You won’t find Domilise’s on a tourist map. You won’t see it from the main drag. You’ll drive through a quiet Uptown neighborhood, past shotgun houses and live oaks, until you spot a small yellow building on the corner of Annunciation and Bellecastle. The hand-painted sign says “Domilise’s Po-Boys and Bar.” That’s it. That’s the whole marketing pitch.
Inside, you’ll find about a dozen tables, a wooden bar that’s been there since 1918, and a crew that’s been making po’boys the same way for decades. Ray, the bartender, hit 45 years behind that bar. Gayle’s been making sandwiches for 35 years. This isn’t a place that changes with trends.
Pete Domilise opened it as a stand-up bar. No seats. Just dockworkers from the riverfront stopping in for a beer. His wife Sophie started making plate lunches. Eventually, friends of the family set up a little counter to sell po’boys. That counter is still there…