I travel to Louisiana quarterly for work, so I'm definitely not a local which honestly makes this review better for anyone visiting and trying to find a real local spot instead of a tourist trap. One restaurant that locals constantly recommended to me was Drago's Seafood in Metairie, and now I completely understand why. I ordered the charbroiled oysters along with the crawfish platter that came with crawfish étouffée, crawfish mac and cheese, and fried crawfish. Every single thing on the table was incredible. The charbroiled oysters absolutely lived up to the hype rich, buttery, smoky, and packed with flavor. The crawfish platter was just as impressive and gave me a chance to try multiple Louisiana dishes all in one meal. What really stood out to me beyond the food was the service. The staff was extremely friendly, welcoming, and patient with questions from someone who isn't from Louisiana and still learning the local food scene. You can tell they take pride in both the restaurant and the hospitality. The only downside is parking can get a little complicated because the place fills up fast, which honestly says a lot about how popular it is. Just plan ahead or expect a short wait finding a spot. Overall, this is one of those restaurants that feels genuinely loved by locals and absolutely worth visiting if you're traveling through the New Orleans area. read more

It was recommended to me a lot and I've read that supper time gets crowded here, so I came for an early light lunch on a Sunday. Service was a 10/10. My bartender, Darryl, took fantastic care of me. Vibes in this place are very warm and cozy, I sat at the bar to the right of the entrance as you walk in. I had a half dozen char grilled oysters and a cup of seafood gumbo. I see why the oysters are so popular, they are a hit. Buttery and garlicky, the crusty bread they serve with them is a great compliment to soak up the sauce. I had originally intended on getting the chicken and andouille gumbo but Darryl steered me away from it, he said it was very salty. I trusted his word and went with the seafood gumbo instead and was very pleased with it. The flavors were fantastic, but I am gonna ding it ever so slightly as I think $8.99 is kind of an obscene price for that serving size, but at least it was good. Overall I'm very satisfied with my lunch and the service, I think if you like seafood and you're in their area, you should eat here. Edit - $9 for a pint is a little over the top too, imo. My "light lunch" was $42 before the tip. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Cup of seafood gumbo - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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Grilled oysters Grilled oysters Grilled oysters Everyone says to get the Grilled oysters Grilled oysters Grilled oysters And they're right! I had a pleasant crawfish salad, some subpar gumbo, and fantastic Grilled oysters (seriouslywhy does my phone keep capitalizing the word "Grilled"?). Service was great despite being incredibly busy at a late lunch on a Tuesday. read more

Rating: 8.5/10 I love Drago's by Harrahs so I was glad to run into one in Metairie. I stopped in for a mid-day snack of charbroiled oysters. Man, I frigging love those things and Drago's doesn't disappoint. I stopped in at the bar and the staff was also very nice. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

This place... I don't know why I bother going here... yes I know it's the grilled oysters. But aside from that the food is not good and really overpriced. The service also not great. We order the oysters to start, salmon and a small crab salad and a glass of wine. The wine never arrived, they brought me a large salad with shrimp that cost $24 and it was jest lettuce and 6 shrimps! I asked for Mediterranean and I got Cesar. The salmon was really undercooked so we sent it back and then it was overdone. The oysters which were supposed to be that appetizer arrived mid meal. The place was crowded, cold and loud. So unless you really, really like the oysters there is no reason to go to this place. read more

Came for dinner, as always, it was fantastic. We love Drago's. The menu never fails, the food is always good, and we get to try something new every time we come. Always enjoy the service and atmosphere as well! Definitely recommend this as a stop if you're in the area. read more

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I really enjoyed our meal here. The staff is so warm and friendly. I don't remember our waiter's name but he commented on my dad's star trek tie clip--he was great! The ambiance is nice. My parents, brother, and I all enjoyed the meals we chose. The appetizers were just okay. For my main I had the short rib and it was nicely cooked and very tender. Great dining experience! read more

