Domilise Po-Boys & Bar

When I recently visited New Orleans for a few days, I made a promise to myself to visit Domilise Sandwich Shop & Bar. Even though Domilise is located far in the neighborhoods of the Big Easy (way off from the French Quarter and where all the fun is), I've heard so many amazing things about their Po-Boy sandwich that I made it my ultimate goal to visit the restaurant at all costs.

Domilise Sandwich Shop & Bar is located on Annunciation St. in West Riverside. Even though it is very far away from the French Quarter where most tourists usually stay (I stayed at the Sheraton on Canal Street), Domilise is wedged between Magazine and Tchoupitoulas Street, two popular streets in NOLA that have frequent busses going to and from the downtown area. I easily hopped on a bus from Canal Street and was able to get to Domilise in around 30 minutes.

The one thing to note about Domilise is that it closes pretty early everyday (around 6-7pm) and it's closed on Sundays. I really encourage you to come early because if there's a celebration nearby (e.g. Tulane University graduation happened when I went), you will be waiting a while to find a seat.

The shop itself is actually pretty small, but there are a number of tables and fans running so you can avoid the heat. Basically, how this place works is that you take a number when you walk in and the women at the counter will call your number. Note: If you are in one party, TAKE ONE NUMBER ONLY! I was behind a bunch of people, but was able to order after waiting around 10 minutes.

Now, if you are coming to Domilise, you have probably made up your mind to get a Po-Boy sandwich. Sure, this place has a small bar (bonus points!), but you are really here for that sandwich. They come in two sizes (a small, which is probably around 6-7 inches) for $10, and a large, which is around 9-11 inches for around $17. At first, I was a bit surprised at how pricey the sandwiches were, but boy do you get your money's worth. I took Yelper's recommendations and got the shrimp po-boy, but since I wanted to try their oysters, I got half and half with oysters (I think it's a bit pricier with half and half).

First, I want to give major props to the ladies working at the counter. They work extremely fast to make sure you get your food ASAP. I thought I'd wait forever for a togo order, but I got mine SUPER DUPER fast. Plus, they're so nice and approachable. I actually learned that this place has been open for 100+ years!

And so the sandwich... was AMAZING! To put it in one sentence: Since I had to wait until after I bussed home to my hotel to enjoy my sandwich, it was honestly the most gruesome hour I have waited because my sandwich smelled SO GOOD. And the wait was well worth it. Because this sandwich was BOMB. The bread was delicious. It wasn't overly crispy and the juice from the sauces made sure it wasn't dry. The shrimp and the oysters were amazing too. They weren't just pure breading. I definitely tasted the meat. I actually preferred the oysters over the shrimp because I felt that they were more filling. In addition, I was glad that the cooks listened and made sure not to give me too much mayo. The cajun and spicy sauces were also so delicious. Overall, it's a very simple sandwich, but the po-boy is nevertheless AMAZING!

All in all, I am so glad I took the opportunity to bus out to Domilise. The experience - traveling to where the community actually was in New Orleans as well as the food - made Domilise the best restaurant I visited in the Big Easy. The only con I can see about their Po-Boy sandwiches was that it was a bit pricey, but other than that, I absolutely loved it. I give this place an "omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" because you BET I DID THAT!

Eat well and prosper,

There's a reason why this place has withstood the test of time.

If you want a taste of history go to Parkway and grab the Streetcar Poboy. If you want the best Poboy, come down to Domilises and grab the off the menu Poboy.

Old school champion. Since 1924. Every choice is good. Eat it there. Especially fried shrimp or oyster Poboy dressed while it's hot.

Go. Enjoy.

I can't believe it to me so long to finally eat here after hearing so many good things. Of course, I always have to try the Fried Shrimp Poboy fully dressed, and I was rewarded with that choice! Everything you want in a Poboy! Ordering is easy. You just walk up to the counter, order and pay in advance, find a seat, and wait for your name to be called. You can actually watch them making everybody's poboys.

The restaurant is family owned, and the establishment looks like any typical old home on a street corner in Uptown. The inside has the character you'd expect. The restaurant and bar are quite small, and the tables are packed closely. If you don't get there when it opens, you can expect to wait. However, the wait is worth it.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that this restaurant was within walking distance to our bnb. I saw that it had been rated one of the best poboys in New Orleans and it was no mistake. The lady who took our order was friendly and professional and although there was a slight rush of customers, no one had to wait very long. I knew I was at the right place when I saw they knew a lot of their customers by name when they walked through the door.The location is nothing fancy, it's pretty quaint so don't judge a book by its cover, the poboys were amazingly delicious, the shrimp were well seasoned and fresh and the bread was perfect and wasn't soggy even with the sandwich being fully dressed! This place is a must!

