One lakefront dining room near New Orleans sits on 20-foot pilings, high enough to make lunch feel like a lookout post.
Another restaurant across the water was rebuilt on 17-foot pilings and reopened in 2006. On this shoreline, restaurants literally rise above the water.
I love that detail so much. It shows how hard people in Louisiana work to keep a good table by the lake, even after big storms tried to wash the idea away.
The shoreline stretches past city neighborhoods, small harbors, and swampy edges where the lake meets cypress country.
Along the way, you’ll find chargrilled oysters, thin fried catfish, turtle soup, and bread pudding, often served with a sunset on the side. Some kitchens even welcome diners who arrive by boat.
I can’t think of many better ways to spend an evening. So which seat would you grab first: the deck, the porch, or the window?
10. The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar
Twenty feet off the ground is a pretty great height for eating gumbo. The dining room here sits on 20-foot pilings, so your table gets a wide view of the water around it.
You’ll find the restaurant on Lakeshore Drive in New Orleans, beside a canal that connects to Lake Pontchartrain. It’s locally owned and operated, and it feels like a nod to the casual seafood days of the old West End.
Inside, the decor leans into fishing camp style. That fits the menu nicely, since Louisiana seafood is the main event.
Oyster fans can start at the oyster bar, which serves raw oysters. If you like them cold and briny, that’s an easy way to kick off the meal.
Seafood gumbo is a smart next move. The crab cake sandwich is another pick that matches the restaurant’s name, which feels only fair.
Here’s a fun design detail worth looking for. A second bar on the ground level is shaped like the bow of a boat.
Save room for dessert, because bananas foster bread pudding is on the list. It’s sweet, rich, and a very New Orleans way to finish a lakeside meal.
Plan a daytime visit if you want the clearest views from up high. Afternoon light on the water makes the elevated room feel like a lookout tower with napkins.
Need a simple plan? Order oysters, grab a window seat, and let the canal do the rest.
Address: 7900 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124
9. Frenier Landing Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Swamp on one side, open lake on the other, and a sunset that tends to steal the show. Frenier Landing sits on the western shore of Lake Pontchartrain, where the water meets the Maurepas Swamp.
The outdoor deck is the place to be when the sky starts glowing. Sunset views over the lake are one of the biggest reasons people make the trip to LaPlace.
The building has a story too. It went up around the time of Hurricane Gustav and was designed to look like an old fishing camp.
That style suits the area’s history well. It feels less like a fancy dining room and more like a lakeside hangout with serious seafood.
Oysters come three ways here: raw, fried, or chargrilled. Can’t decide? Ordering more than one style is a perfectly reasonable life choice.
Seafood platters, catfish, calamari, crab cakes, and grilled shrimp round out the water-based options. It’s a solid menu for anyone who wants a true taste of Louisiana.
Not everyone in your group loves seafood, and that’s okay. Steaks, salads, and po-boys give picky eaters a way to join the fun.
Wednesday nights bring something special called Lobster Night. Mark your calendar if you want a midweek treat by the water.
Timing matters at this spot. Arrive a little before sunset, grab a deck seat, and let the swamp and lake put on their nightly show.
Address: 113 Dottie Ln, LaPlace, LA 70069
8. Landry’s Seafood House on Lake Pontchartrain
A fish dish named after the lake itself? That’s the kind of local pride that makes a menu fun to read.
Landry’s Seafood House sits on Lakeshore Drive in New Orleans, with views of Lake Pontchartrain from inside and out. The dining room has lake views, and the outdoor terrace adds a breezy, laid-back feel.
Sunsets are a big draw here. The restaurant has even received a Diners’ Choice Award for its scenic views.
Fresh seafood shows up daily, so the menu stays focused on Gulf Coast flavors. Blackened fish and crab cakes are easy starting points if you like classic choices.
Feeling fancy? Redfish Hemingway comes Parmesan-encrusted with lump blue crab and lemon butter.
The Signature Fish Pontchartrain features broiled tilapia with crab and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Ordering a dish named after the lake while staring at the lake feels like the right move.
Spice lovers have options too. Blackened Mahi Mahi and Blackened Redfish Étouffée bring bold Cajun flavor to the table.
Crawfish Étouffée is another Louisiana favorite on the list. You’ll also find fried and broiled seafood platters for bigger appetites.
Try to snag a terrace table on a mild evening. The lake breeze and the setting sun make a pretty good dinner team.
It’s also right next door to another lakefront seafood spot. You could build a whole waterfront food tour on one short stretch of road.
