I’d say the very best bite I had in New Orleans were the grilled oysters from Felix’s. I’m sure it’s not the best place of all but those oysters were awesome. The menu link is a mess but here’s the launch page:
Yeah, Mother’s seems to be a polarizing one. Rather, I’ve rarely heard a local recommend it. I stumbled across it twenty-five years ago, had a debris po’ boy, and it was one of the best damned sandwiches I had in my life. Maybe I got lucky. I would say maybe it was better twenty-five years ago, but even back then people were very hesitant in naming it as a recommendation. “Overrated” was pretty much every local’s (that I talked to) appraisal.
Verti Marte is (or was) normally a locals joint. Either the word’s been spreading or you got great advice once in town.
Not New Orleans, but I was in Shreveport for work a few years back. I had Po’ Boys a couple of times, one with catfish and the other with MudBugs aka Crawfish. Both were quite good. Try the crawfish.
Mother’s just got too well-known and too popular. They were a staple of the downtown office workers’ lunch scene for decades. I don’t know exactly when the switch flipped from “mostly locals” to “mostly tourists” (I want to say The Food Network spilled the beans on one of their early programs), but it caused a massive increase in patrons leading to long lines and such.
Conjecturing: The big jump in business also probably also made the Mother’s kitchen even more of a turn-&-burn assembly line than a busy kitchen already is. It’s hard to imagine more culinary corners aren’t cut today than there were 30 years ago.
There’s just too much good food in the city – locals usually don’t like waiting an hour for the same quality (or even better) food they can get up the street with little wait. That will lead to some negative local reviews.
I went in the summer (bad idea for N.O. unless you like it in the 90s with the air the viscosity of jello) of 1998. The line was enormous when I went, but I think that’s partly why I happened upon it, figuring: hey, big line, must be good. I don’t think I had read up about it or heard about beforehand.
I’ve been to NO twice, and not anywhere once did I have anything approaching a mediocre meal.
I’ve told the story here about the night I was kicked out of The Dungeon. It’s worth a stop, just to be able to say you’ve been there. On Toulouse St.
And to think: the line was like that and it was off-season for local tourism.
But yeah, by 1998, the cat was out the bag.
No, I happened upon it a number of years ago when visiting with friends. We had never heard of it.
Now Coop’s Place I read somewhere to eat there as a local’s place. It is always good.
I have a had a couple of not good meals in NOLA, Mother’s, long line, mediocre shrimp po’boy. Deannie’s in the Quarter’s crawfish balls were raw inside, restaurant was freezing cold, service was extremely slow especially since there were very few people there.
I have had some spectacular meals, Coop’s Place, Verti Marte, Drago’s, Shaya on Magazine street, Mr, B’s, nd other whose names escape me.
it is time for a return trip! I had one planned last September but the hurricane ruined that.
Get revenge by drinking a hurricane. 
Ha, that’s great. Can you refer me to the post of your story? I’ve been kicked out of my fair share of places, but that seems like an exceptionally hard place to get kicked out of!
Yeah, our local New Orleans food cart (owner and chef is a Cajun man) makes po’boys out of shrimp, oysters, andouille, chicken, etc. I like a good po’boy, but if I’m going to try out New Orleans food, I’d rather have gumbo or beans & rice or etoufee or jambalaya than a sandwich.
A warnit ye, but ye didnae listen!
or
Je t’avais prévenu, mais tu n’as pas écouté !
I don’t know… I was there in 2002, and it wasn’t fantastic as recently as that. I don’t think it’s bad, but it’s not worth the wait in a city with SO many other fantastic food options, especially po-boys.
Mix these together 1:1 and add andouille.
https://amazon.com/gp/product/B009GPG2J8
One can each is enough for three people.
I haven’t been a local in a very long time, but when I worked in the Harahan area I used to eat lunch at Rivershack Tavern almost every day. It is a hole in the wall dive looking place that is famous for odd barstools and kitschy old ashtrays, but it also (at least back then) made almost everything from scratch, including the salad dressings. They had some pretty decent po’boys back then, including gator.
If you find yourself out by the racetrack where JazzFest is held, there’s a dive bar on the corner with pool tables, beer, and food. We’ve hung out there when attending JazzFest.
I always thought a Po Boy was a sub sandwich with several deli meats.
That’s what I’ve seen on restaurant menus. But my family is from Northern /central Louisiana.
Fresh Seafood is common near the gulf,
Yep. that too.