Going there for New Year's Eve and the Sugar Bowl, looking for things to do, dives to eat at, will be going
To the World War museum and Dragos to eat the grilled oysters

Of course, you must go down to the French quarter and breakfast at Café du Monde, and have beinets and coffee.

Aside from that, another must for breakfast is a little joint called the Café Fleur de Lis. Still in the quarter, but I don't remember what street(I'll wager any hotel doorman will know where to find it). They have the most delicious coffee and serve omelets of all kinds...Wonderful!

You are not going to have a problem finding great eats in Nawlins. And you said it yourself. Just because a place looks alittle divey, don't exclude it. We happened on a great meal by walking into an all nite "joint",(just happened to be Daisy Duke's) when we could find no "nicer looking" place open that time of night the first night we got there,(We were limiting ourselves to just a couple of blocks walking from our hotel). I mean really good seafood!, and Bloody Marys that started us on a quest. We sampled the same drink (Bloody Mary) all over the quarter for the next couple of days. What fun!

Dragos is good and if you find yourself in front of Acme Oyster House, head on in for Round 2..

NOLA's was ok, not amazing but not bad..

Johnny's has a Johnny's Special poboy that'll eat for 2 meals.. The half po-boy (get the shrimp) & cup of gumbo special is good too..

Little corner store called the Verti Marte Deli has a sammich called All that Jazz.. Worth it to find them.. (Get it with the sauce.. Not the same without it..)

If you have an hour or two to kill, see if the New Orleans Cooking School has any times available.. Its next door to NOLA's & they'll show you how to make gumbo, pralines, jambalaya, etc.. It's cheap & you get to eat whatever they make during class..

WWII museum is excellent, but if you're a history buff there won't be much there you haven't seen before..

Probably you should get a beer at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop - a run down joint that I think dates back a very long ways. I keep thinking that the place is gonna fall down, but hasn't yet. And from there, it isn't a long walk to the Port of Call on Esplanade Avenue. That place is one of my all time favorites for burgers and cold beer. You can not (unless things have changed) get fries, and I always got some attitude when I did ask. Nobody I've ever sent there has complained. They all raved. Gotta go there, and I think it may qualify as a dive.

And if you have a hunger for a Muffalatto sandwich, the Central Grocery (on Decatur, I think) is a legend for that. They also have stuffed artichokes, but you can't eat the sandwich and the stuffed artichoke.

And...if you want a good PoBoy sandwich, find most any good sandwich shop and order a "meatball PoBoy with American cheese, with extra hot mustard, dressed". Dressed, in this instance means that you want lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion. Other poboys, like oyster, shrimp, or whatever are good but that meatball poboy is the peak of the art of sandwich making.

Lafitte's is on the list. Went there on a "ghost tour" last time in NO. Went back later for a couple of beers. Nice to get out of the standard bourbon street traffic a bit.

Acme oyster is standard fare for most.

Dickie brennans for a nice steak in the quarter

Mr B bistro for some bbq shrimp or creole style gumbo (I prefer acadiana/Cajun style myself).

Another nice meal would be at the commanders palace. Talked the waiter into a tour including the kitchen. Great overall food and experience.

willie mays scotch house for fried chicken.

Oh yes mooney-ag, the OP said dives, I think, so I didn't mention the great places. My absolute favorite is Commander's Palace. When I lived in NO, I'd go there on expense account once in a while. Then I moved to Houston, which comparatively was a food wasteland back then. After a few years and a couple of promotions, I went back to NO (on expense account) and went to Commanders. Had a Filet with artichoke hearts and Béarnaise (spelling?) sauce on it. It was so good that tears came to my eyes. I had forgotten that food could be that good.

Mom's favorite was Galatoire's. Daughter's favorite is Emerils. Sentimental favorite for wife and I is Antoine's. And for oysters, if you are standing in the middle of the street intersection,with Antoines down about 40 yards on your right, immediately to your left is an oyster bar. Never crowded. I can't remember the name. Really good oysters.

I'm ready to go back for the food, but wife says it's unsafe. Probably is, but the food is unmatched. I've had the good stuff in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, and NO is better.

This is a bad discussion. The wife is off to Houston and all I have for supper is a meatloaf sandwich. I need Oysters Bienville and a good white wine. Meatloaf just won't cut it.

Went in May. Johnny's po boy was really good. A fresh seafood place across from the market was really good. Cafe de Monde is a joke. It's a long wait for a funnel cake! Have an answer ready every time a panhandler says, I bet I can tell you where you got those shoes. NO is a dump! armpit of America, won't be back.

K Paul's is one of my favorites. Domenica is also pretty dang good.