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First and foremost this restaurant has the friendliest and most caring staff that works as a great team. Here each person has 2 jobs, whatever it is to make the restaurant function at a high level and the other make the customer happy! This place is clean, neat, and organized. The decor is very NOLA with a touch of modern flare which works perfect! Now the food was amazing and I read some of the reviews about the BBQ Shrimp which almost turned me off but I like different variations of this dish food like others who think it has to be a certain way each time, everywhere you go....sometimes it be like that. I really thought the dish was great and had several flavors in the sauce which paired nice with the new potatoes and French Bread. I did not have to add hot sauce or think it needed anything but more bread to soak up more goodness. The fried shrimp was battered nice and were good. The oysters were fresh and large. Really enjoyed this place and their spin on Cajun staples...can't wait to go back! read more

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I was in town with my family and needed a decent place to eat. The pictures and reviews gave me the impression that I couldn't go wrong here. Of course I was right.. Parking is tight but there are 2 or more parking areas committed to the restaurant. We almost gave up and went somewhere else to eat because we had no reservations and the place looked packed. I walked in to see how long the wait would be and they were willing to take us right away. The inside is huge and plenty of tables were available despite having over 50 customers present. The property is very clean, inside and out. Simple decor but nothing over the top needed. We started with the fried gator bites and charbroiled oysters. Beyond impressed and had a good laugh when our waiter said gator is the chicken of the swamp. Im gonna use that every chance I get lol. The freshest gator I've had btw. I've ate thousands of oysters in my life and these ones were noteworthy. I'd say the most pleasant surprise of this place is the value to food portion ratio. I was blown away by the size of our plates. The po'boy was stellar, my lobster Marco was perfect. Shucky ducky was moist and had a ton of great tasting pasta with it. The shrimp Ruth was probably the only lacking dish, only because the consistency of the risotto was off. Aside from that the shrimp was spot on. I'd take nothing away from this place, it was everything I needed it to be and more. read more

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Drago's was the very first restaurant we tried in New Orleans straight from the airport. Definitely was not disappointed. The parking lot was filled with the charred oyster smell. The charbroiled oysters were so flavorful, full of butter, herb, garlic, and lots of cheese. The smokiness from the charred process was delicious! A must-have at this place! The raw oysters were amazing as well! My second and third favorite dishes here were the Shuckee Duckee and the Crawfish Étouffée in that order. The confit duck on the Shuckee Duckee was super tender and juicy on the inside while being nice and crisp on the outside. This paired perfectly with the angel hair pasta with cream sauce and oysters in the dish. The Crawfish Étouffée was perfect to have on a cold winter day, well-balanced classic. The gumbo and fried gator bites came out last even though it's soup and appetizer. Fried gator was very crispy and tender. The remoulade sauce that came with it was perfect as well. The gumbo was where the problem was. It tasted very bitter. To the point where it was inedible. We had to send it back as it was by far the worst gumbo we've had on this trip. (The one thing I don't recommend here). read more

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Our server Angela was great, I ordered the Dragos famous chargrilled oysters they were just a touch too salty for me. Alligator bites were good and I ordered the fish, shrimp with grits. We sat in the bar area which was nice and intimate. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Fish, Shrimp and grits - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

My first time here and I've lived in the area for majority of my life! Went on a weeknight and got seated right away. Waitress didn't seem too friendly but then warmed up. Everything I tried here was really tasty. Got charbroiled oysters, raw ones and for my entree, got the fish shrimp and grits. Very tasty and love the large portions. read more

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I dream about this charbroiled oysters. I had to try these during my first visit to N.O. And it was everything I imagined plus more. I was mad I shared these with my colleague because I could've eaten the whole thing by myself. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

Best chargrilled oysters in the world! There was a line but we were in quick. Drinks need some work. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

Been to the one down by the convention center at the Hilton numerous times. Finally made it to the Original, and Drago's wife Klara greeted us at the door. How often do you get to meet an owner of a legendary restaurant? Crushed a dozen charbroiled oysters, they are SO good. Had a cup of the chicken and sausage gumbo, delicious. Went with the BBQ skrimps & roasted rosemary taters. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Had to try the new stuffed beignets, decadent. read more

