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Winter Restaurant Guide by Cuisine
SEAFOOD
ACME OYSTER HOUSE
519 E. Boston St., Covington (985) 898-0667
724 Iberville St. 522-5973
7306 Lakeshore Drive 282-9200
www.acmeoyster.com
Oysters on the half-shell is the obvious choice here, but what about some
of Acme's lesser-known items? The Red Beans Poopa is a French bread bowl brimming
with red beans and rice and served with smoked sausage, while the Original New
Orleans Oyster Loaf is a foot-long French bread loaf packed with fried oysters,
butter and pickles. The Lakefront and Covington menus may differ slightly. No
reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards.
ADAMS CATFISH HOUSE
8523 Hwy. 23, Belle Chasse 392-0541
If you are puzzled why foodies make the drive outside the parish limits for
catfish, consider Adams' catfish salad: a cold mix of fried catfish, mayonnaise
and pickle relish served with crackers. Adams also serves one of the area's only
whole fried catfish dinners. Even hungrier? Try the Large Fillet Dinner featuring
six fried catfish strips, hush puppies the size of golf balls and cole slaw.
No reservations. Lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Wednesday through Saturday.
Credit cards and checks.
AFT DECK OYSTER BAR
214 Royal St. (Hotel Monteleone) 523-3341
www.hotelmonteleone.com
Belly up to this oyster bar for a dozen raw sliders, or sit back and enjoy
a po-boy piled high with shrimp, oyster, catfish or a combination. Other traditional
New Orleans dishes on the bill are crawfish salad, gumbo, seafood platters and
crawfish etouffee. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $
ANDREW JAEGER'S RESTAURANT
2712 N. Arnoult Road, Metairie 888-9011
Seafood of all stripes is available at Andrew Jaeger's, cooked to your specifications.
The fresh fish of the day is always a good bet for health-conscious eaters, but
the oysters are practically irresistible: order them char-broiled, with bordelaise
sauce, or topped with blue cheese. Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday through
Friday, dinner Friday-Saturday. Credit cards. $
BARROW'S RESTAURANT AND BAR
2714 Mistletoe St. 482-9427
The simple menu at Barrow's allows you to pick the size of your catfish plate,
ranging from the small that can feed two to the large, enough for the whole table.
No alcohol is served, with the favorite drinks being sweet tea and lemonade.
Potato salad is the standard side to the catfish. Dessert options are sweet potato
pie, pralines or turnover pies. No reservations. Lunch Thursday through Saturday,
dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Cash only. $
BILLY FARRELL'S
Highway 190 at 22nd St., Lacombe (985) 882-3461
Billy Farrell's has been offering seafood in a friendly atmosphere for 18
years. Warm up with some of Billy's corn and crab bisque; the Marchand du Vin,
a filet mignon wrapped in bacon and stuffed with a shrimp-crabmeat dressing,
is also a hearty dish perfect for the cold winter months. You may also want to
try the stuffed softshell crabs or an entree of crabmeat au gratin. No reservations.
Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards and checks. $
BOURBON HOUSE
144 Bourbon St. 522-0111
Dickie Brennan is at it again, this time capturing the flavor of some of
New Orleans' favorite (and not as well-known) seafood dishes. Sample two different
versions of hefty Plateaux de Fruits de Mer, a chilled seafood platter set off
by oysters, shrimp, mussels, lobster and more. Or keep it simple and belly up
to the oyster bar -- or the bar itself. (Yes, the space is vast, the interior
warm and comfy with a view of Bourbon Street revelers). Reservations recommended.
Dinner daily, breakfast and lunch weekdays, brunch Saturday and Sunday. Credit
cards. $$
BOZO'S
3117 21st St., Metairie 831-8666
Seafood abounds at this Metairie mainstay, which has served regulars for
more than 75 years. Chef Bozo offers everything from stuffed shrimp and stuffed
crabs to broiled and fried fish, seafood platters and chicken andouille gumbo.
Make plans to visit the popular oyster bar as well. Reservations accepted for
dinner except on Fridays. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards.
$
BRUNING'S
1922 West End Pkwy. 282-9395
A signature dish of this signature seafood institution is the flounder, which
is served whole, broiled or fried, and comes with a choice of potato and tossed
green salad. Bruning's likes to keep things fresh and local, and you'll notice
this in their redfish, served as a fillet, broiled or fried. Save room for the
bread pudding, which ranks among the best in town. No reservations. Lunch and
dinner daily. Credit cards. $
BUBBA GUMP SHRIMP CO.
429 Decatur St. 522-5800
www.bubbagump.com
Anyone who's seen the movie can predict this restaurant would boast a long
list of shrimp specials. Forrest's Shrimp Net Catch features the crustaceans
steamed in beer with potatoes and fresh vegetables and either Bubba's Garlic
Spice or Secret Recipe Cajun Spice. Smoothies, sandwiches, appetizers, desserts
and specialty drinks round out the credits. No reservations. Lunch and dinner
daily. Credit cards. $
CAFE YA YA
2240 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Kenner 466-5225
The seafood is always fresh here, whether you choose the fried offerings
off the regular menu or take advantage of daily specials that may include crawfish
etouffee, crawfish fettuccine Alfredo, jambalaya or eggplant parmigiana that's
layered like lasagna with eggplant, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. No reservations.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards.
CAJUN CATFISH HOUSE
521 Central Ave., Jefferson 733-9538
New Orleans and Italian dishes are bountiful here, but the real draw is the
fresh catfish that's filleted, marinated, coated with corn flour and fried to
order. Customers can specify crispness and thickness of their catfish. It comes
with French fries, hush puppies, cole slaw, onion rings and toast. Everything
is made fresh daily, including hamburger patties, beef stew on rice, meatloaf
and more. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards.
DEANIE'S
841 Iberville St. 581-1316
1713 Lake Ave., Metairie 831-4141
www.deanies.com
Fresh seafood fixed how you like it is the order of the day at Deanie's,
and you can go to town on the giant seafood platter: piles of shrimp, oysters,
catfish, two softshell crabs and crawfish-dressing balls. You also can't go wrong
with barbecue shrimp prepared with their heads on in a seasoned sauce, or the
crabmeat au gratin: jumbo lump crabmeat baked into a blend of four cheeses and
seasonings. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $
DESIRE OYSTER BAR
300 Bourbon St. (Royal Sonesta Hotel) 586-0300
www.royalsonestano.com
All your favorite New Orleans menu items can be found here, under the bright
neon sign. Start off with the crawfish and corn cake appetizer, move onto the
spicy sauteed New Orleans BBQ Shrimp as your entree, and finish it off with bread
pudding in whiskey sauce. Wash it all down with plenty of Dixie beers. No reservations.
Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. Credit cards.
DON'S SEAFOOD HUT
4801 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie 889-1550
The menu here offers a wide selection of fish, oysters, crab, shrimp and
crawfish. Additionally, Don's offers Monday-Thursday nightly dine-in specials,
which include 25-cent oysters on Monday nights and its famous seafood platter
on Tuesday nights. Finish with the house's bread pudding or a slice of cheesecake.
Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $
DRAGO'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR
3232 N. Arnoult Road, Metairie 888-9254
Drago's is known for its lobster, and the menu here offers two popular choices:
Lobster Marco and Lobster Empire. One comes with shrimp, the other with oysters;
both feature a stuffed lobster served with angel hair pasta and a cream sauce.
Regulars also go for the charbroiled oysters. No reservations. Lunch and dinner
Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $
FELIX'S RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR
739 Iberville St. (another entrance at 210 Bourbon St.) 522-4440
www.felixs.com
Felix's has oysters aplenty, any way you want them. Take down a dozen or
two raw on the half-shell at the antique bar, or sample the wide menu, which
includes fresh seafood (of course), steaks, salads and po-boys. There are even
dishes for the vegetarian. Tables are available in the rear dining area. Reservations
recommended for eight or more. Late breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, late-night
dining Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$
FRIENDS ON THE TCHEFUNCTE
407 St. Tammany St., Madisonville (985) 845-7303
It's rather easy to make friends with Louisiana fare served on a lazy, romantic
river that reminds you why bayou country is so special. This cottage, nestled
on the Tchefuncte river, serves up favorites like the reliable eggplant Tchefuncte,
eggplants rounds topped with crabmeat and shrimp in a light cream sauce; also
for winter, try the blackened pork medallions finished with pepper jelly sauce.
Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards
and checks. $
GALLEY RESTAURANT
2535 Metairie Road, Metairie 832-0955
This West End restaurant on Metairie Road serves generous portions of boiled
seafood, including jumbo shrimp and crabmeat au gratin. Dishes are accompanied
by a house salad. Consider the Caesar salad with fried oysters or a Greek shrimp
salad. Sweet potato fries and homemade baked macaroni are also recommended. Reservations
recommended for large parties. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit
cards. $
GW FINS
808 Bienville St. 581-3467
www.gwfins.com
If you can't tell by the name, GW Fins is a seafood lover's haven. The menu
changes daily depending on the season. This time of year, you can expect such
heavenly choices as the wood-grilled mahi with creamed leeks and grilled portobello
mushrooms, or horseradish-crusted drum served on truffled potato sauce with crispy
parsnips. Beef lovers get their due with USDA prime cuts. Reservations recommended.
