Best Seafood Restaurants in New Orleans

Let’s face it. If you’re in the NOLA, seafood is definitely on your list of must eats. From crawfish to shrimp to oysters, we’ve compiled some of the best places to get the best and freshest fish in New Orleans.

Sassafras Restaurant

Located just a short walk from Lake Pontchartrain, this eatery offers exceptional food at a reasonable price. Some of the local favorites are: smothered okra and shrimp, cajun baked redfish, and St. Roch seafood pasta.

Harbor Seafood & Oyster Bar

A true local favorite that whips up traditional poboys, fried seafood, boiled seafood, gumbo, raw oysters, chargrilled oysters, and basically blackened anything because the restaurant has its own fresh seafood market right there in the space.

Cajun Seafood

A no frills restaurant with some of the freshest seafood you can find, particularly the iconic boiled crawfish.

All About the Po’boy

Like most iconic dishes, the origin of the po’ boy sandwich is uncertain and largely drawn from legend. Here’s what you need to know about it:

• The most popular (and traditional) protein to go with this sandwich is shrimp.
• A properly “dressed” po’ boy has to have lettuce, tomato, pickles, and either mayo or rémoulade sauce.
• It’s always with fries or chips, and Zapp's Potato Chips seem to be the local go-to.
• Over time, preparations vary widely from restaurant to restaurant—roast beef and gravy can be replaced with seafood, smoked sausage, or even alligator.

Where to Get a Po’Boy in New Orleans

• Johnny’s Po-Boys: embraces variety (the menu features more than 40 sandwiches)
• Gene's Po-Boys: no frills shop open late, most known for it’s best seller, the hot sausage and cheese

• R & O’: known as the metro area’s best roast-beef po’ boy

Crabby Jack's: the real deal, one of the tastiest fried shrimp and oyster po-boys in all of town

Where to Get Creole

New Orleans Creole Cookery

Housed in a historic French Quarter building (with rumors of three resident ghosts), this spot serves up all of the authentic creole cuisine. Try to book a reservation ahead of time as it tends to get busy on weekends, especially on jazz nights. Hint: the shrimp creole is some of the best you’ll find in the NOLA.

Shop the deal here.

Where to Get Gumbo

Liuzzas by the Track

Grab a meal at this low-key joint that’s known to be easy on the wallet. It uses a lot of local ingredients, including locally caught seafood that goes into a renowned gumbo with a dark roux base. NOLA natives often flock here during Jazz Fest to snag po-boys and spicy bloody marys.

Best Cafes in New Orleans

Cafe Du Monde

There’s a reason why this place is so popular, and it lives up to the hype. Head to this open-air cafe (heated during the winter) known for its café au lait and beignets. Take a box home with you, too. Trust us.

Tee-Eva's Old Fashioned Pies and Pralines

Sometimes, (or all the time) you just want a sweet treat. Look no further than Tee-Eva’s for a delectable dessert. The owner opened her shop in 1989 to sell pralines and pies made from her grandmother's recipes. The pralines will tempt anyone with a sweet tooth with their creamy richness and crunch of pecan.

Backatown Coffee Parlour

This locally owned coffee boutique was designed to reflect the unique personality and authenticity of New Orleans. Found in the city's colorful and historic former Storyville, this spot serves espresso coffee drinks as well as soup, paninis, and house-made sweet potato pie (an old family recipe).

What to Go See in NOLA

So you want to combine dinner and a show for the night? Well, there’s no better place than New Orleans, where there is some kind of action on every street corner. Here are some of our favorite activities to choose from for tonight:

• Gravier Street Social: a burlesque show at a hip, London-style social club, and our deal comes with your choice of a bottle of wine, prosecco, or champagne
• Murder Mystery Night: the perfect setting for a spooky dinner party that involves a delicious meal and, you know, murder

Paddlewheeler Creole Queen: a two hour cruise on the Mississippi River with dinner, dancing, and jazz with menu items like: jambalaya, cajun seafood pasta, cajun beef brisket, chicken & sausage gumbo, plus the signature white chocolate bread pudding with whiskey sauce