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I have to start with hospitality down south. From the young lady that set us down who was awesome gave me my recommendation for my appetizer which was the blackened oysters. She was awesome to our waitress named Tammy. I wish I could mold her and make about 1000 other waitresses just like her, a beautiful spirit. Mrs Tammy convinced my 85 years young mom to try a margarita with sugar on the rim versus what she is used to with salt on the rim, she love it. We had the pasta sea food salad. Delicious my tastebuds were seriously happy hubby had grilled gator tacos. Can yall please come to California? Those gator tacos were amazing. Never had anything close to that. Everyone was just so wonderful. I loved how they sang my mom happy birthday it was Beautiful and having everyone join in. How can I convince yall to open a location in California ? read more

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Always a good time and good food. I moved away years ago . . . a good 20 years or so . . . so when I was back in town for a couple of football games (LSU up the road in Baton Rouge and the Saints the next day), I HAD to get a meal at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Drago's in Metairie. It did not disappoint from the chargrilled oysters to the grilled bass topped with lump crab meat to the ice cream fireball dessert to the service to the excitement of dining at the oyster bar, it was everything I had remembered it to be. If you've never been, put together a group of friends, sit at the bar, have a dozen chargrilled oysters each and les bon temps rouler. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

Better luck next time! That's what we will say about this meal in New Orleans. I was in town for only one night and asked some coworkers to pick a place where I could get some good authentic N.O. fare. This was their choice. I was not familiar with the concept, but noticed several in N.O. when we were deciding which one to go to. A couple of days later I noticed another one of these places in Hattiesburg. These folks brought me to a gosh damn chain! I'll give them the benefit of doubt, they really don't know me that well yet. Next time, I will pick a place and show them what I am all about when it comes to food. Sorry for the long back story.... Walked right in to a table ready for us. Server was very sweet and took great care of us. She made suggestions and smiled a good bit. The place is sparsely Louisiana themed, but the best attraction for me being the show of the chargrilled oysters being doused with butter/oil to create a big giant flame when they are grilling them. We had to start with the Chargrilled oysters and they were pretty good. They were the best thing I had here. Alligator bites were a bit tougher than I am used to. Breading was tasty, sauce was white, so no. One dude got crab cakes, it did look solid. Lots of crab, little filling. Another got Red Beans & Rice and loved it. I will say it looked beautifully delicious. The did some fancy sausage slicing! No pic sadly, but it looked awesome. Mikey got pasta. WTF? Pasta???? Strange guy I had a cup of RB&R too. It was very tasty. I should have gotten the big bowl like my partner, but I ordered the BBQ Shrimp. I've had the classic dish before at "Cajun/Creole" type places outside of New Orleans. I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the dish components, and was looking forward to trying it here. What I received was so far from what I expected, I was convinced I had ordered the wrong thing. I didn't make a big fuss, but I could not have been any more disappointed with this plate of food. The shrimp were tiny and covered in a sauce that was nothing like any BBQ shrimp sauce I have ever had. It was like a thick veggie gravy. There were also potatoes present. What the hell? Better luck next time, Adam!! '25 - 64/111 read more

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Didn't have to wait for a seat and everyone was nice and friendly. - Charbroiled Oysters 5/5 These charbroiled oysters were SO good. They're garlicky and buttery. Easily gobbled down a dozen. Comes with slices of bread to eat the oysters with. Free parking in lot. read more

The ambiance was amazing but the food was even better. Hands down this is a must try if visiting from out of town. It has always been consistent with the flavors. Our server was great. She had amazing recommendations like the frozen sangria. We will be back during every visit. read more

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This used to be one of my favorite go to places for seafood. We ordered the gumbo and there was no crab meat in it. It was very watery with rice and maybe four shrimp. The char grilled oysters are always good but they were extremely small. For one shot of alcohol was $15. Just not worth it in my opinion. Also wanted crab au gratin they were out of crabs. The whole experience was unpleasant. We won't be back. read more

