Seafood po-boys in Louisiana are a glorious, messy ritual, and you will want extra napkins before the first bite. Shrimp tumble out, oysters crackle, and buttered bread hugs the chaos like a loyal friend. This list takes you from New Orleans classics to Lafayette legends, all stacking seafood sky high. Come hungry, leave grinning, and maybe wear a shirt you do not mind baptizing in hot sauce.
Parkway Bakery & Tavern – New Orleans, Louisiana
Parkway is where you learn the sacred po-boy equation: hot bread, crisp seafood, tangy sauce, and joy. The shrimp are fried golden, piled so high you have to corral them back in with every bite. Ask for extra napkins and extra pickles, because you will need them.
There is history in these walls, and locals swear by the roast beef too, but seafood steals the show. The bread has that shatter you hear before you feel it, a crunch that keeps you chasing. Grab a bar stool, order a cold drink, and let the sandwich lean on your elbows.
Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar – New Orleans, Louisiana
Domilise’s feels like your auntie runs the fryer and refuses to let you leave hungry. The oyster po-boy arrives stacked and singing, dotted with hot sauce like confetti. A bite delivers briny crunch, cool mayo, and bread that holds its dignity till the last crumb.
You stand in line with locals who know the drill, smiling because the smell alone feels like home. Order dressed, grab chips, and claim a corner table with napkins at the ready. It is simple and perfect, the kind of sandwich that stays in your memory longer than your lunch break.
Verti Marte – New Orleans, Louisiana
Verti Marte is that tiny, always-open corner shop where cravings at midnight turn legendary. The sandwiches are wild, seafood stacked with reckless kindness. Shrimp, catfish, or soft-shell crab get tucked into bread like a party you can hold.
Order at the counter, watch steam fog the window, and plan to juggle your sandwich and a drink down the block. The seasoning runs deep and the sauces are unapologetically generous. You will drip, you will grin, and you will consider another round before you finish the first.
Parasol’s – New Orleans, Louisiana
Parasol’s is a neighborhood anchor painted in parade-day green, where a cold beer and a hot po-boy make perfect sense. The shrimp po-boy comes piled high and crisp, dressed with lettuce, tomato, and pickles that snap. Every bite sends crumbs and happiness across the table.
Slide into a booth, trade stories with a regular, and let the fryer speak for itself. The bread does the heavy lifting without going soggy, a small miracle in a messy world. Order extra napkins, because the remoulade runs fast when you are smiling.
Mother’s Restaurant – New Orleans, Louisiana
Mother’s is famous for debris, but the seafood po-boys still show up swinging. Get the oyster or shrimp dressed, then add a dash of hot sauce for that New Orleans hum. The line looks long, yet moves with purpose, like everyone knows you are about to be fed right.
The bread is sturdy and warm, catching every crumb and drip. A side of pickles never hurts, and neither does extra napkins. Sit, breathe in the steam, and let that first bite slow the day to a crawl.
Guy’s Po-Boys – New Orleans, Louisiana
Guy’s keeps it humble and hot, a neighborhood spot where the fryer sings through lunch. The shrimp po-boy lands with serious volume, the bread flaky and warm, the fillings tumbling. Ask for it dressed and watch the lettuce and tomatoes team up with that house seasoning.
You will taste black pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and a friendly wink from the cook. It is messy in the best way, requiring both hands and a plan. Bring napkins, bring appetite, and maybe bring a friend who will not judge your happy silence.
Frady’s One Stop Food Store – New Orleans, Louisiana
Frady’s feels like time travel, a corner store where the cooler hums and sandwiches come out mighty. The shrimp po-boy is a tower, bread crisp and light, sauces cool and zippy. Grab Zapp’s, grab napkins, and claim the sidewalk if seats are scarce.
Locals swear by the breakfast here, but lunchtime seafood wears the crown. The fry is clean, the seasonings bright, and the portions generous without apology. You finish full and a little proud, like you passed a delicious exam written in crumbs.
Liuzza’s by the Track – New Orleans, Louisiana
Liuzza’s by the Track serves racing energy with every basket, and the barbecue shrimp po-boy is a star. It is saucy, peppery, and gloriously messy, a roll flooded with buttery spice. You will lean forward to save your shirt while grinning like you knew better.
Between sips of a cold drink, you chase shrimp down the bread like trophies. The neighborhood rhythm hums, and everything tastes like a good decision. Bring extra napkins, maybe a spare sleeve, and do not be shy about asking for more bread.
Johnny’s Po-Boys – New Orleans, Louisiana
Johnny’s is old school and proud, where the menu sprawls and the seafood stacks even higher. The shrimp po-boy wears crunchy armor, then dives into mayo and pickles like a dare. Order at the counter, watch the dance, and clutch your number like treasure.
When your name is called, you are in for a generous, satisfying avalanche. The bread holds, the seasoning pops, and every bite feels familiar yet fresh. You will need napkins, maybe two drinks, and a slow stroll after to reset.
Mahony’s Po-Boys – New Orleans, Louisiana
Mahony’s brings craft to the chaos, stacking oysters and shrimp with a careful hand. Try the Peacemaker for a glorious combo, sparks of lemon and hot sauce cutting through. The bread is crisp outside, tender inside, ready for the flood.
Every plate arrives photogenic and dangerous for white shirts. You taste balance in the seasoning and generosity in the portions. It is exactly the kind of po-boy that makes you text friends and say, get here now.
Olde Tyme Grocery – Lafayette, Louisiana
Olde Tyme Grocery is Lafayette legend status, a steady drumbeat of hot oil and happy lunches. The shrimp po-boy comes overstuffed, light batter crunching like a drumroll. Bread is airy yet tough enough to corral every stray tail.
Grab a seat, listen to the chatter, and let the pepper and lemon do their thing. You will finish with crumbs on your lap and no regrets. It tastes like Fridays, even on Monday, and you will plan your next visit before leaving.
Pop’s Poboys – Lafayette, Louisiana
Pop’s takes tradition and flips fun on top, stacking seafood with clever sauces and playful sides. The shrimp po-boy is tall and lively, with crunch that echoes across the table. Try a creative special and let the flavors surprise you without losing the roots.
Inside, it is bright, friendly, and built for big appetites. The bread is crisp, the fillings generous, and the dressings dialed. Bring extra napkins and curiosity, because you will want another bite before you swallow.