The Undertow is a dive bar on Canal Road, and we mean that as a compliment and a disclosure in equal measure. It’s smoky — actually smoky, people smoke in there — with pool tables, music most nights, and a crowd that’s mostly people who live here year-round. Reviewers keep landing on the same phrase: not a tourist trap. Correct.
Why locals care
The weekend seafood boil. All-you-can-eat Royal Reds for $19.99 — the deep-water shrimp the fancy places charge real money for — plus crawfish when they’re in season, with corn, sausage, and potatoes riding along. It runs Saturday and Sunday afternoons until the shrimp are gone, and they do go. People who’ve eaten their way through Louisiana boils rank this one favorably.
The vibe
Bar first, grill second, atmosphere zero-pretense. Shoot pool, catch whoever’s playing that night, peel shrimp off a tray. If cigarette smoke is a dealbreaker, this isn’t your spot, and no amount of Royal Reds will change that.
Good to know
They’re on Facebook rather than a proper website, which tells you most of what you need to know about the marketing budget — and the priorities.