Fat City is a commercial and entertainment district in the eastern end of Metairie that had its heyday in the 1970s, when it became one of the liveliest nightlife zones in the metro area. It declined sharply in the 1980s and 90s, but has staged a genuine comeback over the past decade with new restaurants and bars moving into the old strip-mall spaces.
The area is grittier and more interesting than most of suburban Metairie, with Vietnamese restaurants mixed in among the bars and the kind of second-hand shops and neighbourhood joints that can only survive where rents are low. Veterans Memorial Boulevard through here is worth exploring if you like your food and drink experiences slightly unexpected.