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Johnny's Po-Boys
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
511 St. Louis StNew Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 524-8129
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 8:30 am - 3 pm
Fri-Sun 8 am - 4:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
362 reviews for Johnny's Po-Boys
Review Highlights
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362 reviews in English
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Review from Gloria H.
Couple blocks from the hotel, we passed by so many times without walking in - silly.
Locals recommended this place, they are only open for breakfast and lunch. The place is always busy - you can grab it to go or tried to find a table.
The staff is super friendly and make you feel welcomed. What we had:
Egg and cheese biscuit - $2.75 - the biscuit is legit! Crumbly, moist and buttery - delicious with the egg and cheese!
Bowl of gumbo - $5.95 - came with toast - pretty good.
Coffee - $1.95.
Great spot to pick up a quick sandwich for breakfast or lunch. -
Review from Lourdes D.
Miami, FL
Had lunch here on the second day of a trip to NOLA and the line went aaaaaaaall the way outside the restaurant. It was so busy, I scoured for tables like a vulture and plopped myself down in order to reserve some seats for myself and my gal pals. I ordered a shrimp po' boy, and it was awesome. It's basically Cuban bread with fried shrimp, lettuce and mayo, but it just tastes SO good. The portion is huge, so I found it difficult to finish it all, and since fries were also ordered, it became even more of a battle between my mouth and my stomach.
The servers are fast, so you won't be in line for too long, and you gotta have a po' boy in NOLA, so stick around and enjoy Johnny's! -
Review from Cindy W.
Rosemead, CA
For a Po-Boy joint, I expected better bread on my Po-Boy.
I made Johnny's one of my stops while in NOLA. Surprisingly, I had a really tasty shrimp po-boy at the Oak Alley Plantation restaurant, so I was looking forward to Johnny's po-boys since they specialize in po-boys. Sadly, it wasn't that good because the bread was very poorly lacking. We got a half oyster and half shrimp; while the fried shellfish was good and seemed fresh, the bread made the sandwich very forgettable. For a place that gets bread delivered every morning, I really expected better. Or at least toast it for goodness sake.
We also got the gumbo which was good but I'm giving this place just two stars cause it's Johnny's PO-BOYS, not Johnny's gumbo... and Mehhhh.... I've really had better po-boys.. As far as location goes, the restaurant is conveniently located in the French Quarter so it was a easy stroll to have lunch. Also they open early so you could go in for breakfast too.
I've definitely crossed off Johnny's from my New Orleans list of must eats. -
Review from Guy S.
New Orleans, LA
I have lived a couple blocks from Johnny's for the last 5 years and have eaten there many times. I have had many of the menu items and they are always good. They are always busy and it is usually hard to find a table but well worth the trip.
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Review from Holly S.
On my recent expedition to New Orleans, I decided to hit up Johnny's based on some trusted Yelpers that had previously reviewed the place. I have to say, based on the reviews I expected something out of this world.
Instead it was still within this realm, but slight better than its surrounding parts. I was super hungry and opted for a full shrimp po-boy dressed (dressed = mayo, lettuce, pickles, tomato), because that's how this chick rolls. I did come in about 30 minutes before close of business on a Monday, so I was happy that they were even willing to serve me. I should have known that the quickness of my order being ready could possibly indicate the lack of fresh items I would receive.
My po-boy was HUGE and a little daunting at first, but when I realized that most of the massiveness was attributed to the bread, I wasn't so scared. Bread and I go wayyyyyy back! The bread/italian loaf was good but a little too crisp and injured my gums on a few bites. The shrimp were large, but unfortunately they tasted like the frozen variety of a sea creature that I prefer fresh....I mean this is the gulf coast right??? The other ingredients were fresh, but then those require little preparation. Luckily I only spent about $12 with a drink, because if I had spent more I would have been a little ticked.
Maybe I should try some of their other options on my next visit to NOLA, but with so many dining options I doubt I'll make it back for a long while. -
Review from Caro d.
Was recommended Johnny's as the best Po' Boy in New Orleans by some friends so I went to try it out during my single day in the french quarter and left happy with my shrimp po' boy. The place itself is no-frills and the sandwiches are simple.
