Louisiana knows how to do shrimp, and some of the best spots are little roadside places you might miss if you blink. These seafood shacks and no-frills eateries serve up boiled, fried, and grilled Gulf shrimp that keep people coming back down winding bayou roads.
Some are decades old, some are counter-service joints, and all of them treat shrimp like a serious business. Here are 12 Louisiana spots where the drive is part of the fun and the shrimp is the reward.
1. Middendorf’s, Akers, Louisiana
Sitting near Lake Maurepas along the road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Middendorf’s has been serving seafood since 1934.
The restaurant is famous for its thin-fried catfish, but the fried Gulf shrimp and shrimp platters hold their own on the menu. It is a large, family-friendly place with waterfront views.
The location makes it an easy stop on I-55, and the long history gives it real staying power in an area where seafood restaurants come and go.
2. Bozo’s Seafood, Metairie, Louisiana
Family-run since 1928, Bozo’s has been a New Orleans area name for generations of seafood lovers.
The kitchen is known for fresh, simply prepared Gulf seafood, including fried shrimp and shrimp poor boys that stick to the classics.
What sets Bozo’s apart is its long track record and its focus on doing traditional Louisiana seafood without fuss or gimmicks.
3. Black’s Oyster Bar, Abbeville, Louisiana
Abbeville takes its seafood seriously, and Black’s has been part of that reputation for decades in the heart of Cajun country.
Oysters are the headline act, but the fried shrimp and seafood platters give shrimp fans plenty of reason to stop.
The small-town setting west of Lafayette makes it a genuine bayou-country destination rather than a highway convenience.
4. Shuck’s Seafood, Abbeville, Louisiana
Another Abbeville favorite, Shuck’s built its name on fresh Gulf seafood in a town practically synonymous with oysters and shrimp.
The menu leans into local Cajun cooking, with fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, and combination platters that show off the Gulf catch.
Being just down the road from Black’s makes Abbeville a two-stop seafood town, and Shuck’s earns its own loyal following.
5. Restaurant des Familles, Crown Point, Louisiana
Perched along Bayou des Familles near Barataria, this restaurant offers something many seafood spots cannot: an actual swamp view.
Large windows look out over cypress trees and bayou water while diners work through Gulf shrimp dishes and Cajun seafood plates.
The setting near Jean Lafitte National Historical Park makes it a natural stop for people exploring the wetlands south of New Orleans.
6. Deanie’s Seafood, Bucktown, Louisiana
Bucktown has been a fishing village for generations, and Deanie’s grew right out of that seafood tradition.
The restaurant is known for enormous fried seafood platters and boiled shrimp served by the pound, often with boiled potatoes brought to the table.
Portions here are large, which makes it a good pick when a group wants to split several kinds of Gulf seafood at once.
7. Sartin’s Seafood, Nederland area / Louisiana border spots
Known along the upper Gulf coast for barbecue crabs, Sartin’s-style cooking has long drawn seafood fans across the Texas-Louisiana line.
Fried shrimp and shrimp baskets round out a menu built for people who want their Gulf catch fried and piled high.
For travelers cruising the coastal edge of Louisiana, it is a reminder that great shrimp does not stop at state lines.
8. Vaughan’s Seafood, Houma, Louisiana
Down in Terrebonne Parish, Houma sits close to the shrimping boats that supply so much of the state’s catch.
Local seafood spots here serve Gulf shrimp that often does not travel far to reach the plate, from fried baskets to seafood platters.
Being this deep in shrimping country means freshness is a matter of geography, not luck.
9. Prejean’s, Lafayette, Louisiana
A giant alligator statue out front tells you right away that Prejean’s leans hard into Cajun tradition.
Located near Lafayette, the restaurant serves shrimp in many forms, from fried plates to gumbo and etouffee loaded with Gulf shrimp.
Live Cajun music and a full Acadiana menu make it a destination for people who want the culture along with the seafood.
10. Boudreau & Thibodeau’s, Houma, Louisiana
The name alone signals deep Cajun roots, borrowing from the beloved Boudreaux and Thibodeaux characters of local lore.
In Houma, this spot serves Gulf shrimp fried, boiled, and folded into classic Cajun dishes like etouffee.
The bayou-country location keeps it close to the source, which is exactly why shrimp lovers point their cars this way.
11. Frankie & Johnny’s, New Orleans, Louisiana
Tucked in New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood, Frankie & Johnny’s has run as a neighborhood seafood joint since the 1940s.
Boiled shrimp by the pound and fried shrimp poor boys anchor a menu that has stayed loyal to old-school New Orleans cooking.
The unpretentious dining room is exactly what people picture when they think of a real local shrimp house.
12. Casamento’s, New Orleans, Louisiana
Open since 1919, Casamento’s is famous for its gleaming white tile interior and old New Orleans charm.
Oysters get top billing, but the fried shrimp and the shrimp loaf served on thick pan bread are longtime favorites.
The restaurant traditionally closes during the warm summer months, so timing your visit is part of the plan.
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