Acme Oyster House

Acme Oyster House at 724 Iberville Street in New Orleans' French Quarter has operated as one of the city's signature oyster bars since 1910. The restaurant traces its roots to the Louisiana oyster tradition — the Gulf of Mexico produces some of the most prized oysters in North America, grown in the brackish estuaries where the Mississippi River meets the sea, with a flavor profile that is brinier and more mineral-forward than Pacific or Atlantic oysters. At Acme, the raw bar runs the length of the front room, staffed by shuckers who open oysters to order and arrange them on the half shell over crushed ice. The house chargrilled oysters are the other must-order preparation: shucked oysters placed on a screaming-hot grill, filled with garlic butter, and finished with grated Parmesan and a scattering of herbs until they blister at the edges and the liquor bubbles. The broader menu includes gumbo, shrimp po'boys, crawfish étouffée, and fried seafood platters. Prices are moderate by French Quarter standards. The dining room spreads through several connected rooms in a building that feels deliberately aged — exposed brick, neon signs, communal tables — and captures the casual energy of a New Orleans neighborhood oyster bar that has simply never changed. Lines form on weekends and can stretch onto Iberville Street; the wait tends to move within 15–30 minutes. No reservations; walk-in only. A second location operates on Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie.