The Best Po'boys in New Orleans (2026)
20 standout shops for fried shrimp, roast beef, hot sausage, late-night cravings, and a few worthwhile detours.
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The best po'boy in New Orleans depends on what you want inside the bread. Fried shrimp, gravy-soaked roast beef, Creole hot sausage, and slow-roasted duck all point to different shops. A famous address only helps if you know what to order once you're there.
For a first visit, start with Parkway's fried shrimp, Domilise's shrimp-and-oyster half-and-half, or the barbecue shrimp at Liuzza's by the Track. After that, leave room for a neighborhood grocery, a late-night Quarter stop, or a seafood lunch in New Orleans East.
We picked 20 shops: 16 in New Orleans and four detours in Jefferson and Metairie. They're grouped by area, not ranked.
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The best po'boy shops in New Orleans at a glance
| Shop | Area | Order | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkway Bakery & Tavern | Bayou St. John / Mid-City | Fried Gulf shrimp; Surf & Turf for shrimp and roast beef | Your first New Orleans po'boy |
| Liuzza's by the Track | Fairgrounds | Barbecue shrimp; garlic oyster | Barbecue shrimp |
| Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar | Uptown | Fried shrimp or a shrimp-and-oyster half-and-half | An old-school seafood lunch |
| Guy's Po-Boys | Uptown / Magazine Street | Fried shrimp; hot sausage | A quick cash lunch on Magazine |
| Parasol's | Irish Channel | Roast beef; Firecracker Shrimp | Roast beef and a beer |
| Mahony's Po-Boys & Seafood | Magazine Street / Uptown | The Peacemaker | A sit-down meal with a loaded po'boy |
| Adams Street Grocery & Deli | Carrollton | Fried shrimp or hot sausage | A good-value corner-store lunch |
| Johnny's Po-Boys | French Quarter | Roast beef, fried shrimp, or catfish | A classic po'boy without leaving the Quarter |
| Verti Marte | French Quarter | All That Jazz | A late-night sandwich |
| Killer Poboys | French Quarter | Glazed pork belly, seared Gulf shrimp, or roasted sweet potato | Creative and vegetarian-friendly fillings |
| Frady's One Stop Food Store | Bywater | Roast beef with provolone | A Bywater corner-store lunch |
| Vaucresson's Creole Café & Deli | Seventh Ward | Creole hot sausage | Creole hot sausage |
| Sammy's Food Service & Deli | Gentilly | Homemade roast beef; the Ray Ray | Roast beef with a menu for everyone |
| Zimmer's Seafood | Gentilly | Fried shrimp; soft-shell crab in season | A seafood-market po'boy |
| Castnet Seafood | New Orleans East | Fried Gulf shrimp or a seafood half-and-half | Fried seafood worth the drive east |
| River Fine Foods Store | Algiers Point / West Bank | Hot sausage, dressed | A cheap po'boy by the levee |
| Crabby Jack's | Jefferson (detour) | Slow-roasted duck; fried green tomato with shrimp remoulade | A duck po'boy |
| R&O's Restaurant | Bucktown, Metairie (detour) | Roast beef; the R&O Special | Roast beef with a dining room |
| Bear's at Gennaro's | Metairie Road (detour) | Roast beef or the Ferdie | Sliced roast beef and au jus |
| Short Stop Poboys | Metairie (detour) | Roast beef; French fry with gravy | Roast beef in the size you want |
Best po'boys in Mid-City and Uptown
Start here for the classics. Parkway and Liuzza's by the Track sit less than a mile apart near Bayou St. John and the Fair Grounds. Magazine Street and the blocks around it hold the rest: two old-school counters, an Irish Channel corner bar, a sit-down restaurant, and a Carrollton grocery.
For a sit-down meal nearby, Mandina's and Neyow's are in our Creole and Cajun restaurants guide, and Katie's and Toups' are in our brunch guide.
