The Courtyard Messages That Welcome You Into the Heart of the Court of Two Sisters

At the Court of Two Sisters, the experience begins long before the first sip of a cocktail or the first bite of brunch. It begins the moment you step into the courtyard entrance, passing beneath old brick, wrought iron, and the quiet hush that seems to belong only to New Orleans.

Here, the restaurant isn’t just a place to dine—it’s a place to enter.

And the first thing to greet you isn’t a hostess stand or a menu. It’s a message, lovingly written into the very bones of the space: an inscription that invites you into something timeless.

A Courtyard That Speaks to You

The Court of Two Sisters has always been more than a restaurant. It’s a living landmark—part historic courtyard, part carriageway, part sanctuary. And in true New Orleans fashion, it doesn’t simply open its doors.

It tells you a story as you pass through.

Overhead, two inscriptions stand like bookends to your visit: one welcoming you inside… and the other blessing you as you leave.

Together, they form a beautiful ritual:

Welcome. Remember. Savor. Blessing.

The Entrance Inscription: “Be Our Guest”

At the entrance to the courtyard and carriageway, you’ll find the words that set the tone for everything beyond the gate:

Pass through our Historic Courtyard and Carriageway. See and feel the “Bygone Days”. Taste and witness the finest in mixed drinks and excellent foods that took generations of mixologists and chefs to perfect.

It’s not just an invitation—it’s a promise.

Pass through our Historic Courtyard and Carriageway

This isn’t a hallway. It’s a passage through time. The words acknowledge what so many guests immediately feel: you’re not entering a modern restaurant… you’re stepping into a historic New Orleans world.

See and feel the “Bygone Days”

That phrase is the key. The Court of Two Sisters doesn’t ask you to simply look—it asks you to feel. To notice the brickwork, the iron lace, the shadows of balconies overhead, and the sense that generations have stood in this same space.

Generations of mixologists and chefs

In New Orleans, food and drink aren’t trends—they’re traditions. The inscription honors the long lineage of culinary artistry that makes the Court of Two Sisters what it is today: a place where recipes, technique, and hospitality have been shaped over time, refined through generations, and served with pride.

It’s a welcome that reminds you: Everything here has history. Everything here has heart.

The Exit Inscription: “Thank You… and May the Charm of Happiness Be Bestowed Upon You…”

When it’s time to leave, you pass beneath another inscription—one that feels like a quiet, poetic farewell.

“Thank you and may the charm of happiness be bestowed upon you as you pass thru this gate...” – Emmaline & Bertha

In New Orleans, departures are never rushed. They’re honored.

This message is more than polite—it's almost like a blessing, the kind you’d receive from an elder, a hostess, or a beloved neighbor. It’s the Court’s way of sending you back out into the French Quarter with something unseen but meaningful.

“The charm of happiness…”

A powerful phrase. It suggests that happiness is not simply a mood, but something you can carry—something that can be bestowed and shared.

And the Court of Two Sisters, ever wrapped in legend and charm, implies that happiness itself can be passed through a gate like a gift.

“As you pass thru this gate…”

Just like the entrance inscription, the exit emphasizes movement through space—but here, it’s symbolic. Leaving the Court doesn’t mean leaving behind its spirit. The words suggest that as you step out, you bring something with you: a touch of charm, a sense of warmth, and the lingering sweetness of the moment.

Who Were Emmaline & Bertha?

The signature “Emmaline & Bertha” adds a deeply personal element—like the message was written not for “customers,” but for guests.

Their names evoke the “Two Sisters” themselves: timeless, feminine, and rooted in the spirit of hospitality. Whether these were names tied to the Court’s legend or figures within its evolving story, the inscription feels like an intimate note left for each person passing underneath.

It reminds guests that behind the grandeur and history, the Court is built on something simple: People welcoming people.

A Doorway Into New Orleans

These inscriptions may be small details, but they hold the essence of the Court of Two Sisters.

They remind us that dining here is not just a meal—it’s an experience shaped by:

• history

• heritage

• craft

• hospitality

• and a little bit of New Orleans magic

And perhaps that’s why guests remember them.

Because in a city full of music and mystery, where legends live in courtyards and charm clings to ironwork… it means something when a place speaks to you.

Come Through the Gate

So the next time you enter the Court of Two Sisters, take a moment to look up and read the words as they were meant to be read—slowly, thoughtfully, and with the openness of a guest.

And when you leave, carry the farewell with you: May the charm of happiness be bestowed upon you…

Because at the Court of Two Sisters, even the gate has a story—and every guest is part of it.