As history and technology twitter on, there is no substitute for the
time-honored, premier social-networking site: the barroom. And there's
no end to the debate as to which hub is most worthy of your real time,
mingling with real people over really good drinks.
Gambit staffers devoted themselves to searching
out the area's best bars, comparing the appletini's and orange peels of
craft cocktails and cool drafts, service, ambience and all the
intangibles that make one bar hot and another cool. We patronized
upscale lounges, funky dives, corner places and wine bars. To be
considered, an establishment had to have a full bar and be a
destination as a drinking establishment. For example, music clubs not
open for regular bar service were not eligible. But we also compiled
several lists of picks for wine bars, happy-hour spots and last-call
options.
We acknowledge that everyone has their own favorites for
a variety of reasons. We invite you to review our list, try new places
and debate their merits. Certainly reasonable people can disagree
— especially over drinks. Cheers.
Photo by Gary Loverde Mimi's in the Marigny is busy both upstairs and down with affordable drinks, tapas and music shows.
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1 Mimi's in the Marigny
2601 Royal St., 872-9868; www.mimisinthemarigny.com
Part of the Marigny corner spot's unanimous appeal — you'll
find wedding reception leftovers and Bywater vagabonds drinking
shoulder-to-shoulder — is its twofold function: two floors, two
bars and two main draws: plenty of drink and an appealing tapas menu.
Choose from hot, cold and dessert plates, or submit to the chef's
whimsy and order "Trust Me." Drinkers can pick from the cheapest of the
cheap (PBR on tap), or a favorable selection of local and import brews,
wine and liquor. While the downstairs combines Old World exposed brick
with neon and scruffy hipsters, upstairs is a dimly lit music lounge
featuring DJ Soul Sister (and her endless crates of vintage soul),
country crooner Gal Holiday or a gypsy jazz ensemble.
2 The Columns
3811 St. Charles Ave., 899-9308; www.thecolumns.com
Slippers and robes are all that's missing from the Columns'
cozy-yet-extravagant milieu; it's the
home-you-can't-afford-away-from-home. Become a regular and the hotel's
doting staff might arrange those, too. The 1883 Italianate mansion,
architect Thomas Sully's last vestige on St. Charles Avenue, has enough
unique nooks to warrant weekly visits: from late-night reveling in the
Victorian Lounge, with its antebellum Queen Anne lavishness and
frescoed frieze, to a regal jazz brunch at Albertine's Tea Room, where
Sunday's mimosas temper Saturday's momentary lapses of reason. Or just
while away an afternoon on the sprawling veranda, lulling the city's
already crawling clocks to a stop.
3 Napoleon House
500 Chartres St., 524-9752; www.napoleonhouse.com
No place in the city is nicer on a hot day than this elegant
time-capsule watering hole — it's both European and
quintessentially N'awlinian. Long before the small-plates craze,
poker-faced servers were ferrying charcuterie and cheese boards through
the small rooms to the strains of classical music and opera. It's hard
to decide between a cool indoor table, a stool at the bar or a seat on
the patio, but you can't go wrong with a Napoleon muffuletta and a
Pimm's Cup, the spécialité de la maison.
4 French 75 (Arnaud's Restaurant)
813 Bienville St., 523-5433; www.arnauds.com
19th century elegance meets 21st century cocktail knowhow at this
blissful oasis just off Bourbon Street, where drinks like the Aviation,
the Corpse Reviver No. 2 and the bar's namesake are all executed with
skill and precision. Dark mahogany walls, the whiff of a good cigar,
leopard-print divans and the bar's famous monkey lamps add up to
sophisticated drinking that's more Left Bank than West Bank. Watch the
crowds go by, Styrofoam daiquiri cups in their paws, and rejoice in the
fact they're on the other side of French 75's leaded-glass door.
Trivia buffs compete on Monday nights at Finn McCool’s.
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5 Finn McCool's
3701 Banks St., 486-9080; www.finnmccools.com
Finn McCool, the towering giant and warrior of Celtic myth, proves
an apt namesake for this Mid-City pub of outsized Irish hospitality.