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
538 Hagan Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
If you only have time for one po'boy, start here. The fried shrimp is the classic seafood version, and the roast beef goes the gravy-soaked route. The Surf & Turf puts both on one loaf, which solves indecision and ruins shirts in equal measure. Parkway sits on the edge of Bayou St. John, so it pairs easily with a walk along the water or a morning at City Park. Come for the essentials, not the most elaborate sandwich on this list. Order: Fried Gulf shrimp; Surf & Turf for shrimp, roast beef, and gravy. Know before you go: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Oyster po'boys are served Wednesdays and Thursdays only.
Liuzza's by the Track
1518 N Lopez St, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA
This is a different idea of a shrimp po'boy. Instead of a pile of fried seafood, the signature fills a French-bread pistolette with sautéed shrimp in New Orleans-style barbecue sauce, and the bread soaks up every bit of it. The garlic oyster po'boy, fried oysters on bread spread with roasted garlic butter, is the other reason to come. Pick one of those two. A conventional order here misses the point. Order: Barbecue shrimp po'boy; garlic oyster as the alternative. Know before you go: Liuzza's by the Track on North Lopez is a different restaurant from Liuzza's Restaurant & Bar on Bienville Street.
Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar
5240 Annunciation St, New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
Domilise's belongs on a first trip, and it's the lunch people come back for on the second. The small Uptown counter keeps things focused: seafood, French bread, and how you want it dressed. Fried shrimp is the easy first order. Get the half-and-half when you can't choose between shrimp and oysters. Make it the main event of the afternoon, not a sandwich squeezed between errands. Order: Fried shrimp or a shrimp-and-oyster half-and-half. Know before you go: Closed Sundays. Closing times vary through the week, so check before a late lunch.
Guy's Po-Boys
5259 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
Guy's is a tiny counter with a handful of seats and a menu board by the register, and regulars get greeted by name. The fried shrimp is the order. Hot sausage is the move for anyone who'd rather have meat. It fits neatly into a day of shopping on Magazine Street. Grab a sandwich, eat it while the shrimp is still crisp, and keep going. With so few seats, it's not the place for a big group. Order: Fried shrimp; hot sausage if you're skipping seafood. Know before you go: Bring cash. It's a lunch spot, closed Sundays.
Parasol's
2533 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
Parasol's is an Irish Channel corner bar where the roast beef po'boy has been the draw for generations. You come for the sandwich, but you stay for a beer, so leave some slack in the afternoon. Order the roast beef first. Firecracker Shrimp is the detour for someone who wants seafood with some heat. It's also ground zero for the neighborhood's St. Patrick's Day block parties, so expect a very different scene in mid-March. Order: Roast beef; Firecracker Shrimp for something spicier. Know before you go: Check kitchen hours, not just when the bar closes.
Mahony's Po-Boys & Seafood
3454 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
Mahony's is a proper restaurant built around po'boys, with a full bar and room to sit. The Peacemaker, fried shrimp and oysters with bacon and cheddar, is the order that justifies the trip. The broader menu makes it easy for a group with different appetites. The Cochon de Lait Cubano, with pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, and pineapple mustard, is the pick once everyone's had their fill of fried shrimp. Order: The Peacemaker. Know before you go: Po'boys come in 6-inch and 12-inch sizes. The 6-inch is plenty for a light lunch.
Adams Street Grocery & Deli
1309 Adams St, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
Adams Street builds its po'boys on Dong Phuong bread, which gives this Carrollton grocery a real edge on fried shrimp. You get a big sandwich without a restaurant bill. There's no dining room to speak of, and that's fine. It's an easy stop during a Carrollton afternoon, and a reminder that some of the city's best po'boys come from places that also sell groceries. Order: Fried shrimp or hot sausage. Know before you go: The deli closes before the grocery does, and both are closed Sundays.
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Best po'boys in the French Quarter
The Quarter has a good answer for three different needs: Johnny's for a classic, Killer for something inventive, and Verti Marte when everything else has closed. There's no need to hit all three in one day.
Erin Rose, which houses Killer's original counter, is also one of the two detours in our Bourbon Street bars guide.
Johnny's Po-Boys
511 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
Johnny's has been on Saint Louis Street since 1950, and it's still where people who work in the Quarter actually eat. The roast beef is what it's best known for, and fried shrimp and catfish are close behind. It's a small counter-service room that does a busy breakfast too, so think quick meal rather than a long sit. Order: Roast beef, fried shrimp, or catfish. Know before you go: Bring cash and plan on breakfast or lunch. Check operating days before going early in the week.
Verti Marte
1201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA
When the lunch counters have shut, Verti Marte is still going. The All That Jazz piles grilled ham, turkey, and shrimp with Swiss and American cheeses, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, and the house Wow sauce. Restraint isn't the point. It's a corner grocery and deli, not a restaurant, so order it to go. It's built for 2 a.m., but nobody's stopping you at noon. Order: All That Jazz. Know before you go: Open 24 hours. Bring cash and plan on takeout.
Killer Poboys (Dauphine Street)
219 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Killer is for the day after you've had the classic fried-shrimp sandwich. At the Dauphine Street shop, pork belly gets a rum-and-ginger glaze, lime cabbage slaw, and garlic aioli. The seared shrimp goes another way, with pickled vegetables, herbs, and sriracha aioli. The roasted sweet potato with collard greens and a black-eyed-pea-and-pecan spread is worth ordering on its own merits. For the most vegetarian options, come to this location; the two kitchens don't share a menu. Order: Glazed pork belly, seared Gulf shrimp, or roasted sweet potato. Know before you go: Closed Tuesdays. Killer's original counter is inside Erin Rose on Conti Street.
Killer Poboys at Erin Rose
811 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
Killer's original counter sits in the back of Erin Rose, a Quarter bar, which makes it the late-evening option of the two. The menu is smaller than the Dauphine Street shop's, so come here for a sandwich with a drink rather than the full vegetarian lineup. Order: Glazed pork belly or seared Gulf shrimp. Know before you go: Erin Rose is 21 and over. Kitchen hours differ from the Dauphine shop, so check before going.
Po'boys beyond the center: Bywater to Metairie
These are worth building a day around, but they're spread out: Bywater, the Seventh Ward, Gentilly, New Orleans East, and Algiers Point, plus four detours just outside the city in Jefferson and Metairie. Pick the one that fits your plans rather than treating them as a crawl.
Frady's One Stop Food Store
3231 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117, USA
Frady's is about as casual as lunch gets. Order the roast beef with provolone and accept that it's not a sandwich to eat in a moving car. Shrimp is the swap if you're keeping the day seafood-focused. A neighborhood food store, a sandwich, and a spot outside if there's one free: that's the whole appeal, and it's the right lunch for a day spent wandering Bywater. Order: Roast beef with provolone. Know before you go: Bring cash. Plan on takeout or a sidewalk seat.
Vaucresson's Creole Café & Deli
1800 St Bernard Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA
The Vaucresson family has been making Creole food since 1899, and its hot sausage is the reason to come to this Seventh Ward café. Order it as the main event, not as the fallback for someone skipping seafood. It's the best change of pace on this list once your other lunches have started to look the same. Order: The Creole hot sausage po'boy. Know before you go: Daytime only: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sammy's Food Service & Deli
3000 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70122, USA
Sammy's works when one person wants a po'boy and everyone else wants options. The garlic-studded roast beef is the straight answer. The Ray Ray stacks fried chicken breast with grilled ham and Swiss, so save it for a day when lunch is the main meal. The long menu makes it an easy group stop in Gentilly, and a better use of the afternoon than crossing town for a bigger name. Order: Homemade roast beef; the Ray Ray for something bigger. Know before you go: Po'boys come in 6-inch and 10-inch sizes. Dressing costs extra, so ask for it when you order.
Zimmer's Seafood
4915 St Anthony Ave, New Orleans, LA 70122, USA
Zimmer's is a neighborhood seafood shop, and the po'boys come without much ceremony. Fried shrimp is the place to start. Ask about soft-shell crab; don't assume it'll be there. It's a good reason to spend a lunch in Gentilly instead of defaulting to Uptown or the Quarter. Order: Fried shrimp; soft-shell crab when it's in. Know before you go: Call ahead before making a special trip for soft-shell crab.