I would give them 4 stars because I loved loved loved the hot sauce and thought it was something special. But then I found packets of the same hot sauce at my work cafeteria in Miami and am thus disillusioned about my experience at Johnny's.
It's good. Solid choice. -
Review from Richard S.
Delmar, NY
Johnny's Po-Boys is overrated. Long lines, and after you order, another 10 minute wait. My total wait time from the time I entered the line outside was approximately 35 - 40 minutes. The eating area is dirty.
I had a shrimp po-boy. The portion is large and the shrimp were mediocre.
But to my amazement, the bread, the most important ingredient of a sandwich, was stale. Could not believe a landmark sandwich shop that serves thousands of sandwiches a day would use stale bread. Trust me it was stale. I checked out the reviews in yelp and other sites, and there were more than a few people that agree with me. -
Review from Russell B.
New York, NY
I came here twice and got sick both times. I had the Jonny's special and the bread was drenched in grease from the grill and had to go to CVS to get medicine to settle my stomach afterwords. I ended up throwing out over half the sandwich because the food is disgusting. The next day I had the shrimp po boy thinking that it would be better and I was fooled for a second time. The shrimp had freezer burn and while the quantity of shrimp was good the quality was awful.
It should also be noted that this place does not deserve a one dollar sign ($). For two sandwiches and one drink it cost $27 (Cash only).
Don't be deceived by the long line. -
Review from Justin V.
One of the few low-priced yet high quality dining alternatives in the French Quarter. The place is cramped and no-frills, but the sandwiches are awesome, especially the Judge Bosetta.
If only they didn't have such limited hours! Though, thinking about it, if it catered to the late night FQ crowd, it likely wouldn't be nearly as good and its dive-ish qualities now would quickly become dump-ish. -
Review from Wendy M.
Elizabethtown, PA
Perfect lunch spot! I got the shrimp po-boy and my husband got the catfish po-boy. It was full and we just grabbed a part of table that was empty. The atmosphere is very laid-back and casual. The food was delicious! If you're in the french quarter - you must go here!
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Review from Mallory G.
Houston, TX
I had done my research before going to NOLA. I put this place pretty high on my list. I made sure that I made it after the reviews. Oh was I glad that I did. I even had to fight the rain to get here with a friend under a one person umbrella. But I got there none the less.
When we got in I asked what was the best po'boy. I was told the roast beef was the best. So I got that with all the fixings. I then had no time to eat it as I had to walk over to the convention center. Then I had to go to stuff before I could eat it. But about 45 minutes later I was able to sit down and start eating my po'boy. Man was it squishy from all the meat juices but it was amazing! Make sure you grab lots of napkins.
Highly recommend for a delicious po'boy quickly.Listed in: Sandwiches, NOLA!
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Review from Chris S.
Maybe I've missed the hype,or being from New York I'm used to the lunch counter type of sandwich shop.
The sandwiches are huge,.one could be easily be split between two people. The catfish is flaky and good,nothing white special. Pork sausage,is like beakfast patties,for some reason that didn't register with me..I've had better,here in Nola. -
Review from Heidi S.
During our recent trip to NOLA, we had this on our list for one of our many food stops!
Luckily we got there in good time, no line at all! For our crew we ordered a Muffaletta, Hamburger PoBoy, Roast Beef PoBoy and Chicken Fried Steak PoBoy!
Now first off...if you don't eat that much...order a half!! We learned the hard way! None of us could finish, we all made it half way through or less! Everyone enjoyed their sandwiches!
I like the atmosphere of this place and they have a candy bar upstairs too! -
Review from Jay K.
Boston, MA
On previous trips to New Orleans, I've seen the lines that form in and around Johnny's Po Boys and always wondered why people would wait in such long lines for a sandwich. The online reviews on this place are all over the map, with many claiming Johnny's to be the best po' boy in the city, and others dismissing it as a place that has cruised on its reputation and turned into a veritable tourist trap.
I suspect that the truth is probably somewhere in-between. I stopped by for a Fried Shrimp Po' Boy with mayo and lettuce, and a bottle of water.
