Sandwiches.
Uptown: 3454 Magazine. 504-899-3374. Map.
Lunch and dinner continuously Monday-Saturday.
Very Casual.
AE DS MC V
Website
WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
Mahony's is to Parasol's (or Mother's or Johnny's or Liuzza's) what Commander's Palace is to Galatoire's. Its food is immediately recognizable as saturated with local flavor. But it has rethought all the classics, and presents the goods with a decidedly contemporary stamp. This shows itself most forcefully in the raw materials. Like the current generation of gourmet chefs, Mahony's puts more than average effort into buying its meats, seafoods, dressings, and bread.
WHY IT'S GOOD
Everything is cooked in house, and no recipe was accepted without question. This may puzzle people who have been eating poor boys all their long lives, and who expect a certain flavor and conformation. Everything here is good, but it's all a little offbeat. It's not surprising that Mahony's clientele skews young.
BACKSTORY
Chef Ben Wicks and Art Mahony Murray opened Mahony's in 2008, taking over an interesting space formerly that of Winnie's Artsy Cafe--one of the early openers when Magazine Street boomed in the wake of the hurricane. Wicks was cheffing at RioMar, but was thinking of opening his own place. At the time, the poor-boy-shop genre was experiencing its greatest repopularization in New Orleans history, and the idea appealed to him. The Irish aspect of the name is a reference to the Irish Channel, although the restaurant is outside the traditional boundaries of that district.
DINING ROOM
Mahoney's occupies a handsome old cottage with a pleasant porch in front. The dining room is wide and spacious with big windows on three sides. A large bar on the right serves to both dispense beverages of all kinds and to take and deliver orders. Ceiling fans keep the place cool even on really hot days.
ESSENTIAL DISHES
Poor boy sandwiches:
Pot roast beef (photo above)
Roast turkey and gravy
Root beer glazed ham and cheese
Cochon de lait with Creole slaw
Fried chicken livers and Creole slaw
Fried oyster remoulade
Peacemaker (fried oysters, bacon and cheddar cheese)
Grilled shrimp with fried green tomatoes and remoulade
Fried shrimp
Fried catfish
Veal, meatball, or eggplant parmesan
Hamburger
Liver cheese
French fries, roast beef gravy and Cheddar
Muffaletta (half or whole, on muffuletta bread; photo below)
Sides and other items:
Fried green tomatoes
Onion rings
French fries
Sweet potato crunch pie
Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing
Bread pudding and rum sauce
FOR BEST RESULTS
Start with a pile of thin onion rings. The restaurant's original sandwiches--are very much worth trying, even the ones that sound eccentric. (I'm pleased to see root beer-glazed ham on the list.) The standard poor boys are well-made too. A plate special is offered every day, too, as are a few salads.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
I like the flavor of the roast beef and its gravy, but I can't say the chunks of meat (as opposed to slices) is my favorite form of this sandwich. I think they put too much gravy on the sandwich, too--but others like it that way.
FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
- Dining Environment
- Consistency +1
- Service
- Value +1
- Attitude +1
- Wine and Bar
- Hipness +1
- Local Color +2
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
- Courtyard or deck dining
- Good for business meetings
- Small private room
- Open Monday lunch and dinner
- Dinner ends early (8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 10 p.m. other days)
- Open all afternoon
- Unusually large servings
- Quick, good meal
- Good for children
- Easy, nearby parking
- No reservations
This review was updated with new information on 5/31/2010.
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