If you love a shrimp po’boy that fights back when you try to close the bread, the Mississippi Gulf Coast has plenty of contenders. Along Highway 90 and a few side streets, small markets, cafes, and grocery counters are quietly stuffing French bread with more shrimp than the loaf can hold.
Some are strip-mall spots, some are seafood markets, and one even shares space with a grocery store. What ties them together is simple: big, fresh Gulf shrimp and portions that make you rethink lunch.
Here are eight places locals point to when they want the biggest, most loaded shrimp po’boys on the coast.
1. Bozo’s Seafood Market, Pascagoula, MS
Half seafood market, half deli counter, Bozo’s has built its name in Pascagoula on sandwiches that come packed to the edges. The setup is easy: you order, find a seat, and wait for your name to be called.
The 12-inch po’boys arrive on French bread loaded with shrimp, plus tomatoes, mayo, and pickles. Regulars also grab the shrimp overload and the shrimp po’boy special when they want maximum shrimp per bite.
Beyond the sandwiches, the kitchen turns out seafood gumbo, shrimp and grits, firecracker shrimp, butterfly shrimp, and BBQ shrimp. Fried green tomatoes and sweet potato casserole round out the plates.
It runs like a busy local spot, so expect a wait, especially Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. It’s open daily from 11 a.m., with a free parking lot and street parking.
If you only try one shrimp po’boy in Pascagoula, this counter is the one people keep coming back for.
2. MacBe Seafood & Cafe, Bay St Louis, MS
Order the 12-inch shrimp po’boy here and finishing it becomes a real challenge. The bread comes loaded down with tender, lightly breaded shrimp, and the price keeps it easy on the wallet.
MacBe is a quaint spot on Highway 603 that cooks its seafood to order. The shrimp po’boy is the headliner, but the soft-shell crab dinners get plenty of attention too.
The wider menu leans coastal Louisiana in the best way, with shrimp baskets, crab fries, charbroiled oysters, seafood gumbo, boiled crawfish, crab balls, and crab cakes. Shrimp pasta shows up for folks who want their shrimp off the bread.
One thing to plan around: it’s closed Monday through Wednesday. Thursday through Sunday it opens at 10 a.m., staying latest on Friday and Saturday.
Parking is simple, and the small dining room fills up fast on weekends, so timing your visit helps.
3. Dat Kitchen Too, Waveland, MS
Some shrimp po’boys are so overstuffed the bread barely closes, and that’s the reputation Dat Kitchen Too has earned in Waveland. Portions run generous, and the shrimp version is the one people talk about most.
Sitting right on Highway 90, this easygoing cafe does down-home Southern cooking all day. You can build a carry-out lunch of grilled shrimp with grits, blackened fish with jambalaya, or a grilled shrimp po’boy with fries.
The menu stretches well past sandwiches. Breakfast fans get beignets and a Cajun omelet with shrimp and crawfish, while dinner brings the fried shrimp and fish plate, seafood gumbo, and country fried steak.
Bread pudding with rum sauce closes things out.
Hours are long and friendly, opening at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and until 3 p.m. on Sunday.
There’s no reservation system, plenty of parking, and a casual room that works for solo lunches or groups.
4. Dan’s Poboys and Seafood, Diamondhead, MS
Shrimp falling out the sides of the bread is a pretty good sign you ordered right at Dan’s. The light, seasoned batter and the sheer amount of shrimp are what make this Diamondhead spot stand out.
Set in a strip mall on East Aloha Drive, Dan’s mixes classic po’boys with everyday favorites. Alongside the shrimp version, the debris fries, onion rings, and cheeseburger have their own following.
Both fried and grilled shrimp po’boys show up here, and portion sizes run big. Fried oysters get the same light, crispy treatment, and the gumbo pairs well with either sandwich.
Practical notes matter for this one. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed Sunday, with delivery and takeout available.
Fridays get busy in the afternoon and evening, while mornings stay quiet, so an early lunch is your friend.
5. The Bayou | Restaurant & Tiki Bar, Ocean Springs, MS
The shrimp on this po’boy run big enough to earn bragging rights, which is a rare thing along a coast full of loaded sandwiches. The stuffed shrimp po’boy is the reason to pick this waterfront stop.
The Bayou sits on Beachview Drive in Ocean Springs with a laid-back, tiki-style feel and outdoor seating. It leans into a fun waterfront vibe with live music and karaoke nights, which sets it apart from the market and counter spots on this list.
Seafood is the anchor, with coconut shrimp, the Who Dat shrimp, shrimp and crawfish grits, and debris fries filling out the menu. There’s a full seafood platter for anyone who wants a little of everything.
Hours run late, closing at midnight Thursday through Saturday, and it’s closed Monday. Saturday evening is the busiest stretch.
Reservations are accepted, dogs are welcome, and there’s free Wi-Fi if you want to linger by the water.
6. Mama’s Seafood & Grill, Gulfport, MS
Order a shrimp po’boy at Mama’s and you may end up sharing it, because the portions are that generous. The sandwich comes overloaded with shrimp, and the gumbo has its own loyal crowd.
Located on Dedeaux Road in Gulfport, this casual counter-service spot keeps things quick and no-fuss. There’s no table service, but the pace is fast and the prices are easy.
What makes Mama’s a little different is the menu range. Alongside fried shrimp po’boys, you’ll find shrimp fried rice, grilled fish tacos, turkey necks and rice, fried catfish, and a shrimp and oyster platter.
The grilled shrimp po’boy is a solid pick if you want it without the batter.
It’s open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed Sunday. Friday and Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowds, while mornings are calm.
Takeout and delivery are both options here.
7. Quave Brothers Poboys and Meat Market Diberville, D’Iberville, MS
A 32-inch fried shrimp po’boy is not a typo, and that kind of size is exactly why Quave Brothers keeps drawing a line. If length equals bragging rights, this shop in the Northgate Shopping Center is holding a strong hand.
Part po’boy shop, part meat market, Quave Brothers makes most of its sandwiches hot and fresh on the spot. The bread gets high marks, and the shrimp version comes overflowing.
The lineup goes well beyond shrimp. There’s the oyster po’boy, a muffuletta wrap, a seafood platter, a fish plate, and bread pudding to finish.
Pot roast and crab cake po’boys give you reasons to come back.
Service is quick, with a drive-through, takeout, delivery, and dine-in all on the table. It’s open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and closed Sunday, with Friday being the busiest day.
Parking is plentiful.
8. Fayard’s, Biloxi, MS
Grabbing a top-tier shrimp po’boy inside a grocery store might sound odd, but that’s the Fayard’s way in Biloxi. This longtime shop on Popp’s Ferry Road serves lunch right alongside the groceries.
The fully dressed shrimp po’boy comes overflowing with golden fried shrimp on pressed French bread. It’s the sandwich people mention first, and it holds up against fancier sit-down spots.
Fayard’s is also a roast beef po’boy destination, and the counter turns out cheeseburger po’boys and a country roast po’boy for anyone in the mood for something other than shrimp. Coffee and dessert make it an easy breakfast-into-lunch stop.
Because it’s built around the grocery side, the hours skew early, opening at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. on Saturday, closed Sunday.
There’s no table service, just quick counter ordering, plenty of parking, and a casual, quiet room to eat in.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.