Address: 8000 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124
7. Lighthouse Bar & Grill
Swamp Balls might be the most memorable appetizer name on this whole list. They’re made with alligator and boudin, which is about as Louisiana as a snack can get.
You’ll find this spot inside the New Orleans RV Resort & Marina. The restaurant looks out along the Industrial Canal, which opens to Lake Pontchartrain.
Getting here is easy whether you drive or float. It’s reachable by land and by water, which is a pretty cool perk for boaters.
The covered outdoor patio overlooks boats in the marina and canal. Shade plus water views is a strong combo on a sunny New Orleans afternoon.
Bringing your dog? The patio is dog-friendly, and water bowls are part of the setup.
Now, about that menu. Crawfish Boil Bisque sounds like a crawfish boil and a cozy bowl of soup had a delicious meeting.
The Smoked Creole Club sandwich is another standout name. Smoked chicken wings are a signature item too, so wing fans should take note.
Comfort food fills out the rest. Gumbo, red beans and rice, catfish po-boys, and a Seafood Platter cover lots of local cravings.
Crab cakes and hushpuppies make a great pair for sharing. Order them for the table and watch them vanish fast.
This isn’t a white tablecloth kind of place. It’s a relaxed marina hangout where boats, good food, and easy conversation share the stage.
Address: 6001 France Rd, New Orleans, LA 70126
6. Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar Lakefront
Some names in New Orleans come with built-in oyster credibility. Felix’s is one of them, and its Lakefront location brings that name to the edge of Lake Pontchartrain.
The restaurant sits on Lakeshore Drive, a road that hugs the water. That means you can turn dinner into a scenic drive before or after you eat.
Oysters are the heart of the Felix’s reputation. If you only order one thing, make it something from the oyster bar.
Why does that matter so much? Oysters are one of the most loved foods in Louisiana, and eating them near open water just feels right.
Fresh oysters are simple food with big flavor. A squeeze of lemon and a little hot sauce can be all they need.
New to raw oysters? Start with a small order and see how you like them before going big.
Location is a big part of the fun here. You get a classic New Orleans seafood name with views of the lake instead of busy city streets.
A lakeside stroll pairs nicely with a meal here too. Walk off your oysters, watch the water, and enjoy the open sky.
Groups can make it easy on themselves. Pick a time when the light is nice, order oysters for the table, and take your time.
Not every great meal needs a long story. Sometimes good oysters and a lake view are plenty.
Address: 7400 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124
5. Rips On The Lake
Seventy people can eat on the front porch alone. That’s a lot of folks enjoying a Lake Pontchartrain view at the same time.
Rips On The Lake is a longtime favorite on the Mandeville lakefront. After Hurricane Katrina, it was rebuilt on 17-foot pilings and reopened in October 2006.
That comeback story makes a meal here feel a little extra special. The restaurant stayed right where it belongs, facing the water.
Co-owner and chef Roslyn Prieto shapes the menu around South Louisiana cooking. Expect bold flavors and dishes with fun, local names.
Fried green tomatoes come topped with shrimp and remoulade. Oyster Rockefeller Bread is another starter that sounds too tempting to skip.
Crab Fingers Camellia are prepared New Orleans BBQ-style. Don’t let the name confuse you, because New Orleans BBQ means a buttery, peppery sauce, not a grill.
Soup lovers can choose seafood gumbo or turtle soup. For a main dish, Trout Audrey comes with shrimp and crabmeat.
Redfish Atchafalaya is smothered in crawfish étouffée. It’s basically two Louisiana classics stacked into one plate.
Desserts include Blueberry Bread Pudding, Key Lime Pie, and Crème Brûlée. Choosing just one might be the hardest decision of your day.
Weekend afternoons add another bonus. Live music plays Saturday and Sunday afternoons, so a porch seat comes with a soundtrack.
Address: 1917 Lakeshore Dr, Mandeville, LA 70448
4. Middendorf’s Seafood Restaurant
Thin fried catfish has been the claim to fame here since 1934. The restaurant calls it the world-famous original, and that’s a bold title to carry for over 90 years.
Middendorf’s sits in Akers on Bayou Manchac, between Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. It’s a short trip off the beaten path, and the water views make it worth the drive.
Boaters can pull right up to the docks. Everyone else can take a stroll on them and enjoy the view above the water.
A covered deck gives you shade by the bayou. Upstairs, a second-floor dining room is set up for sunset meals.