Dinner nightly. Credit cards. $
HALF SHELL RESTAURANT
111/113 University Place 525-4083
Of course you can enjoy an afternoon into evening over oysters on the half
shell at Half Shell, but other house signatures include the barbecue shrimp appetizer.
The seafood platter consists of shrimp, oysters, catfish and calamari. You can
order the platter for one or two people. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, late-night
Thursday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$
HARBOR SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR
3203 Williams Blvd., Kenner 443-6454
Located right next to an equally popular seafood market (Fisherman's Cove
at 3201 Williams Blvd.), the Harbor serves its fresh catches grilled, boiled
and fried. Rolls of paper towels sit on each table, making it clear that this
is a place to roll up your sleeves and dig into boiled crawfish and crabs in
season, and boiled shrimp year-round. Other favorites include turtle soup, seafood
po-boys and raw oysters. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards.
$
JACK DEMPSEY'S
738 Poland Ave. 943-9914
Jack Dempsey's offers a solution to diners facing indecision: try the J.D.
Platter, which brings you two cups of gumbo, two stuffed crabs, two crawfish
pies, fried shrimp, oysters, catfish and redfish plus a choice of fries or baked
macaroni. Other top choices include the steak-and-lobster special at $17.95,
and the J.D. broiled redfish, served topped with crabmeat au gratin. No reservations.
Lunch Tuesday through Friday, dinner Wednesday through Saturday. Credit cards.
$
JAEGER'S ON THE LAKE
1928 West End Park 283-7585
Overlooking Lake Pontchartrain, Jaeger's offers live entertainment nightly
and provides fresh, local seafood in heaping servings, such as the Big A seafood
platter feast for five adults, which includes fried fish, oysters, shrimp, crab,
crawfish tails, shrimp, softshell crab, crabcakes, oysters bordelaise and hushpuppies.
On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, a family special features boiled crawfish
at $1.49/lb. Reservations accepted. Lunch Saturday and Sunday, dinner Wednesday
through Sunday. Credit cards.
JAZZ SEAFOOD & STEAK HOUSE
2722 Williams Blvd., Kenner 468-3237
Two shrimp dishes take top billing at this family restaurant in Kenner. Shrimp
rigatoni pasta is tossed with garlic, tomato, artichoke hearts, wine and butter,
while Shrimp Trio features the crustaceans boiled, fried and "scampi"-style.
Live lobsters weighing in at 1.25 lb. are available nightly; oysters on the half-shell
cost $5 a dozen. No reservations. Lunch weekdays and Sunday, dinner daily. Credit
cards. $
JOE'S CRAB SHACK
8000 Lakeshore Drive 283-1010
www.landrysseafood.com
Its namesake crawlin' crustaceans get star treatment at Joe's Crab Shack
in a variety of preparations, with the steamed or boiled Dungeness crab a consistent
favorite. Oysters, shrimp and fish are also headliners at Joe's. The blackened
redfish with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables is another staple -- and if you're
feeling decadent, you can top it with sauteed shrimp and crabmeat stuffing. No
reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $
KENNER SEAFOOD INC.
3140 Loyola Drive, Kenner 466-4701
Fresh seafood is the norm here, from the oyster bar to the selections of
boiled seafood. Homemade soups include crawfish and corn chowder, and local favorites
such as homemade red beans and rice also appear on the daily menu. Other favorites
are the pork chops and the shrimp Marie, fried shrimp served over a bed of angel
hair pasta with crabmeat sauce. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit
cards and checks. $
KING ROGER'S SEAFOOD
1724 N. Rampart St. 944-6150
"Everything from soup to nuts" is on the menu at this casual eatery. Fresh
seafood, po-boys and soul food items at reasonable prices abound, and the "buffet
pizza" option lets you order a 12-inch pizza with your choice of nine toppings
including ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, olives and mushrooms. Cajun and soul
food options include shrimp Creole, etouffee, smothered okra and gumbo. No reservations.
Lunch and
dinner daily. Cash only.
LAMA'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
7007 Read Lane 242-5656
Try Lama's for seafood, po-boys and daily lunch specials. Shrimp, Lake Pontchartrain
crabs and Louisiana crawfish are boiled daily with ample seasonings and served
hot. Po-boys are made with fried shrimp, oyster, catfish and soft-shell crabs,
as well as breaded veal, grilled tuna, meatballs and roast beef. No reservations.
Lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Credit cards and checks.
LANDRY'S
789 Harrison Ave. 488-6496, 488-9156
Lakeview families love Landry's for its affordability and wide range of sandwiches,
salads and seafood. The stocked gumbo will keep you warm on these cold winter
days, and you can load up on carbs, dairy and protein with the seafood pasta
complete with shrimp, crawfish and oysters in a cream sauce over angel hair pasta
served with one side order. No reservations. Breakfast Saturday; lunch Monday
through Saturday; dinner Thursday through Saturday. Cash only.
LOUISIANA GRILL
2223 N. Causeway Approach, Mandeville (985) 727-5585
www.louisianagrill.com
The grilled seafood covers all the bases here -- from softshell crab and
shrimp to lobster and fish. The mixed grill platter features lobster, fresh Gulf
fish of the day and jumbo shrimp all in one. For a change of pace, try one of
the grill's non-seafood items, which include steak, duck or ribs. A private dining
room can accommodate a sit-down dinner for 50. Catering available. Reservations
accepted. Lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Credit cards and checks.
$
MIDDENDORF'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
Highway 51 North (exit 15 off of I-55 North), Manchac (985) 386-6666
Middendorf's thin-cut fried catfish makes it a destination for even some
of the most hermetic Orleanians. The recipe hasn't changed since 1934. Whole
flounder stuffed with crabmeat dressing is another option, as is chicken fried
to order. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Credit cards.
$
MIKE ANDERSON'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
1 Poydras St. (Riverwalk Mall food court) 522-7727
215 Bourbon St. 524-3884
www.mikeandersons.com
While both local locations of this Baton Rouge-based franchise stick mostly
to seafood, the Bourbon Street kitchen offers more complexity in dishes such
as the oysters Bienville, made with shrimp and crabmeat dressing and Parmesan
cheese. At the Riverwalk, try the South Louisiana Combo: boiled shrimp, fried
shrimp, catfish, crawfish etouffee, cole slaw, French fries and hush puppies.
No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $
MORTON'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
702 Water St., Madisonville (985) 845-4970
www.mortonsseafood.com
Morton's delivers its promise of seafood along the picturesque Tchefuncte
River. The seasonal seafood specials and mainstays all keep diners satisfied,
like the shrimp and crabmeat bisque and oysters shucked to order. Heartier eaters
order seafood served on a platter or in an overstuffed po-boy. Dine inside or
out. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Wednesday through Monday. Credit cards
and checks. $
NAUTICAL
7708 Maple St. 866-7504
Nautical is currently undergoing remodeling and is tentatively scheduled to reopen
Feb. 1. Call for more information, but at last check, they were offering a creative
take on contemporary Louisiana cuisine with an emphasis on items fresh from the
sea. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $
NEW ORLEANS FOOD & SPIRITS
210 Old Hammond Hwy., Metairie 828-2220
Local favorites along with twists on traditional dishes mark the menus at
New Orleans Food & Spirits. Start off with the Voodoo Rolls, their take on an
egg roll with a creamy crawfish filling. The Soft-Shell Lafayette is a fried
softshell crab garnished with a shrimp sauce. Po-boys, gumbo and fried seafood
platters round out the menu. No reservations. Lunch Monday through Friday, dinner
Thursday through Saturday. Credit cards.
NEW ORLEANS HAMBURGER AND SEAFOOD CO.
817 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie 837-8580
1005 S. Clearview Pkwy., Jefferson 734-1122
6920 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie 455-1272
www.nohsc.com
"Great po-boys and hamburgers" are the cornerstone of this local chain, but
the platters shouldn't be overlooked. Heaping portions of shrimp, oysters, catfish,
softshell crab and more are served with fries or a baked potato. Another appeal:
drive-through windows at all three locations. No reservations. Lunch and
dinner daily. Credit cards. $
OCEANAIRE
739 Conti St. 525-6002
www.oceanairerest.com
Take up the newly opened Oceanaire's suggestion: "If you dine in the bottom
of the ocean with fish and jellyfish, you may dine with us." Fair enough. While
down there, try the grilled sea bass with champagne and peach sauce, grilled
over hardwood with fresh vegetables, or the bronzed mahi mahi cooked with smoked
tomato beurre blanc and rosemary pepper. Reservations recommended. Breakfast
Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner daily, late-night Saturday. $
RED FISH GRILL
115 Bourbon St. 598-1200
www.redfishgrill.com
Located in a corner of the former D.H. Holmes department store, Red Fish
Grill specializes in, well ... guess. The signature hickory-grilled redfish is
served with potatoes and crabmeat in a lemon-butter sauce. An adventurer might
prefer the Bourbon Street Sampler: coconut shrimp, alligator sausage, crabmeat
au gratin and barbecued oysters. Oysters are, in fact, a big deal here, too;
order them raw, barbecued, fried or baked. Reservations recommended. Lunch and
dinner daily. Credit cards. $
RESTAURANT DES FAMILLES
7163 Barataria Blvd., Crown Point 689-7834
Take a road trip with the family some weekend out to Crown Point where the
alligators roam. Appreciate the vista of the bayou as you dig into fried softshell
crabs accompanied by sauteed green onions, artichoke bottoms and mushrooms. Pasta
Lafitte is a toss of crabmeat, shrimp and angel hair pasta with cream sauce.
