Felix's Oyster Bar: Bivalves And Abita Sustain The Soul Once Again

Felix's Oyster House
739 Iberville St
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-4440



Felix's is one of the standby oyster joints off Bourbon Street, prone to filling up at all hours with people who want nothing more then to slam Abita beer and eat startling quantities of oysters. In these two respects, Felix's has got things under control.

Oysters are a holy food in New Orleans and must always be consumed with beer, saltines and mix it yerself cocktail sauce - the holy trinity of shellfish consumption. Oyster bars are about as New Orleans as it gets, attracting a cross-section of people from all over the place who enjoy the funky little guys whenever they get their drink on (and in New Orleans, everyone is always getting their drink on.) According to traditionalists, oysters are only consumable in months with an R in them and are DEADLY FOUNTS OF DESPAIR when consumed otherwise, but I had oysters in August and they were quite tasty and did not even kill me. And the head waiter at Luke said they were quite good. So get over it.

Felix's, much like Acme, employs a full time oyster shucker who will flip those puppies open upon request and slide them to you over the bar - usually as fast as you can eat them. Extra points are awarded if there is a Saint's game on. We enjoyed slurping them down in between gulps of beer, watching the usual Bourbon Street zoo parade past the windows. I also enjoyed creating my own cocktail sauce in various intensities and lemon concentrations, which is definitely side entertainment if you're into cooking.



Felix's also serves up decent Oysters Rockefeller, that spinach and butter and god knows what else concotion pioneered by Antoines millions of years ago. I love those little guys and will happily eat many of them.



Unlike Acme, Felix's non-oyster related food is only okay. The boiled shrimp were edible but 1. served cold (they are mo' betta' warm) and 2. way too small. We were perhaps a spot drunk and decided to try the fried alligator, which was a lousy idea: tiny greasy pieces of reptile are not something I enjoy eating. (Alligator admittedly never really rises above the flavor of chewy, fishy chicken, but still.)

Felix's is a good spot to get your oysters and beer fix in less-wacko environs then Acme, but do yourself a favor and stick to the slimy little suckers.