.

Michiko has been working in food service for decades and occupied the role of corporate chef for New Orleans' famous House of Blues (where Melika also worked). However, Gordon Ramsay has a history of making harsh remarks. That could be tough for any chef, no matter how much experience they have.

Melika is a serial entrepreneur. In 2006, she and her sister founded The Love Center Child Care because they saw a need for a daycare that was available 24 hours a day. Melika's website also offers business consultancy and a digital marketing course via her She Hustle Society project.

Despite appearing on a show associated with failing restaurants, The Verdict has received a fair amount of praise online. As of this writing, it boasts an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 on Google from more than five dozen reviews. According to one happy customer, "The food was amazing. The drinks were tasty. The hookahs were perfect." On Facebook, most reviewers explicitly recommended The Verdict. One of them raved, "My whole experience here was the best I've had in a long time. I was absolutely amazed with the food."

However, there are some detractors in the mix as well. A one-star Google review declared, "Omg! Worse experience ever! I'm a native and I love supporting start-up businesses or new restaurants but this one I'll never support again!" A different diner described an allergy-related close call: "If I could give this place 0 stars I would. There are egg rolls on the menu. However, there is no mention of seafood in the bell pepper egg rolls. I'm allergic to seafood and became ill after one bite. My throat started closing. I could have died."

The owner has responded to people who left negative feedback, offering to make up for the unpleasant experience. A bad Facebook review from 2023 was later updated by the commenter, who stated, "The second experience was WONDERFUL!" This was after they were so turned off by The Verdict's service that they walked out on their first visit.

All restaurants and bars must be held to strict health standards to ensure the safety of the public. Businesses are supposed to be inspected at least once a year. The assessment usually happens by surprise so that health inspectors can prevent restaurants from hiding their mess. Unfortunately, The Sun Herald reported that The Verdict was among 35 restaurants cited for critical health violations in July 2023.

There are many red flags that restaurant health inspectors have on their radar. These can include inadequate staffing, improper food storage, and the presence of roaches and rodents, among others. The Verdict had a mark on its report card for not holding a current state food safety certificate. This certificate proves the owner or a designated employee has gone through up-to-date food safety training. Any negative marks can be bad for business. Understandably, patrons may steer clear of an establishment if they see a rating that makes them uncomfortable.