Seither’s, tucked away in Harahan in a small, brightly colored building, is a powerhouse seafood destination. Popular for boiled crawfish, live music, and Jason Seither’s super creative seafood dishes, the po’ boys are another main draw, especially varieties like the oyster, bacon, and mozzarella monster po’ boy, BBQ shrimp and andouille and soft shell crab.

Short Stop is another top Metairie’s po’ boy shop, a decades-old, family-owned shop with an old-school vibe and attentive service. A king-size debris-style roast beef easily feeds two. There are three options for size, which is helpful if you’re looking to try a few, like the hot sausage, catfish, or the carb-laden French fry, dripping with roast beef gravy.

The Gendusa bread is an excellent sign that Parran’s po’ boys are top shelf. The variety is another tip-off, with options like blackened tuna, eggplant parm, and Italian sausage. Lots of gravy with the roast beef, and the grilled pastrami and provolone is a terrific combo.

This neighborhood po’ boy spot in Metairie hangs onto its family legacy and homey feel. Radosta’s is especially known for its Italian sausage po' boys, but the extensive menu also includes seafood, combos, and even a pork chop po’ boy. The grand slam is an impressive whopper, a 10-ounce grilled rib eye with mushrooms and onions in a white wine sauce.

Ask locals for the best deal on po’ boys, and it won’t be long before someone points you towards this petite corner grocery tucked into a quiet Uptown neighborhood near Tulane University. Among the options, you’ll find generous fried shrimp, fish, or roast beef and gravy po’ boys all coming in under $10. Another plus: This Carrollton gem serves po’ boys on perfectly crispy Dong Phuong bread. Takeout only.

Frankie & Johnny’s is one of few sit-down options for a po’ boy, a homey seafood destination in Uptown with a nice front porch and covered back patio. Love that a half po’ boy and a cup of gumbo combo is available. There are charbroiled oysters and Italian specialties too.

Marvin Matherne has owned this 60+-year-old, petite lunch staple since 1992, and he’s usually in the kitchen making the po’ boys himself, stuffing well-seasoned shrimp inside loaves and slathering them with mayo before topping it with pickles, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. Indeed, the fried shrimp po’ boy is one of the best the city has to offer and there’s also a very good grilled shrimp po’ boy.

The longtime po’ boy destination in the “Sliver by the River” has something of a cult following. Easy to miss, a hand-painted sign signals the entrance to a no-frills time warp of Formica and wood paneling. Like Parkway, Domilise’s has a long history tied to the city’s working class, and the family business marked its 100th anniversary in 2018. Both fried seafood and roast beef debris are customer favorites here.

Bevi is a one-stop shop for po’ boys, boiled crawfish, and daiquiris. Though known for seafood, Bevi’s meat po’ boys are also top-notch. Can’t decide? Go for the Peacemaker: fried Louisiana shrimp, roast beef debris, and Swiss cheese. Oyster and pork belly and corned beef with collards aren’t on most menus.

On a list of greats, few po’ boy spots can match the iconic status of this classic Mid City corner institution. Parkway’s doors first opened more than a century ago, serving po’ boys to striking street car workers in the 1920s. Now two favorites, the overstuffed fried shrimp and the roast beef and gravy, have fervent followers — unless it’s the holiday season, then Parkway’s Thanksgiving po’ boy is most coveted. Also worth a mention for its rarity: the steamed corn beef brisket po' boy. There are vegetarian choices too.

Come Jazz Fest, this popular, laid-back, horse-themed corner joint by the track is like its po’ boys, overflowing. Liuzza’s by the Track is known for its gumbo, but the Worcestershire and butter-fueled New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp po’ boy is the real star. The fried oyster with garlic butter is another winner.

Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe has been a Treme institution since 1947. While perhaps best known for the Baquet family’s fried chicken and gumbo, the po’ boys are outstanding, all three flavors: shrimp, hot sausage, and fried catfish. The setting is friendly and lively, a neighborhood icon.

Since 1950, Johnny’s paper-wrapped po’ boys are a favorite for many and are a particularly good option for visitors who can’t necessarily go exploring off the beaten path. As a convenient stop for lunch in the heart of the Quarter, there are more than 30 po’ boys on the menu, like the shrimp and oyster, alligator sausage, surf n’ turf, or soft shell crab.

Owner and former butcher Sammy Schloegel’s insistence on quality meat has made this Gentilly shop one of the best po’ boy destinations in town — Sammy’s was previously the supplier of the sausage patty used in the beloved hot sausage po’ boy from Gene’s, which closed in 2019. Choose 6” or 10”; a large Ray Ray, one of the shop’s most popular with fried chicken, ham, and cheese, will set you back $15; and fried seafood options run around $14.

More known for its breakfast and lunch plates than for “making groceries,” this joint is old school and proud of it. Frady’s is about as basic as it gets; orders are to-go and cash only. The fried shrimp and oyster or juicy roast beef with provolone are good bets. Tradition dictates chowing down at one of the shaded benches out front or sidewalk tables on Piety.

Out on Downman Road in New Orleans East, Louisiana Pride is one of the area’s best po’ boy destinations. In addition to a beloved hot sausage, the standard roast beef, shrimp, and oyster offerings are accompanied by a smoked sausage version, a take on a Philly cheesesteak, and fried catffish po’ boys.