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Red beans and rice

Where to Eat Some of the Best Red Beans and Rice in New Orleans

Even if it’s not Monday, these spots dish creamy, spicy goodness

by Beth D'Addono and Eater Staff Updated Nov 18, 2019, 3:28pm CST

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Red beans and rice

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by Beth D'Addono and Eater Staff Updated Nov 18, 2019, 3:28pm CST

In most places, Monday is just Monday. In New Orleans, Monday is the traditional day to eat creamy red beans and rice, the ultimate comfort food made with slow cooked dried Camellia red beans and spiked with ham hock and spicy sausage. Lots of local bars serve this home style special Mondays as a lagniappe, but these restaurants deliver the can’t-resist goodness all week long.

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Riccobono's Peppermill

Nearly 40 years old, this Metairie restaurant has had decades of practice nailing its savory, comforting red beans. Considered some of the best in town, the Peppermill offers theirs as a daily lunch special and at Monday dinner.

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3524 Severn Ave, Metairie, LA 70002

Visit Website

Fury's

A Metairie family-owned tradition since 1967, this straightforward Creole Italian and seafood eatery serves copious portions of the kind of food mama made. There are daily plate specials, so naturally Mondays is Fury’s take on red beans and rice served with a choice of hot or smoked sausage, or — wait for it — a hamburger patty.

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724 Martin Behrman Ave, Metairie, LA 70005

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Fury’s red beans

Mandina's Restaurant

Rich, creamy, and thicker than some, Mandina’s Monday red beans serving is huge, and can be topped with Italian sausage, a grilled pork chop, or a veal cutlet. The classic Mid City restaurant is just as good for other New Orleans staples.

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3800 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

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Mandina’s red beans and rice

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Joey K's

The daily specials at this Magazine Street favorite are always a big hit, especially the dynamite lamb shank on Tuesdays. On Mondays at Joey K’s though, it’s obviously all about the red beans with smoked sausage, which are consistently voted a favorite by locals, and so good that they’re on the weekly menu and not held hostage by Mondays.

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3001 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Red beans at Joey K’s

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Liuzza's by the Track

Our favorite place to grab a bloody Mary on the way to Jazz Fest is also one of our favorite places for the Monday tradition, which Liuzza’s By The Track serves with a choice of smoked sausage, hot sausage, grilled chicken, or paneed chicken. Go with the hot sausage, then get a BBQ shrimp po-boy for good measure.

1518 N Lopez St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Red beans at Liuzza’s

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Café Reconcile

During Monday lunch, try Cafe Reconcile’s hearty red beans and smoked sausage for just $8, or add grilled or fried catfish and chicken for an extra $2 and $5, respectively. The dish from this important New Orleans institution is made with lots of love.

Open in Google Maps

1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113

Visit Website

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Willie Mae's Scotch House

Yes, yes, we are well aware that Willie Mae Seaton created what many regard as the very best fried chicken in New Orleans history, and possibly in the world. Her eponymous Willie Mae’s restaurant also has some of the best red beans in town, to boot, which of course are a perfect complement to the golden-fried chicken deliciousness or a wonderful fried pork chop.

2401 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Red beans at Willie Mae’s

Also featured in:

Dooky Chase Restaurant

Soul food in New Orleans doesn’t get much better than at the hands of treasured chef Leah Chase and her family, who naturally treat their red beans with the respect they deserve. Oddly (well, not so much for New Orleans), Dooky Chase is closed on Mondays, but red beans are on the menu at the lunch buffet, (except on Fridays when it’s shrimp and limas instead).

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Gris-Gris

Chef Eric Cook is killing it every day with inspired soulful Southern cuisine at Gris-Gris, but Mondays are something special. Why? Because he’s giving out bowls of FREE red beans and rice and damn they’re good. Cook, whose resume includes Commander’s, American Sector and Bourbon House, creates stellar versions of local comfort dishes, including an addictive version of his mom’s chicken and dumplings.

