Rivershack Tavern
Backstory
The building went up some time in the early 1900s as a grocery store. In those days, the suburbs of New Orleans were the roughest parts of town, particularly those along the riverfront, as what is now Old Jefferson was in those days. For almost all of its history this was a bar. The current owners took it over in 1990, and in the process of renovating found an astonishing collection of hand-painted advertising signs under the facades of the exterior walls. After these were cleaned up, the Rivershack became impossible to pass without stopping for a look.
Dining Room
"The Home Of The Tacky Ashtray" is the motto of this fascinating dive. Customers who bring in a really ugly ashtray get a drink in trade for it. But that's only the beginning of the unique decor. The bar stools have fake human legs, dressed up and shod in a laughable range of coverings. Everything else about the decor is exactly what you'd expect to see inside a building that looks like this one does on the outside. It's all honest and real. There's live music several nights a week.
Why It's Essential
The name captures not only the look of the place but the scene, the mood, and the food. It's really a bar and music club, so people can and do smoke, but it has a major kitchen operation, particularly at lunch. The menu is a typical collection of New Orleans casual eats, heavy on the seafood, burgers, and poor boy sandwiches. The daily lunch specials are the most ambitious offerings, including not just the expected red beans and rice but the unexpected lamb chops and steaks.
Why It's Good
Despite the wild decor wacky menu, this place cooks its food well enough to have established a strong lunch business from the neighborhood--particularly from nearby Ochsner Hospital. The portions are enormous, the prices are low, and unless you order something outlandish, the food will be better than you expect.
Most Interesting Dishes
Starters<br /> Alligator sausage<br /> »Meat pies<br /> Buffalo wings<br /> »Buffalo shrimp<br /> »Buffalo oysters <br /> Chicken fingers<br /> Catfish fingers<br /> Fried green tomatoes<br /> »Onion rings<br /> Nachos<br /> Fried vegetable platter<br /> Chef salad<br /> Caesar salad<br /> Grilled chicken salad<br /> »Buffalo chicken tender salad<br /> Grilled tuna salad<br /> Sandwiches<br /> »Hamburgers<br /> »Shank-you burger (ground beef and hot sausage)<br /> »Alligator sausage poor boy<br /> »Fried catfish, shrimp, or oyster poor boy<br /> Roast beef poor boy<br /> Grilled chicken poor boy<br /> »Hot sausage poor boy<br /> Ham or turkey poor boy<br /> BLT<br /> Deli-style sandwiches<br /> Club sandwich<br /> Grilled tuna or mahi-mahi sandwich<br /> Entrees<br /> Grilled chicken<br /> »Rib-eye steak<br /> »Fried seafood platters<br /> »Daily specials<br />
Deficiencies
The place gets smoky at times, but nothing can be done about that without wrecking the scene.
For Best Results
The lunch specials here are the best food to get, followed closely by the Shank-You burger (perhaps the city's best offbeat hamburgers) and the appetizers.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
1
Environment
2
Hipness
3
Local Color
2
Value