First, the bad: The sandwich derived much of its actual flavor from the salty batter on the shrimp, and tasted a bit plain to me. The shrimp were good, but when deep-fried and placed between bread, there was something missing. Even with the "fixings", the sandwich seemed too dry for my tastes. The french bread roll it is served on is large, and the bread and deep-fried batter overpowers the other ingredients. Johnny's probably needs to put more mayo on this sandwich, or I should have sought out some hot sauce to add.
The good: The roll is very good, the kind of thin-crusted, light french bread roll you can only seem to get in New Orleans. The shop is not as dirty as some online reviewers claimed. It's like any other locally-owned sandwich shop I've been in anywhere else in the country. Some tables have a few crumbs on them, but this is a busy place, especially around lunch time. I think there are a lot of weird, sheltered people out there who somehow expect that anywhere their hotel concierge tells them to check out has a dedicated bus staff ready and eager to wipe their ass.
The other good thing is the size of the sandwiches. The sheer amount of fried shrimp - which some online reviewers have claimed to not be enough - is substantial for a $10 sandwich. I could barely finish half of my sandwich, which was enormous. Anyone who claims they don't get enough shrimp in one of Johnny's po' boys is the most gluttonous of fat hogs, or is completely out of their mind. -
Review from Tamar D.
It was okay. The bread was the crispy, light bread that makes a poboy, a poboy. I had the crab cake poboy and I think I just didn't like the fillers. I also added cheese, and although it was real cheddar cheese, they shredded it instead of just providing slices. That was odd, and so the cheese just kept falling out. The mayo wasn't slathered on, which was good. But I kept getting a taste of something sweet, which I didn't like.
My girlfriend actually ordered for us, so I was upstairs the whole time saving a spot on the porch upstairs. This is also where they house the sweet stuff, in the form of homemade pies, cakes, and other sweets. The woman behind the counter had the kind of Southern hospitality and cuteness that makes people want to come back. -
Review from Jesse F.
Destin, FL
This place was OK? Nothing fantastic. I had the shrimp po'boy and Jennifer had the Johnny's special. Both looked delicious, but lacked flavor. Bread was hard as nails, think i chipped a tooth on the second bite.
I think this place thrives off of its history, as alot of places in NOLA do. I came, I saw, and I wouldn't visit this place again. Acme-Korner Cafe-and Pier 424 have better po'boys! -
Review from Marshall J.
Austin, TX
Gumbo: fantastic. Jambalaya: not bad. Rice and Beans: skip it.
They have red creme soda as well as root beer on the fountain, and the prices are good. -
Review from Spencer B.
Dallas, TX
AWFUL run away dont wait in the long line. I have gotten SICK here TWICE now and the food was BAD both times. You are in NOLA for great food and you WON'T find it here!
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Review from Krista M.
This was my second po-boy and I was so disappointed. After eating at Parkway, there was just no comparison. Johnny's bread was tough and the shrimp, while fried well had a very fishy taste. The oyster po-boy was better, but still not great.
Overall I was left disappointed and wishing I had gone elsewhere. -
Review from Jeremy A.
We stopped in at Johnnys for lunch and it was pretty slammed. Their reputation in Nola definitely held up when I saw how many people were there.
I got the Shrimp poboy and it was basic but it's what I would expect and it was great. My buddy got a muffaletta that was as big as a house and he liked it a lot.
Good spot, reasonable prices and close to the quarter. -
Review from Minda w.
No po boys at 10am in the morning?! Sigh.
We ended up with a muffaleta and a breakfast special: fried chicken on a biscuit topped with gravy.
Central Grocery definitely has the muffaleta to beat. The one here is good but the olive salad is way too pungent. I think I stank up the whole Louis Armstrong Airport.
The fried chicken on a biscuit is just so so. At $2.99, it's a deal but the chicken is a bit dry. It's also super heavy so don't expect to eat anything else for awhile.
What can I say? No po boys kinda sucked. -
Review from Dan M.
Ahhhhhhhh I finally got to try you and you were amazing. Before going to New Orleans Johnny's was near the top of my foodie list and ended up being my first stop in The Big Easy.