Reservations recommended. Lunch weekdays, dinner Tuesday through Sunday, brunch
Sunday. Credit cards. $
RIOMAR
800 S. Peters St. 525-FISH
www.riomarseafood.com
Try a sampler platter of the four ceviches Chef Adolfo Garcia makes regularly:
Panamanian-style fish with onions and habanero chiles, Peruvian-style fish with
onions and jalapenos, Ecuadorian-style shrimp with citrus and tomatoes, and Spanish-style
octopus with olive oil, paprika and potatoes. Yellowfin tuna wrapped in Spanish
ham and served with chick pea puree and Romesco sauce is another fine example
of RioMar's unique cuisine. Reservations recommended. Lunch weekdays, dinner
Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $
SID-MAR'S OF BUCKTOWN
1824 Orpheum Ave., Metairie 831-9541
www.sidmarsofbucktown.com
Spend this crawfish season with a view of Lake Pontchartrain from Sid-Mar's
deck. Other seafood specialties of this Bucktown mainstay include daily fish
specials often include fresh charbroiled amberjack or trout. Please all appetites
with the seafood platter, which includes portions of shrimp, oysters, catfish,
stuffed crab and soft-shell crab served with French fries and salad. No reservations.
Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Credit cards. $
STINGRAY'S SEAFOOD GRILL & BAR
1303 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner 443-4040
Seafood opportunities abound, including the shrimp Nicole, with white cream sauce,
diced mushrooms and green onions, served over angel hair or fettuccine pasta.
But the menu features plenty of non-swimmers, including a popular grilled chicken,
which comes with one side. Lunch specials cost $6 or less, and are served 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily.
Credit cards. $
TRAUTH'S LAKE HOUSE & STEAMERY
3700 Williams Blvd., Kenner 443-6488
The "steamery" in the title refers to a menu of steamed and boiled seafood,
but that's only the start of the whole Trauth's. Start things off with gumbo
or a soup du jour, then take on the all-you-can-eat catfish and chicken special,
served with potatoes, hush puppies and cole slaw. Desserts include bread pudding
and a rotating menu of cheesecakes. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Credit cards. $
VISKO'S
516 Gretna Blvd., Gretna 366-1516
A true seafood house, Visko's steams, fries, boils, broils and grills. The
Famous Steam Bowl includes lobster, king crab, snow crab, blue crab, shrimp,
scallops, new potatoes, corn cobettes and a house salad. Stuffed softshell crabs
are sauteed in a buttery seafood stock and then served in Visko's original "meaux" sauce.
Reservations recommended. Lunch weekdays, dinner Monday through Saturday. Credit
cards. $
WEST END CAFE
8536 Pontchartrain Blvd. 288-0711
Start your day with a hot eye-opener of grillades and grits or a specialty
omelet at West End Cafe, and you'll want to come back for lunch or dinner. The
fried shrimp platter is piled high and served with French fries, while the crabcakes
served with remoulade sauce have a devoted fan base. Reservations accepted for
parties of six or more. Breakfast Saturday and Sunday, lunch and dinner daily.
Credit cards.
ZEKE'S
1517 Metairie Road, Metairie 832-1133
Zeke's extensive menu of New Orleans delights is sure to have something for
everyone. Charbroiled oysters grilled over an open flame in a garlic herb sauce
are a house specialty, and other favorites include boiled seasonal seafood, corned
beef and cabbage, seafood gumbo, and trout meuniere. For dessert, check out the
bread pudding with rum sauce, the pie of the day, or the cheesecake. Reservations
accepted for parties of five or more. Breakfast Sunday, lunch and dinner daily.
Credit cards and checks. $$
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