About Johnny's Po-Boy's Restaurant
Johnny’s Po-Boys is a New Orleans French
Quarter Landmark. Established in 1950, Located in the heart of the
French Quarter at 511 St. Louis Street, where it has continued out
its 3rd generation Legacy.
It was begun with Mr. Johnny and Ms. Betty
De Grusha in the 1950’s with a humble beginning. Opening a grocery
store and sandwich shop at 506 Chartres, they watched the French
Quarter grow. In 1959, to keep up with expanding business, Johnny and
Betty moved to their current location at 511 St. Louis Street. The business continues to thrive
today and now is on into its third generation of family.
Following Katrina, Johnny’s, the city’s oldest
family-owned po-boy restaurant, re-opened its doors on October 31st
2005, In an effort to help rebuild the city.
When Johnny’s first started, Mr. Johnny fed the
workers on the River, courthouse workers, Jax Brewery, and workers
from the Royal Orleans and also the locals & tourists. He opened at 7:00 a.m. and closed sometimes at 10:00 p.m.
As the workers got off, they
needed dinner, so he provided hot meals for them.
Red Beans & Rice, Gumbo,
Fried chicken, Meatballs & Spaghetti, and a favorite, Hamburger
Steak with grilled onions. These meals are still offered today. Having been written up
as Good Housekeeping's Top 100 Value Restaurants in the country.
The walls are covered with rich history and
great awards through the years.
Johnny’s has always made everything fresh
daily. That tradition continues today, from our Creole Red Beans and
Rice, slow cooked Roast Beef, Cajun Seafood Gumbo and including our
muffalettas. Johnny’s is sure to please your pallet with the largest
selections of over-stuffed po-boys in the city, as well as our
Breakfast and plate-lunches.
Now we talk French Bread. Mr. Johnny has always
used a local vender named Leidenheimer, owned by the Whann Family.
It is the best! Having done it the same way also since the 50’s. Our muffaletta bread come
from them also, we will talk about that later.
No where else will you find seafood fried in our special blend of seasoning,
but right here. Using yellow and white flour mixtures along with spices,
they are fried crispy and juicy. As a po-boy, it does not get any better
than that. The seafood includes shrimp, oyster, catfish, crawfish, crab
cakes, soft shell crab and even calamari, for you Northerners.
Seafood is what New Orleans prides itself on. It is local
vendors that keep our economy going. Oysters from P. and J. Oyster Company, Des Allemandes Catfish, and
Shrimp, right here! Tourist and locals come in especially for the
seafood.
Now to get to the muffalettas. They are a
sandwich on their own. Filled with ham, Imported Salami, Mozzarella
Cheese, and topped with an olive relish made by us is not a simple
meal. This old time favorite of many has come a long way. Now we
fill the Italian Bread type with Seafood. A twist for the
tourist and locals too.
For the breakfast lover, we have it all, eggs,
pancakes, & omelets. Some tourists get an egg breakfast with
catfish! We serve hash browns and grits and some people get cheese
on the grits. Big biscuits or Big Muffins are a meal also.
