FairgroundsPicked by: Chef Alex Harrell of Angeline "My favorite po-boy in town is the fried shrimp at Liuzza's by the Track. The shrimp are lightly battered, seasoned well, and crispy. I always get mine dressed and add some Crystal. I think that Liuzza's is a quintessential New Orleans neighborhood restaurant. And it holds a special place for me. A local friend of mine took me to eat there when I first moved to town. The fried shrimp was my first experience with a po-boy and I've been going back ever since.

Known as a haunt for those betting on the horse races nearby, the BBQ po’ boys and “world famous” Bloody Marys are really what keep us coming back. Highlights include a horseradish-heavy roast beef and barbecue shrimp varieties. If you're an outsider, you’ll immediately be spotted as one in this locals-mostly hangout, but don’t let that deter you; it’s the kind of place where everyone’s up for a chat and everyone has opinions on where you should go next.

What is it: Find excellent po’boys at this laid-back neighborhood joint in Mid-City. Why we love it: Given its location next to the Fairgrounds race track, Liuzza’s is often regarded as Jazz Fest central, but it’s a worthy destination any time of year for icy cold schooners of beer and hearty plates of traditional New Orleans fare. In addition to the classics, Liuzza’s by the Track is known for its barbecue shrimp po’boy.

Plus, there’s duck tenders, a garlic fried oyster po’boy that is almost illegally good and a few random gambling machines, all in a location mere steps from the city’s famous racetrack (which happens to host Jazz Fest). You must order the barbeque shrimp here, though. Just to note: it’s not really barbeque.

To sample authentic Southern hospitality and cooking, head to the old-style diner Camellia Grill for big portions and small prices, or visit Liuzza’s By the Track for Cajun soul food, exceptional gumbo and po’ boys.

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The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is one of the city's most widely attended gatherings. While there are plenty of food and drink options available at the fest, many attendees choose to pop into a nearby restaurant and bar to save some cash before braving the crowds. For NOLA natives, that often means dropping by Liuzza's — in fact, the restaurant bills itself as "the unofficial pre-Jazz Fest headquarters." This mid-city gem has been around since the 1930s and its location makes it a hotspot for anyone visiting the fairgrounds –- but it's also a well-loved location for New Orleanians looking for a great meal that won't break the bank.

I recently swore off the complicated pleasures of beef, pork, chicken, and other legged beasties, and I’ve made my peace with the loss of hamburgers, fried chicken, and links of Cajun boudin. But I haven’t yet come to terms with saying good-bye to Liuzza’s Creole gumbo. This is an everything gumbo: a thin-brothed, overstuffed mess of chicken, smoked sausage, tomato, okra, and sautéed oysters and shrimp that arrives sloshing over the sides of the bowl.

Liuzza's by The Track is a local gem famous around the city - the country, maybe even the world - for its gumbo. Made with a dark roux base, this gumbo is packed with freshly cooked seafood, homemade local sausage, 13 spices and a few secret ingredients. Your chicken finger and french fry experts will be happy with some of the best chicken fingers featured on a local kid's menu -- definitely not from a freezer bag, plump and juicy.

Located by the Fairgrounds (the site of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival), Liuzza’s has consistently been dubbed one of New Orleans’ best spots to eat by critics and locals alike. Those who frequent the restaurant will argue that it is the best spot in the city to get a po-boy. Those visiting for the first time must try their BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy, a sandwich guaranteed to leave you feeling both full and pleased.

When I visited this snug bar and restaurant with New York Times food writer Brett Anderson, he waxed poetic about the decadent po’boys. But for me, it’s the gumbo that consistently stands above. The family-owned restaurant sautées the shrimp just before it’s served, and despite my aversion to okra in gumbo (a point of contention among many of us Southerners), Luizza’s makes a compelling case for its inclusion.

Liuzza's By the Track is a hidden gem in mid-city New Orleans and is considered one of the top hole in the wall restaurants. This local favorite is known for its unique and delicious BBQ shrimp po-boy, which is a must-try for any seafood lover. Located near the race track, Liuzza's offers visitors an authentic taste of New Orleans cuisine with its charming atmosphere and friendly service.

