The very idea of a fried softshell crab as a garnish to anything, let along a bloody mary, seems bizarre. Until you try a Crabby Mary at Stingray’s, an unassuming seafood spot tucked away Esplanade Mall Road in Kenner. With pickled green beans for antennae and olives for eyes, this specialty is worth writing home about. Save some room if you can, the seafood is down-home good.

Another place for a meal in a glass, Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon adds a twist to its bloody by adding Absolut Peppar vodka infused with sun dried tomatoes into the mix. The drink is festooned with, among other things, cocktail onions, pickled green beans and olives. This is a super neighborhood sports bar with a vast menu of good grub - worth a visit.

Ground zero for bloody marys during Jazz Fest, Liuzza’s by the Track shakes a spicy mix rich with horseradish and Worcestershire. The bartender always asks if you want a double, so go for it. The ideal precursor for barbecue shrimp served in a toasted pistolette, legend in these parts.

One of the best dive bars in the Marigny, Marie’s is a family-run spot that combines a great juke box with seriously bad ass bloody marys (or Maries as they call them here). Shoot a game or two of pool and mingle with the regulars. A great place to dip in on Lundi Gras or Mardi Gras Day.

Who needs lunch when you can order a Shimmy Shack bloody mary? Pepperoni, cheese cubes, pickled okra, bacon, olives - it’s all in the towering mix, even a little plastic baby that’s gone AWOL from a king cake. Good local spot on the West Bank, this bank-turned-bar and restaurant has a solid menu and friendly regulars. Come hungry.

Self-proclaimed “Lantern Trash,” as the regulars call themselves, take great pride in this bar’s bloody mary, and with good reason. Priced to have more than one at just $7, this potent tomato-fueled libation is just about perfect. Always lively, the Golden Lantern is quite the scene during Southern Decadence.

Serving strong grog since the 1700s, Lafitte’s on the “quiet” side of Bourbon is a pirate’s lair pouring some of the best drinks in town. The hurricane is made with fresh juice and the bloody mary is a spicy delight, best enjoyed sitting out front, facing the parade of humanity passing by on the street.

Coop’s Place, a pinnacle of cheap eats and snarky service on Decatur in the Quarter since 1983, regularly draws lines of visitors and locals craving the likes of fried chicken, rabbit and sausage jambalaya and strong cocktails. The bloody mary’s are damn good and the kitchen stays open nice and late.

Home of the quite addictive ice cream daiquiri, the Gazebo is an ideal spot to fuel up before strolling along the river or in the Quarter. Order from the window - just follow the sound of the whirring blenders - or sit a spell and slurp an excellent bloody mary along with plates of New Orleans specialties, like red beans and rice and jambalaya.

Breakfast is always on the menu at this French Quarter stand out, so of course the bloody marys are divine. Stanley’s marys have a hint of garlic in the mix, come with pickled green beans, a fave garnish, and lots of spicy heft, especially if you order the double. Get one to go to make people watching along Jackson Square that much better.

Brunch is legend at this uptown spot, which offers a “vodka salad bar” with endless toppings and garnishes - a make your own bloody mary bar that puts the customer in the driver seat. Atchafalaya offers live music on Sundays and a menu with the likes of duck hash and shrimp and grits keeps the crowds coming.