I walked in the shop and could not have been more excited to sink my teeth into a soft and tasty PO-BOY.
I went with the half CATfish and half Oyster po-boy. The thing was huge and splitting the massive meal was the way to go!
The bread is amazing, the sauce is delicious and the seafood is fresh and tasty. Everyone who visits New Orleans needs to make a stop at Johnny's. They know how to deliver an outstanding and wonderful PO-BOY! -
Review from Benjamin W.
Lothian, MD
This place is fantastic. I got the shrimp po boy one afternoon, and it was fully stuffed and dressed just the way a po boy should be. I went back the morning after to try their breakfast, and boy was I impressed. The buttermilk buscuits they have at this joint are some of the largest I've seen. Very cool place! Only drawback is that they don't take credit/debit cards.
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Review from Kim N.
I love Johnny's. We stop here every time we are in NOLA.
I usually get the shrimp po-boy or the alligator po-boy both are amazing with the standard lettuce, tomatoes and pickle and a side of the Jambalaya that is mouth watering. Hubby usually gets the Johnny's special or the smoked sausage. No matter what you get you can't go wrong.
The atmosphere is great. The last time we were here there was a couple debating what to get and they narrowed it down to Alligator or Beef. I had the alligator and offer a little piece so they could try it and another table offered a little piece of beef. That is just the way this place is. Friendly and fast and feels like home.
The menu is up on the wall so you can see the many different items they have to offer and I say trying them all is your best bet. You have to be fast to grab a table or ask to share one. I have never been turned down to share a table; you have to be comfy with cozy here. It is tight quarters.
The sandwiches are huge you can split one or take home leftovers for snacking that is what we do.
If you get there during the lunch rush except to wait and if it is crowded get it to go. There are a tons of place to sit along the water to sit or in Jackson's Square, or many many more places to cop a squat and enjoy your meal. -
Review from Seung Eun C.
Los Angeles, CA
High Expectations and again, another disappointment.
We ordered a fried oyster po-boy, crab cake platter, jambalaya, and 2 cokes. Total cost: $40.
Fried oysters had such a thick crust that you could barely taste the oyster.
Crab cakes were gross.
It had very little crab and way too much fillers.
Sorry the picture looks disgusting but pictures don't lie.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED if you look at the picture =)
Saving grace at Johnny's?
Decent Jambalaya and one of the best potato salads I've ever tasted.
But sorry, those 2 aren't enough.
2 thumbs down....
So we gave our barely touched foods to the homeless guy on the streets..
Then we jumped on our scooter and headed 8 miles outta town for Crabby Jacks = the BEST po-boys ever!!!!! -
Review from Courtney B.
Cincinnati, OH
I split half of whatever my dining companion chose - of course he chose the meatiest option. It was a po-boy called Judge Bosetta - some big patty combination of 2 types of sausage and ground beef. The meat and the bread were both dry. I would prefer the meat to be chopped up and less cooked. Once I loaded it up with some hot sauce, it was better. But then again, I could lap up hot sauce with a spoon - it makes everything mas mejor!
There was a line almost out the door. Not really sure why. Maybe we tried the wrong thing. Very meh. -
Review from Libby V.
Bellbrook, OH
I know they call them "Horse & Buggy's" but it's actually "Mule and Buggy's" and I only bring that up cause our driver told us Johnny's Po-Boys was the original Po-Boy store in NOLA. That convinced me we had to try them out.
This place is a dump in a dumpy block. But I know about hole in the wall places, so I didn't break stride. Didn't know what to order, so with the Johnny's special cause I figured it was special, and it was good though the roast beef overpowered the ham. It was messy too, always a good sign. I polished it off! Enjoyed my first Abita (is that how you spell it...I'm not much into beers) but this one was delish.
Hubby had breakfast. It looked pretty typical, except the grilled the biscuit. That looked cool. Prices are cheap. Well - they're obviously not putting profits into decor, now are they? and it's totally crazy loud and crowded in there.