Yet another Mid-City restaurant belongs on the fearless fries list-that Jazz Fest favorite, Liuzza's by the Track. Yes, you should definitely eat their gumbo, and yes, the BBQ shrimp po-boy is worth every peppery bite, but have you tried the fries?. Maybe you think they've been tossed onto a side plate as an afterthought, but just bite into one, and you're on your way to spud heaven.

If you want an interesting twist on oyster po boys try either the garlic oyster po boy at Liuzzas By The Track or try the oyster bacon and cheese po boy at the Blue Plate Cafe. Theyre either battered with too much corn meal or over-fried. Justin Kennedy is at the kitchens helm where hes become renowned for creating one of the most extensive menus of traditional po boys in the city.

Oh you gotta get the gumbo, you just gotta get the gumbo, it’s the best gumbo in New Orleans,” a grandmotherly diner told the table sitting behind me on a recent visit to Liuzza’s by the Track. If you even mention Liuzza’s, someone will say you have to get the gumbo. If you post a photo and someone recognizes that you’re there, they will ask how you liked the gumbo.

Near the New Orleans Fairgrounds, Liuzza’s is known for its po’ boy sandwiches. Yes, po’ boys are a New Orleans speciality, but this restaurant’s barbecue gulf shrimp (the same popularized by Pascal’s Manare) is drenched in Worcheshire sauce and served on pistolette, a fried bread roll that is usually stuffed with seafood. The gumbo comes highly recommended as well.

Liuzza's by the Track in Mid-City offers one of NOLA's favorite interpretations of Creole gumbo, chockfull of okra, seafood, and locally-made sausage swimming in a broth made with an extra-dark roux and seasoned with 17 secret herbs and spices. For the amount of food that you get, it's one of the best seafood deals in town, though you can get the gumbo seafood-free.

Surrounded by old Jazz Fest posters and horse-racing memorabilia, diners at Liuzza’s tuck into po’ boys that overflow with crispy Gulf oysters doused in garlic butter. Creole gumbo full of invigorating heat is another favorite at the tiny tavern by the Fair Grounds Race Course. The kitchen sautes fresh shrimp to finish bowls of the soup before sending them out.

Here’s a corner bar near the horse track (and Jazz Fest) with a collection of neighborhood characters and a menu all about local flavor done one better with a distinctive house style. With a schooner of beer, gumbo with a fresh pop to the seafood and a garlic oyster po-boy in hand, New Orleans life truly feels grand.

This neighborhood joint is where locals always go before and after Jazzfest. If you find yourself taking our Self Guided Bayou St. John Tour, make sure to walk the block or two for their cheap Po-boy and Gumbo menu special. Accompanied by either a Barqs root beer or an Abita Beer, this meal will hit the spot.

In a po’boy obsessed city, Liuzza’s offers a hearty take on the po’boy with seafood, local sausage, 13 spices, and their “secret” ingredients. They offer a house specialty of fried eggplant dusted with powdered sugar with a marinara side. But the gumbo is what brings the majority of locals to Liuzza’s.

For a unique twist on this tasty dish, head on over to Liuzza’s by the Track where they seamlessly combine two of New Orleans’ most iconic dishes: the po’boy and BBQ shrimp. Their BBQ shrimp po’boy is the stuff that dreams are made of, and you’ll fall in love after one bite.

You’ll hear locals sing the praises of this famous local gem for its gumbo. Their Creole Gumbo is the dish du jour, every day, using a native Louisiana recipe packed with freshly cooked seafood, local sausage, 13 spices and a few secret ingredients.

Second, we ordered the turtle soup, and it was delicious — tasted like a beef stew. We also ordered the seafood platter , catfish platter, duck tenders, and the gumbo. The duck tenders were breaded, and the meat inside was so flavourful.

1518 N Lopez StNew Orleans, LA 70119 +1 504 218 7888 Visit Website See Menu Open in Google Maps. Liuzza’s by the Track, founded in 1997, is a Creole restaurant roughly three minutes away from the New Orleans Museum of Art.

An easy and casual option in town, this restaurant is best known for their gumbo, but the garlic fried oysters and barbecue shrimp poboy are top picks too. Get a Bloody Mary too.