It's our go to place for two dishes: Lobster and Char-broiled Oysters. Great service in a laidback atmosphere. read more

The Gator Baby, I love Drago Char Broil oysters is my favorite and Lobster! The bad there no bad read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME" As we arrived in New Orleans in preparation for my 50th birthday party, my boyfriend decided he wanted some chargrilled oysters from his favorite eatery DRAGO's. We are originally from NOLA but reside in Houston now. We love great food and always try and stop by our favorite places when we are visiting. We were greeted by the best waitress SARAH, she was an ANGEL IN DISGUISE. The way she provided great recommendations and helped us pick food choices was amazing along with making me feel so special on my birthday. We both had a doze of chargrilled oysters. I requested well done and his were normal. My my my GOD OF HEAVEN AND ZION. Those oysters were immaculate from MOTHER MARY HERSELF * Fleur De Lis Shrimp - 16-18 bite size Cajun Fried shrimp with spicy red pepper alioli The birthday dessert was absolutely delicious. It was a brownie supersize a la mole. With whipped cream, oreo shavings, ice cream and a small brownie underneath. It was surely a great finish to the oysters. I cannot wait to return. For drinks we choose the Peach Frozen bellini which was the happy hour special. Sarah made my night and I cannot wait to return. read more

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Excellent grilled oysters Service was very good even though he was new No real complaints but I should of had them crack my 2 lb lobster Made me work for it ha ha read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Fried shrimp , lobster , and baked red fish - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

10/10 every time! Go to spot for OG chargrilled oysters, always served perfectly seasoned and fresh. A must for locals and visitors. Lunch specials on the weekdays are also a great deal. Delicious gumbo & crabmeat salad also a fave. Really enjoy the crawfish etouffe, jambalaya. Cant go wrong w any of the menu items! read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Crawfish etouffee, gumbo, lunch salad & guy o - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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One of the best gumbos I've ever had. I try to make it to Drago's whenever I'm in town.

Excellent! A bit pricey but everything was delicious and the service was great. Their signature charbroiled oysters are a must. Ask for extra bread! We also ordered the baked salmon which had the most delicious sauce and the crab grilled cheese with truffle cheese dip. There was a ton of seating and it was nice that you can watch them grilling the oysters in the middle of the restaurant. read more

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Ate here for lunch today with two others. We all ordered lunch specials of gumbo/salad, shrimp poboy, and shrimp lunch. The chicken gumbo was good, the Caesar was above average (we did like the soft croutons). The shrimp lunches were both fried, but I feel we got more shrimp with the shrimp lunch. The bread for the poboy was crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside (always good). Service was great, as we came after the lunch rush so we weren't rushed out or anything like that. read more

Came here for the charbroiled oysters that locals recommended and WOW! They were the best I've had 11/10. My family and I enjoyed our meals. Family friendly vibe and the service was good. I'll be back the next time I'm in NO! read more

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The chargrilled oysters and seafood gumbo were delicious as usual! I ordered a Bloody Mary , no particular vodka, no double shot, just a Bloody Mary. It was $16. I evened asked a server if this was correct and her response was "yes we had to go up on our prices." I still can't get over it. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Bloody Mary. Stella. Gumbo - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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Drago's is a top contender for the number one seafood restaurant in the NOLA metro area. As a lover of charbroiled oysters, they are definitely in the top two of places to try in the area. With a full menu of local traditional and typical seafood (and other) offerings you can't go wrong with anything on the menu however, as a huge fan of their charbroiled oysters, it's your best bet IMHO. The oysters taste of a delightful blend of smoke and flame, butter, garlic and melty Parmesan. Fresh French bread chunks dipped in all the garlic butter and flavoring from the empty oyster shells top off the meal. Paired with an ice cold beer, you have a completed meal that will make your tummy full with happiness. Highly recommended. read more

