When we’re ready to laissez les bon temps rouler and all that, we head to Bon Ton in Midtown, where we can crack open crab legs with our teeth under the glow of a sign that says “Fancy Service.” Under that neon pink light, the casual Cajun-Vietnamese restaurant sets the scene for an enjoyable date night with shared charbroiled oysters and sazeracs. Friend groups can gather in comfortable wood-panel booths and throw back rummy hurricanes, fried fish baskets and seafood boils.

The Po’Boy Shop might seem like a small, typical counter service joint in Decatur. But underneath the bright, bare-bones dining area is a neon-lit oasis with pool tables and darts for the 21-and-up crowd. Their menu has all the usual New Orleans standards—gumbo, red beans and rice, and jambalaya. But this place isn’t called The Po’Boy Shop for nothin’, so just get a damn po’boy (there are 21 to choose from, and they’re the best we’ve had outside of Louisiana).

Buckhead’s Louisiana Bistreaux is usually bumping during lunch with suits grabbing a bite to break up the work day. At night, it’s less crowded, but the food is still sizzling (metaphorically and literally). There’s often a live band, so the giant open room makes for a noisy dining experience, but we like pretending we’re in the crowded French Quarter anyway. The extensive menu offers seafood in every form, including plenty of Creole- and Cajun-inspired dishes.

Drive by the Cumberland Copeland’s on a weeknight, and you might see a tumbleweed in the parking lot. But their weekend brunch buffet consistently brings a crowd with people lining up outside before it opens. The buffet line snakes through the dining area and has all the breakfast favorites (don’t skip out on the biscuits and gravy), including an omelet bar with toppings like shrimp and jalapeños. But we’re here for the oysters and the jambalaya pasta with a nice kick.

Since this small, Mardi Gras-colored eatery sits in a gas station shopping center right off the Boulevard exit on I-20, it’s a convenient stop to gas up and grab a bite before hitting rush hour. With a long menu that ranges from muffulettas to seafood boils, Just Loaf’n comes through with big bayou energy. We’re fans of the oyster po’boy—the tangy remoulade spread balances perfectly with salty fried oysters, and the french bread is soft enough that we always finish our end pieces.

The vibrant mural on Everythang NOLA’s exterior wall tells everything you need to know about the Sylvan Hills business—colorful, lots of bayou pride, and snowballs. Mmmm, the snowballs. Inside the tight takeout shop, you’ll find a ridiculous flavor roster for the popular shaved ice treat. You’ll be tempted by peach or pina colada, but the slurp-and-spoon dance you’ll play with your cup might be tastiest in pineapple-mango. We also really enjoy their other sweets and staples.

Hippin’ Hops is the state’s first Black-owned brewery (in addition to this EAV hangout, they have a second location in Kirkwood). A brewery and oyster bar isn’t a combination you hear too often, so we love Hippin’ Hops for giving us a place to slurp down great craft beer and awesome oysters. But they also have a few Cajun-flavored items and po’boys that come through when we’re craving a taste of the bayou and want to wash it down with some smooth brews.

All of the workers at The Food Shoppe in Downtown Atlanta wear T-shirts with the instructions to “ask us about our bread pudding.” And we strongly recommend taking their advice because it’s some of the best bread pudding we’ve had, maybe ever. It’s hard to care much about the main course when the bread pudding is waiting, but their “Walk and Eat Bowls” (which makes sense since the narrow eatery only has two dine-in tables) provide a worthwhile distraction.

With a quad sprawling with artificial turf, two-level outdoor seating, and an empty bar set between several refashioned shipping containers, the West End’s Windsor Street Market has potential to be a cool hangout. But currently the only thing bringing people to the yard is the Cafe Bourbon Street food truck. On nice days, we’re here mainly for the jambalaya egg rolls, which are filled with a well-seasoned mix of shrimp, andouille sausage, and chicken.

Big Easy Grille in West Midtown is as much of a sports bar as it is a NOLA restaurant. The Saints, LSU, and Tulane flags on the ceiling clue you in that they’re supporting everything Louisiana has to offer, from food to football. The small dining room gives off distinct dive bar vibes with a low ceiling, wood on every surface, dim lighting, and a few booths. There are plenty of N’awlins faves like standard po’boys, a smoky gumbo, and jambalaya that has some seriously tasty sausage.