Lots of places I've never heard of will try as many as I can
Thanks for the info

Parkway Bakery - Surf n Turf poboy with gravy fries and Abita Amber.http://www.parkwaypoorboys.com/

Yo Mamas bar and grill - Really good burgers and cool bar. http://yomamasbarandgrill.menutoeat.com/

Felixs- Charbroiled oysters. Its across the street from Acme. Better and less crowded
http://www.felixs.com/

Irenes - Great Italian seafood.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/irenes-cuisine-new-orleans

Louisiana pizza kitchen.
http://lpkfrenchquarter.com/

Take the streetcar down St Charles from the quarter.
Mayfair lounge - for a true local dive
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mayfair-lounge-new-orleans

K-Paul's for dinner

Mother's and The Gumbo Shop for lunch

Pat O'Brien's for fun

Grand Isle restaurant by Harrah's is a good one and If you're at Dragos don't be afraid to try the fleur de lis shrimp.

I'm starving and ready to go
Thanks

My son and grandson are coming to the ranch Christmas week to feed cattle, maybe kill a deer and eliminate a few hogs, while my bride and I are headed back to New Orleans. Couldn't book a table for our anniversary at K Pauls but will have a table that that night at The Palace. Good food and right across the street from our hotel. Acme is a must stop but the last time we were down there, the line was way too long for The Old Coot. Ended up across the street from Acme at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Oysters oysters and more oysters. Will probably hit Felix's again and skip the line at Acme. Brennans has reopened. A mandatory stop as is Dragos.

Check out Crescent City Brew House...also, Jack Dempsey's...

rick

Man I could EAT my way through NO. As said, Café du Monde for coffee and beignets- that's a must and not that expensive, maybe $5. I had a muffalatta because Emirrel on TV was pushing them but an oyster PoBoy is better in my humble opinion. I'd bring a suit and tie and see what's happening at lunch time at Antoine's. It is usually rated as one of the 10 best restaurants in the USA. During certain time periods they have lunch specials. Mine was around $25 and included an appetizer of oysters (Ibberville, Bienville, Rockefeller) BTW- they originated Oysters Rockefeller. The entre'= I think it was sea trout. Included a martini and desert- not bad for one of the best places in the USA. There's Gallatore, Brennan's, Commander Palace, Arnauds- some of the world famous places.
If you are an imbibing type, the bar at the Roosevelt has the Sazerac ($12 each) and there is the Hurricane (I forget the name of the bar).

Pat O'Brians has the Hurricane. Family legend has it that my Dad (in his younger days) drank 7 one night and could still walk.

And don't forget to go over on Decatur street and get a praline. And the coffee house just down at the French Market on Decatur has coffee and beignets just as good as Cafe Du Monde and it's much less crowded since it isn't a tourist spot. And cuter waitresses too. Just sayin...

Dive Bar - Molly's Irish Pub - The wife and I watched the first two the Rangers season opening games in 2013 against the Angels and had a BLAST. Drank beer with a lawyer, a congresswoman from Iowa, and a 6'5 dude named Jason that dressed up in a blond wig, cowboy hat, leather skirt, leather studded bra and high heels. Sounds like a joke but it happened.
Oysters - ACME (the best oyster Rockefeller I've ever had)
Burger - Port o Call. I went to this place because it was highly recommended by a friend. It was good but I am a burger snob. Next time I will try Yo Mama's and The Company Burger
Fried Chicken - Willie Mae's. I haven't been there since my wife won't eat chick on the bone. But everyone I have talked to said it is by far the best chicken they've every had.
Breakfast - Camillia Grill

I suggest you take the advice here as well as go to Yelp.com and do some research. That's what we did and it worked out well

Mulates.
New Orleans is some kind of a crazy town.

Fun City, Big Time.

To many places to recommned. There are good eats around every corner, but the one i always recommend if you're looking for that local hole in the wall is Elizabeths for breakfast, and be sure to order the praline covered bacon!
Not going to throw out other resturants, but if you see on the menu, always go for char'd oysters on the half shell and shrimp & Grits.

Add Oceania Grill on Conti Street to the list of great seafood places.

Go to the Chalmette national battlefield across the street it a well know place of good eatery called Rocky n Carlos they have the best stuffed artichoke and muffallatas try the mac n cheese or po'boys. also make sure you pick up some Patton's hot sausage to bring home trust me you will thank me later.. I'm from NO I lived on north rampart st.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rocky-and-carlos-restaurant-and-bar-chalmette

http://www.amazon.com/Pattons-Sausage-Patties-Units-Included/dp/B00B2BR6XU