We ate in the front room, and it was crowded, but met a lot of really cool people. I had to use the facilities...always a risky endeavor in the French Quarter. Was directed down a hallway (of death) to the back room where there was even more people dining (no windows and icky). Restroom...well, I've seen worse, but not by much.
If I want another Johnny's Po-Boy, I will be ordering it to go and eating on the Riverbank. Or better - yet to be delivered. No desire to see this place again. And I'm not faint of heart. -
Review from Jamie W.
There's a reason (or two) why this place is kinda famous... The main one? Their po-boys really are the best I've ever had.
We went for the Johnny's Special. It's a hot po-boy with pretty much everything and the kitchen sink in it. Roast beef, ham, turkey, swiss, etc. Perfect for sharing. Reasonably priced.
Loads of flavor and quality ingredients. The store itself is loud and crazy busy. We grabbed our sandwich and headed toward to a park bench on the river to enjoy.
Don't forget to grab those napkins, though. You're going to need them. -
Review from Victoria W.
Chicago, IL
I'm sorry we wasted valuable sandwich-eating time here. Even though Johnny's is very popular, I have to say there are plenty of better po boys available in the French Quarter. The seafood options here were surprisingly boring and not fresh. And the back room smells like a sewer. The only reason to give them any stars is for the friendly service.
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Review from Chris L.
If you find yourself wandering around the French Quarter desiring to partake in the rich po-boy tradition of New Orleans without having to venture too far and risk getting lost (or if you just happen to live nearby), Johnny's should be on your itinerary.
However, that isn't to say you should expect perfection in all things here. The restaurant is old and usually crowded, so it can take a while to get your food. The prices aren't too high, but not exactly cheap, which is made worse by that fact that they charge extra to dress the po-boys. The lady asked if I wanted it fully dressed. Of course I did. After all, I'm not a savage. I know lettuce and tomatoes aren't free, but I'm not used to being charged $0.60 extra for them. Additionally, like many NOLA institutions, they don't accept your mysterious plastic rectangle in lieu of cash. They do, however, have an ATM, which, amusingly, partially covers their sign that resultantly reads "Dining In Ear."
But once you bite into an item from their extensive po-boy menu, you won't mind these minor inconveniences so much. Given some of the less than enthusiastic reviews here, I must be lucky. I've never had anything here that wasn't absolutely delicious. I'm telling you, all your troubles melt away after one taste of the Johnny's Special, a sandwich of layered grilled ham and roast beef topped with American and Swiss cheeses. This is proper Quarter comfort food. Special mention must be made of the breakfasts as well. The red checkered table cloths evoke a rustic feel that is enforced by the fantastic country-style breakfast platters. A plate of fried eggs, bacon, country ham, grits, and a biscuit doesn't sound that hard to do, but that doesn't mean Johnny's doesn't make a great one. Walking into Johnny's from the dingy street out front is a trip to that rural relative's (Doesn't everyone have at least one?) kitchen, only this time your grandma or Aunt Bobbie Sue is serving a large eclectic mix of guests, and you have to wait your turn. On my last trip there, the morning before a Saints game, I was surrounded by a gaggle of Who Dats in their Saints jerseys, downtown dwellers getting their grub on, brightly vested day laborers, mystified tourists, and heavily tatted girls still wearing their scowls of entitled indignation from the night before. Personally, I find a large and varied group encouraging. It shows that Johnny's appeals to all types of people. I'm not sure which "type" I belong to, but count me in. -
Review from Eric J.
My first po-boy experience in New Orleans. I ordered the Johnny's Special: Beef with grilled ham, American & Swiss cheese, dressed.
1st bite, amazing! The combination of ingredients is off the hook!
By the time my wife got the camera out of her purse & turned on, the sandwich was gone! We got a picture of a plate full of napkins. Messy sandwich!
Will definitely go back for more! -
Review from Kellee K.
Central Grocery was closed but I wanted to get my hands on a muffuletta. Johnny's was just named a "Best Thing I Ever Ate" on the FoodNetwork so I thought we had ourselves a winner.
We came early and we were able to snag a table. Our timing was good because the place filled quickly.