Castnet Seafood
10826 Lincoln Bch Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70127, USA
Castnet is the reason to head out to New Orleans East. Gulf shrimp, oysters, and catfish go on Leidenheimer bread, alone or as half-and-half combinations. Start with the shrimp, and go for a combo when two fillings are the whole point of the trip. It's a seafood market, so the focus stays on the food. Eat there or nearby; a hot sandwich won't survive the ride back to a downtown hotel. Order: Fried Gulf shrimp or a seafood half-and-half. Know before you go: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
River Fine Foods Store
1403 Patterson Rd, New Orleans, LA 70114, USA
River Fine Foods is a bright blue neighborhood grocery on the river road in Algiers Point, with a food counter that's been quietly turning out cheap, generous po'boys for years. Start with hot sausage, dressed. Shrimp and roast beef are on the menu too. Take it across the street to the levee and eat while the boats go by. It's an easy add to a West Bank afternoon. Order: Hot sausage, dressed. Know before you go: Plan on takeout, and check hours before going; it's closed Sundays.
Crabby Jack's
428 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
Once you've covered shrimp and roast beef, Crabby Jack's gives you a reason to leave the city. The slow-roasted duck po'boy is rich, messy, and unlike anything at a seafood counter. The fried green tomato with shrimp remoulade is the other order. With two people, get one of each and swap halves. Order: Slow-roasted duck; fried green tomato with shrimp remoulade. Know before you go: Lunch only. Check the day's hours before heading over.
R&O's Restaurant
216 Metairie-Hammond Hwy, Metairie, LA 70005, USA
R&O's is the first detour we'd make for roast beef. The seeded bread sets the sandwich apart, and the casual dining room makes it an easier sit-down meal than the small counters. The menu runs to pizza, seafood, and Italian dishes, which makes it the pick for families and groups where only some people are set on po'boys. Order: Roast beef; the R&O Special for ham and roast beef. Know before you go: It's in Bucktown, near the lakefront. Check lunch and dinner hours before the drive.
Bear's at Gennaro's
3206 Metairie Rd, Metairie, LA 70001, USA
Bear's earns its spot because it isn't another shredded-debris sandwich. The beef is sliced thin and served with homemade au jus, so pick it when texture matters as much as gravy. The Ferdie adds grilled ham and Swiss. If you're choosing between Bear's and R&O's, go by the style of roast beef you want. Order: Roast beef or the Ferdie. Know before you go: Make sure your directions point to the Metairie Road location at Gennaro's.
Short Stop Poboys
119 Transcontinental Dr, Metairie, LA 70001, USA
Short Stop sells po'boys from small to regular to king-size, so lunch doesn't have to mean the biggest loaf on the menu. The roast beef is the easy call. The French fry po'boy with gravy is potatoes, bread, and gravy, and it's exactly as comforting as that sounds. It's a good pickup when you're already in Metairie. Order: Roast beef; French fry with gravy for the budget order. Know before you go: Closed Sundays. The French fry po'boy comes with roast beef gravy, so it isn't vegetarian.
How to order a po'boy well
Say exactly how you want it dressed. "Dressed" usually means mayo, shredded lettuce, tomato, and often pickles, but it varies by shop. Spell out what you do and don't want, and don't assume it's free; Sammy's charges extra.
Check the size before you order sides. A 6-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, "regular," and "king" aren't the same sandwich. With two people, splitting two different po'boys beats ordering the same one twice, and it's often plenty without fries.
Plan around lunch, and bring cash. Many of the best counters close mid-afternoon or skip certain days, and several are cash-only. Check kitchen hours, not just store hours, and eat fried seafood soon after it's handed over; it doesn't improve in a takeout bag.
During Carnival, Erin Rose, Verti Marte and Stein's Deli are our parade-day sandwich stops; see the Mardi Gras restaurants and bars guide.
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