Open in Google Maps

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Red beans at Gris-Gris

Also featured in:

Li'l Dizzy's Cafe

This family-owned cafe on Esplanade Avenue draws crowds of regulars for breakfast and lunch buffets, and red beans is always a go-to side. Smoky with sausage, and creamy but not too, no wonder Li’l Dizzy’s chef Wayne Baquet’s fans are legion. Say yes to fried chicken even for breakfast.

Open in Google Maps

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe

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Buffa's

Nothing fancy about this joint on the corner of Burgundy and Esplanade on the edge of the Marigny. The place could use an upgrade - or even just some elbow grease, but that doesn’t stop regulars from piling into the back room for live music seven nights a week. And yes, Buffa’s red beans are good here, yes indeed.

1001 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Red beans at Buffa’s

Also featured in:

Coop's Place

C o op’s isn’t known for its service. And it’s definitely not known for its atmosphere. This gritty late night French Quarter staple is revered for its cheap, tasty eats, bowls of rabbit jambalaya and chicken and sausage gumbo, fried seafood and poboys, the kind of food that is necessary after many drinks. The red beans with a side of fried chicken, yes please.

1109 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Coop’s Place

Also featured in:

Sammy's Food Services & Deli

If one can judge the quality of casual food joint by the number of trucks and police cars out front, then Sammy’s gets a gold star. Frequented by hungry tradesmen and officers of the law, Sammy’s is also loved by locals interested in good and fast cheap eats, always served with a smile. Red beans come with hot or smoked sausage, add a buck and get a pork chop too.

Open in Google Maps

3000 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70122

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Melba's Old School Po Boys

Melba’s is awesome 24/7; an epicenter of homestyle New Orleans cookery that dishes goodness fast, fresh, and hot. There’s a bar with daiquiris in the back; up front is where to order platters of stuffed bell peppers or pork chops smothered in gravy and every kind of po-boy. Then there’s creamy but not too creamy spiced red beans with either wings or smoked chicken on the plate.

Open in Google Maps

1525 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Red beans and rice dinner at Melba’s

Also featured in:

Frady's One Stop Food Store

Frady’s is beyond old school, which is why it’s such a Bywater institution. Folks order inside and eat out, platters groaning with bacon, eggs and grits, Dagwood-sized poboys and some of the best red beans in town. Cash only but so cheap it’ll cost under $10.

Open in Google Maps

3231 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Also featured in:

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Riccobono's Peppermill

3524 Severn Ave, Metairie, LA 70002

Nearly 40 years old, this Metairie restaurant has had decades of practice nailing its savory, comforting red beans. Considered some of the best in town, the Peppermill offers theirs as a daily lunch special and at Monday dinner.

Open in Google Maps

3524 Severn Ave, Metairie, LA 70002

Visit Website

Fury's

724 Martin Behrman Ave, Metairie, LA 70005

A Metairie family-owned tradition since 1967, this straightforward Creole Italian and seafood eatery serves copious portions of the kind of food mama made. There are daily plate specials, so naturally Mondays is Fury’s take on red beans and rice served with a choice of hot or smoked sausage, or — wait for it — a hamburger patty.

Open in Google Maps

724 Martin Behrman Ave, Metairie, LA 70005

Visit Website

Fury’s red beans

Mandina's Restaurant

3800 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Rich, creamy, and thicker than some, Mandina’s Monday red beans serving is huge, and can be topped with Italian sausage, a grilled pork chop, or a veal cutlet. The classic Mid City restaurant is just as good for other New Orleans staples.

Open in Google Maps

3800 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Mandina’s red beans and rice

Joey K's

3001 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

The daily specials at this Magazine Street favorite are always a big hit, especially the dynamite lamb shank on Tuesdays. On Mondays at Joey K’s though, it’s obviously all about the red beans with smoked sausage, which are consistently voted a favorite by locals, and so good that they’re on the weekly menu and not held hostage by Mondays.

Open in Google Maps

3001 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Red beans at Joey K’s

Liuzza's by the Track

1518 N Lopez St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Our favorite place to grab a bloody Mary on the way to Jazz Fest is also one of our favorite places for the Monday tradition, which Liuzza’s By The Track serves with a choice of smoked sausage, hot sausage, grilled chicken, or paneed chicken. Go with the hot sausage, then get a BBQ shrimp po-boy for good measure.

