Spending NYears Eve in NOLA for my b'day this year .. (Jackson: credit, house)

[tjarado]

and I need some advice on what to do to have fun and not overspend needlessly.
Don't get me wrong - I am not cheap..not even frugal, actually.
But we've only gone out twice on Dec 31 in the past 25 years and it was, meh, ok I guess.
We had always spent the evening at home, test-tasting wine or champagne because New Years Day is my b'day and we'd go out for a nice dinner w/o crowds, hangovers, or overrated, overpriced food.

Now, in retirement in SoFla, I have arranged a timeshare week for us from Dec 26 - Jan 2 @ the Wyndham on St. Charles and would like some advice as to how to have a nice dinner experience for that evening and the next day w/o hitting my credit limit!

Is it possible to keep the dinner tab - excl. liquor - to < $100 for two without going to the next county?
Will any restaurants in the French Quarter on a par with, say, Acme Oyster House or Fiorellos, be open seating or will they likely want reservations?

We do NOT need to stay up to see "Baby New Year" drop from Jax Brewery, but a walk-about after dinner in Jackson Square sounds nice as long as i don't get trampled by crowds. (I almost got killed as a 'ute' by the crowd in Times Square - not doing that again!).

I haven't visited this great city since pre-Katrina, and won't skimp on anything, but i like to get my money's worth.

Any and all suggestions, advice, or warnings, will be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I'll be driving from Palm Beach County on Christmas day so we will have wheels to toodle about if we want to. ...er, where would you stop to overnight before sliding into town on Dec 26?

Thanks again in advance.