We got Johnny's special and biscuit sammie for him and a toasted muffuletta. We waited and waited, our number was called, and I asked the husband if he wanted a hand? "Nah." Famous last words, he got nudged on his way back to the table. All the sandwiches splattered into a million pieces. I attempted a save, much too late and only protected a slab of hot meat from hitting the floor. We cleaned up the mess one napkin at a time.
Once the bulk of the mess was clean he went up to the counter explained what happened and they fired up a replacement, only he forgot to mention the biscuit. It might have just been the best thing ever, but we'll never know. We dug into our sandwiches after we safely secured them at the table. Attempt two was far more successful.
The eats, however, were not. I ate a quarter of muffuletta so I could take medication, but I didn't like it. Not being a fan of olives I didn't expect to love it, but I had to try. The meats failed to impress, my kindest words go out to the bread. No love goes out to his po-boy either. The roast beef was dry and bland despite the addition of gravy and the salty ham helped it none. -
Review from Alex L.
Deep fried pancakes smothered in canned fruit topping and loads of canned whipped cream. Grits floating in margarine. Greasy potatoes. These were the dishes I received during my first visit to this NoLa staple, and based on that experience I don't plan on returning.
This is a perfect example of a popular local tourist attraction and "institution" that has been taking advantage of its location in the heart of the French Quarter for years. While so many others seem to have loved the "authenticity," what I encountered was a dirty, cluttered dining area, an unenthusiastic staff of what looked like a dozen people standing around behind the counter and substandard food. I realize this is more of a blue-collar diner, but the quality of my food was so poor compared to anywhere else I visited that it was inedible.
If you are making your first visit to New Orleans, look elsewhere for authentic southern cuisine.Listed in: Horrible Everything, Exploring New Orleans
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Review from Bryan N.
Trenton, NJ
Located in the heart of the French Quarter. I had the jambalaya which was very good. Not spicy at all which was a little unexpected.
My wife tried the muffuletta which was great. Definitely big enough to share or keep for leftovers.
Go to Johnny's for a truly authentic sampling of the new orleans greats!! -
Review from Jared P.
Conroe, TX
Greasy, good. I don't see how you can go wrong. I still don't see what the difference between a po boy and sub is.
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Review from Suzanne J. C.
New Orleans, LA
My mother does this thing every year I like to call "Make Suzanne earn her 'favorite daughter' medal." She tells me what she wants to eat during her annual visit to my city, and I go find a place that will satisfy her. Last year, we went to Mother's for the Ferdi. This year, I was required to find a soft-shell crab po-boy.
My extensive internet research (ie, a Yelp search) suggested that Johnny's would fit the bill. Soft-shell crab, check. Po-boy, check. Near her hotel, check.
My mother reported that her crabby po-boy was utterly delicious. I enjoyed my po-boy, too. It wasn't as good as my usual Uptown standards (Zara's and Williams), but it was good for a po-boy in the Quarter.
The prices were high for my tastes, but I know that I'm helping pay Quarter rent. It's okay for an occasional visit. For an out-of-town visitor, you're paying for convenience. And quality, I suppose.
Accessibility notes: Tables are close together. No braille menu or signage. Very little room for mobility devices. High counter. Loud.Listed in: L is for Louisiana
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Review from Aaron F.
Annandale, VA
Bread makes or breaks a sandwich, and Johnny's is no exception to the rule. What should have been a great mufaletta was ruined by old bread.
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Review from Danielle W.
Arlington, VA
By far the best po' boys - WAY better than the place our hotel recommended to us.
Seriously if you're in NOLA you need to make a stop here. It's only open until 430, takes cash only, and you can expect a line...but it's so worth it.
We split the shrimp po' boy and the mufaletta (sp) and both were huge and beyond amazing. Go here. Do it. You won't regret it. -
Review from Praveen R.
Palmer, PR
Great poboys
Good place for lunch. Had crab cake poboy and loved it. -
Review from Allie K.
Tiny, hole in the wall joint. Apparently the "best" po-boy in NOLA. Who named it that? And what where they comparing it to?
The bread was stale and the shrimp weren't cooked.
I came, I tried, I conquered and I won't be back.