Now for the main event. The thin fried catfish is crispy and light, while thick fried catfish is there for folks who want a heartier bite.
Seafood platters come fried or boiled, and shrimp, oysters, and po-boys are on the menu too. Feeling adventurous? Frog legs are an option.
Turtle soup and gumbo bring classic Louisiana flavor. Burgers and salads are available for anyone in the group who skips seafood.
Here’s a fun twist. Each October and November, the restaurant hosts Oktoberfest celebrations with authentic German food.
That surprise makes more sense when you meet the owners. Horst and Karen Pfeifer took over in 2006 and kept the historic recipes going.
Address: 30160 Highway 51, Akers, LA 70421
3. The Barley Oak
A soft pretzel with a lake view sounds like a European vacation landed in Mandeville. This Old World style pub sits right on Lakeshore Drive.
The big draw is the large second-story gallery. From up there, you get wide views of Lake Pontchartrain without anything blocking the water.
Sunset is a great time to grab a balcony seat. The sky over the lake can turn bright orange and pink in the evening.
The menu mixes German favorites with Louisiana flavors. It’s a fun combo you won’t find at many lakefront spots.
On the German side, there’s a German sausage platter. The pretzel basket and bratwurst dog keep that Old World theme going strong.
Local tastes show up too. A Cajun sausage platter lets you compare sausage styles side by side, which sounds like a tasty science project.
The smoked brisket sandwich is a good pick for a bigger appetite. Gumbo, burgers, and salads round things out.
Got a four-legged friend? The patio is dog-friendly, so your pup can join the outing.
Groups who can’t agree on a cuisine might find a happy middle here. Someone grabs gumbo, someone gets a bratwurst, and everybody gets the view.
The gallery seats can fill up fast on nice days. Plan ahead if you have your heart set on watching the sun drop into the lake.
Address: 2101 Lakeshore Dr, Mandeville, LA 70448
2. Pat’s Rest Awhile
Dinner here comes with a side of history that goes back to the 1850s. The restaurant fills a raised complex of old buildings on Mandeville’s Lakeshore Drive.
The group includes the former Rest Awhile retreat house and the Frapart Hotel from the 1880s. The Sophie Wright Cottage dates to 1916, and the Hadden Cottage goes back to the 1850s.
Hurricane Katrina damaged the buildings, but they got a second life. After a redevelopment, they reopened as a restaurant in 2021.
Chef Pat Gallagher and company chef Mark McInnis built the menu. It leans toward seafood but stays friendly for families.
Gulf Fish Almondine and Cedar-Plank Redfish are big seafood stars. Fresh fish and oyster platters give you even more choices.
Steak fans can try the award-winning ribeye. Marinated hangar steaks, pork chops, burgers, po-boys, and a kids’ menu cover the rest.
Starters are hard to ignore. Jumbo lump crab cakes and New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp with loaded cornbread make strong opening moves.
There’s also an outdoor raw bar serving char-grilled oysters. Smoky oysters by the lake feel like a very good use of a Saturday.
You can pick your setting too. The Deck has open-air lake views, and a dog-friendly courtyard sits at ground level.
An elevator reaches the second level. That makes it easier for more guests to enjoy the view from up high.
Address: 2129 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville, LA 70448
1. The Blind Tiger Slidell
Royal Reds are the shrimp that often get compared to lobster. If you’ve never tried them, this Slidell spot gives you a great excuse.
The Blind Tiger sits on Lakeshore Marina Drive. You get views of the marina, which leads out to Lake Pontchartrain.
The mood is casual and beach-themed. Think flip-flop energy on the east side of the lake.
Outdoor seating lets you watch the boats while you eat. On a nice day, that alone can make the trip feel like a mini getaway.
Seafood is the main focus here. Besides Royal Reds, you can order peel and eat shrimp, which is a hands-on meal in the best way.
Fried shrimp and fish tacos keep things easy and fun. A bowl of gumbo is there if you want something more classic.
Not in a seafood mood? Burgers are on the menu, and so is the Nola Hot Chicken sandwich.
Bring extra napkins if you go the peel and eat route. Your fingers will thank you later.
Slidell makes a nice stop for anyone exploring the eastern side of Louisiana’s big lake. It’s a good finish for a shoreline food trip that started back in New Orleans or Mandeville.
Grab an outdoor table, crack open some shrimp, and watch the boats roll by. That’s a pretty sweet way to wrap up a lakeside day.
Address: 37330 Lakeshore Marina Drive, Slidell, LA 70458