1518 N Lopez St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Red beans at Liuzza’s

Café Reconcile

1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113

During Monday lunch, try Cafe Reconcile’s hearty red beans and smoked sausage for just $8, or add grilled or fried catfish and chicken for an extra $2 and $5, respectively. The dish from this important New Orleans institution is made with lots of love.

Open in Google Maps

1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113

Visit Website

Willie Mae's Scotch House

2401 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Yes, yes, we are well aware that Willie Mae Seaton created what many regard as the very best fried chicken in New Orleans history, and possibly in the world. Her eponymous Willie Mae’s restaurant also has some of the best red beans in town, to boot, which of course are a perfect complement to the golden-fried chicken deliciousness or a wonderful fried pork chop.

2401 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Red beans at Willie Mae’s

Dooky Chase Restaurant

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Soul food in New Orleans doesn’t get much better than at the hands of treasured chef Leah Chase and her family, who naturally treat their red beans with the respect they deserve. Oddly (well, not so much for New Orleans), Dooky Chase is closed on Mondays, but red beans are on the menu at the lunch buffet, (except on Fridays when it’s shrimp and limas instead).

2301 Orleans Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Visit Website

Gris-Gris

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Chef Eric Cook is killing it every day with inspired soulful Southern cuisine at Gris-Gris, but Mondays are something special. Why? Because he’s giving out bowls of FREE red beans and rice and damn they’re good. Cook, whose resume includes Commander’s, American Sector and Bourbon House, creates stellar versions of local comfort dishes, including an addictive version of his mom’s chicken and dumplings.

Open in Google Maps

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Red beans at Gris-Gris

Li'l Dizzy's Cafe

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

This family-owned cafe on Esplanade Avenue draws crowds of regulars for breakfast and lunch buffets, and red beans is always a go-to side. Smoky with sausage, and creamy but not too, no wonder Li’l Dizzy’s chef Wayne Baquet’s fans are legion. Say yes to fried chicken even for breakfast.

Open in Google Maps

1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe

Buffa's

1001 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Nothing fancy about this joint on the corner of Burgundy and Esplanade on the edge of the Marigny. The place could use an upgrade - or even just some elbow grease, but that doesn’t stop regulars from piling into the back room for live music seven nights a week. And yes, Buffa’s red beans are good here, yes indeed.

1001 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Red beans at Buffa’s

Coop's Place

1109 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

C o op’s isn’t known for its service. And it’s definitely not known for its atmosphere. This gritty late night French Quarter staple is revered for its cheap, tasty eats, bowls of rabbit jambalaya and chicken and sausage gumbo, fried seafood and poboys, the kind of food that is necessary after many drinks. The red beans with a side of fried chicken, yes please.

1109 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

Coop’s Place

Sammy's Food Services & Deli

3000 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70122

If one can judge the quality of casual food joint by the number of trucks and police cars out front, then Sammy’s gets a gold star. Frequented by hungry tradesmen and officers of the law, Sammy’s is also loved by locals interested in good and fast cheap eats, always served with a smile. Red beans come with hot or smoked sausage, add a buck and get a pork chop too.

Open in Google Maps

3000 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70122

Visit Website

Melba's Old School Po Boys

1525 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Melba’s is awesome 24/7; an epicenter of homestyle New Orleans cookery that dishes goodness fast, fresh, and hot. There’s a bar with daiquiris in the back; up front is where to order platters of stuffed bell peppers or pork chops smothered in gravy and every kind of po-boy. Then there’s creamy but not too creamy spiced red beans with either wings or smoked chicken on the plate.

Open in Google Maps

1525 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Red beans and rice dinner at Melba’s

Frady's One Stop Food Store

3231 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Frady’s is beyond old school, which is why it’s such a Bywater institution. Folks order inside and eat out, platters groaning with bacon, eggs and grits, Dagwood-sized poboys and some of the best red beans in town. Cash only but so cheap it’ll cost under $10.

Open in Google Maps

3231 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

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