Yelp Review 2024 #55:

A few years ago after seeing Domilise on the Food Network, I tried coming here assuming they're open on a Sunday. I remember it was raining and I was staying in the French Quarter area - good thing my friend lived in New Orleans and drove me around.

Fast forward to a few years later, I finally got to try what Alex Guarnaschelli was raving about. The place is old, small, laidback but a very good representation of New Orleans: no need for anything fancy, just proudly telling its story and culture. A few tables and chairs and it's ok to share your table with a stranger or two. It gets busy and crowded here. If that's too much for you, you can always take your food to-go but eat it quickly.

The ordering process is pretty simple. You look at the menu if you didn't look it up ahead of time, go to the counter to place your order and pay, and wait about 20 minutes for your food. The service was friendly.

My original idea was to try their shrimp po boy, oyster po boy, and a roast beef po boy. But that's a lot of food for one person. Time to narrow my choice. I'm not a huge fan of oysters so, there goes the oyster po boy. I hear a lot of good things about the shrimp po boy but I was craving beef since I've been eating seafood in NOLA. But towards the bottom of the menu, it says "Surf n Turf" - roast beef po boy with shrimp! No need to choose. I can have both! Next dilemma was whether or not to get fries. Fried potatoes is always a good idea but what if it's too much food?

It did end up being too much food. So, my trick was take off the buns on one half of the sandwich and stack everything into one massive sandwich. It was messy, hard to eat and required a lot of napkins but I had space for my fries! The Surf n Turf Po Boy was a very good call. The beef was juicy and tender, the shrimp was lightly battered and crunchy with great flavors.

Their sandwiches come in 2 sizes: small and large. They have soda, alcohol, etc to wash it all down. You'll leave full and completely satisfied for under $25.

Absolutely delish! Arrived around 11:30am on a Friday and was fortunate to get a table inside. This place is very tiny on the inside and fills up quickly.

My small surf and turf (fried shrimp and roast beef) arrived within 10 minutes. The fried shrimp was hot and seasoned to perfection. The roast beef was tender and juicy and I just adored the gravy. Of course the key to any good sandwich is the bread, which soft and yet had a subtle crunch at the same time.

This was my only po boy of my New Orleans trip and I'm so glad that I wasn't disappointed.

Before we arrived in New Orleans, my Son did his Po-Boy research and wanted to go to Domilise. Apparently, this is a Food Network and Antony Bourdain favorite.

We took and Uber over into this modest residential neighborhood, sprinkled with Shot Guns. Walking inside, we were immediately greeted by a no-nonsense lady at the counter for our order. We ordered Shrimp Po-Box all around (with beer) and sat down at an available table.

The inside is small and people were more than happy to stand as they waited for a table to open up. The clientele that day were definitely local (except us) with decor to match. And that's why I enjoy neighborhood "hole in the wall" places, as does the Food Network and maybe the old Jane and Michael Stern "Road Food" articles.

The Po-Boy was a fine cultural experience, with good shrimp, bread, and sauce. But breaded shrimp on bread is perhaps overdoing it on the Carbs.

I can't attest to "best Po-boys in New Orleans" because I've only had a few but they were definitely amazing and my personal number one.

Highlights were the spiral cut fries and they seafood poboy. Every bite was better than the last.

If you're headed to NOLA, definitely stop by Domilise's. Not in a touristy area but worth the schlep.

Counter service Po-Boy shop in NOLA. I arrived around noon on a Saturday and there was only one group in front of me. I ordered the large shrimp Po-Boy fully dressed (does not include tomatoes). They had three selections for local draft beer, more beer in cans, and a full selection of soda. The food came out very quickly. The bread on the sandwich was very good and the shrimp was cooked perfectly.

While in New Orleans for Thanksgiving, I made it my personal mission to try as many Poboys as possible. I was on the quest to discover which Poboy was my number one absolute favorite. I have to say that the Poboy from Domilise came in second place for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the fried shrimp Poboy that I got, and I have no complaints, but the Poboy at the other shop just edged out this one based on the softness and freshness of the bread.

They definitely don't skimp on the shrimp and they were served piping hot. I love that the location is off the beaten path and the service was friendly. I would definitely come back and have another Poboy here the next time I am in town.