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Love this place...Great service & the charbroiled oysters are phenomenal and the best I have ever had anywhere! read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Charbroiled Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

Ive been coming here for 20+ years and they're charbroiled oysters are consistently delicious but the remainder of the food is mediocre but not priced as such. The service was great and I will be back but I'll probably stop at the oysters and drinks! read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Charbroiled oysters - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

Very good food, everyone in our party was more than satisfied. Wine-by-the-glass selection was okay and they carry the Belle Glos Alturas Pinot for a reasonable price by the bottle. The draft beer selection included the local Abita hazy wheat, which was excellent. Service was good, although a bit delayed at times. What went wrong: Billing. They never told our party of 6, until we asked for our bills, that it was their policy to refuse to bill individually ( only by asking the waiter, were we then informed that we could do ONE "split" of the bill for the entire table, but not more than one "split", and definitely not pay up per individual). It was a mess. At the least, we should have been verbally informed about this ridiculous policy by our waiter, before he took our orders. read more

We came here on a Friday for an early dinner and we were seated right away. The restaurant is in Fat city Metairie so parking can be limited. The inside of the restaurant is spacious and beautifully decorated. I enjoyed seeing the Mardi Gras Christmas tree. And the restaurant does have Abita beer so I started with a strawberry ale. We had the alligator bites which came with Remoulade sauce. Absolute heaven. We also had a dozen charbroiled oysters, which were phenomenal. For my meal I had the shrimp and grits. I like the version that is not red sauce better, but it was very tasty. The waitstaff was very friendly read more

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Dragos is known for their charbroiled oysters for a reason!! dragos has a fine dining atmosphere. I went specifically for oysters and they were amazing! I have them every time I go to New Orleans. Overall, had charbroiled oysters (5.5/5: amazing!) and strawberry mojito mocktail (5/5: yum!!). I ate at bar and I was quickly served. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Strawberry mojito (virgin) - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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As those who follow my reviews know, I live in several different cities for various amounts of time throughout the year. I try to get back to New Orleans at least twice each year and these charbroiled oysters are always a top priority to go and get. Honestly, it's the sauce for me, as I'm a big sauce guy in general. I dip the bread in the stuff, scoop and pour it over the oysters, and my mouth and taste buds go to heaven. Only buzzkill was the drink not being filled to the top (which as all of us social media folks now know, for martinis especially, that is where nearly half the drink is, mathematically as the cup brim gets wider) maybe this was to leave room for the egg white foam but unfortunately I didn't see any on either - which is also a fan favorite thing of mine in general (foam). Especially with the price (and as a NY and LA resident where life is expensive, I'm not often shocked by prices of drinks) All that being said, the vibe was great, and people were friendly and attentive. Food came out quick and did not disappoint. There's been some debate on where the downtown NOLA location stacks up, and I'll say as far as the charbroiled oysters are concerned, seeing as that's what they're known for, there's no noticeable difference. Having had both, they're both amazing and you'll be alright no matter where you choose. Makes sense since if I was a multi location owner I'd want to make sure the thing I'm known for is consistent everywhere! read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Dozen Charbroiled Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

I went here for lunch today and I'm glad I did. I got there around 11:45 and was seated right away. The dining room is very open and clean. I loved walking past the char broiler and chef cooking oysters on our way to our seats. Our server Miguel was nice and attentive. He took our drink and appetizer orders while we waited for our other guests. Our food came out pretty fast and everything was correct and freshly cooked. I had the fried shrimp platter. My table also had charbroiled oysters, boudin balls, crab au gratin, Caesar salad and the baked salmon meal. We all enjoyed our food and had plenty to take home. read more

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - Shrimp Platter - Seafood Near Me - Metairie, Louisiana

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The entire time my friend was visiting me, the only thing she talked about were the Chargrilled oysters from Dragos. Glad I was able to take her. We will try the other location next time to compare the two. I'm on the search for the best gator, and so far Dragos is at the top. read more

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