Run by a family of Belfast natives, Finn McCool's is the unofficial
clubhouse for the city's expats, who gather at the oddest hours for
live sports broadcasts from overseas. The Guinness drafts are
first-rate and the dartboards attract a high level of competition.
Bartenders match efficiency with personality and treat their huge
stable of regulars like old friends. Generous buffets of Irish home
cooking appear at Saints games and many other special events.
6 d.b.a.
618 Frenchmen St., 942-3731; www.drinkgoodstuff.com
Frenchmen Street regulars know their hooch, but it's no surprise an
exceptional draft selection greases the wheel that turns d.b.a. into a
boozy music hall. Shrouded by a single red curtain, the modest stage in
the rear features a wandering lineup of nightly music, from alt-folkies
to jazz and blues phenoms. The beer snobs will enjoy a long pull from a
Pacific Northwest pale ale or bottled dopplebock, but someone in your
party will appreciate top-shelf tequila.
7 Iris
321 N. Peters St., 299-3944; www.irisneworleans.com
Iris restaurant's move from a cozy Carrollton cottage to a more
spacious French Quarter location has made master mixologist Alan
Walter's bar a destination unto itself. The new venue's larger bar
leaves more room for Walter to make and serve deliciously inventive
cocktails. Bottles and beakers of herbal tinctures, fresh juices, root
syrups and infused alcohols are lined up alongside colorful bundles of
fresh herbs and fruits. Eschewing the trap of the too-sweet cocktail,
Walter balances odd ingredients, such as the green mangoes he steeps in
white balsamic vinegar for his Bonnet Carré Skyline or the syrup
he makes from Lakeview longleaf pine needles for his Pontchartrain
cocktail.
8 The Delachaise
3442 St. Charles Ave., 895-0858; www.thedelachaise.com
Before the craft cocktail craze arrived in New Orleans, this boxcar
of a bar set up a prime Uptown depot for refined spirits of all sorts,
including wine, beer and liquor from storied and exotic distillers. And
it is a dining car no less, offering a gourmet menu of cheese boards,
pommes frites and small plates. A well-dressed and well-heeled
clientele stations itself at the long bar and banquettes and mingles
with a post-dining-shift wave of the city's culinary professionals.
9 Cure
4905 Freret St., 302-2357; www.curenola.com
Cure caught on fast, and on weekend nights the bar's long main room
and palm-lined patio are packed with a young, sharply dressed crowd.
But it was a long road that led to this seemingly overnight sensation.
Owner Neal Bodenheimer learned his chops working New York's craft
cocktail circuit and returned to New Orleans to show his hometown what
the buzz was all about. At its best moments, Cure exudes Old World
civility and the pride of craftsmanship. Come early when the bartenders
can take some time with their exactingly fine ingredients, and remember
to mind the "no-shorts, no-baseball cap" dress code.
10 Sweet Lorraine's
1931 St. Claude Ave., 945-9654; www.sweetlorrainesjazzclub.com
Sweet Lorraine's is a diamond in the rough on an unassuming block in
the Marigny that anchors some of the 7th Ward's jazz culture — it
is next to the headquarters for the Black Men of Labor social aid and
pleasure club. Sweet Lorraine's door and awning are worse for the wear,
but step inside where the spacious setting is sleek and modern. The
raised and lit bar welcomes a sophisticated clientele for midweek
martini happy hours, and there is plenty of table seating for
contemporary New Orleans jazz performances and a weekly spoken word
night.
11 St. Joe's Bar
5535 Magazine St., 899-3744
Known for its spot-on mojitos, St. Joe's has drawn a devoted
following after turning a shabby corner bar into an inspired gathering
place. Rife with mirrors, crosses and old church pews, the ambience is
best described as creepy cozy. The pool table is usually busy, but pass
it by and enjoy drinks by the light of Chinese lanterns on the
comfortable courtyard in back.
Photo by Gary Loverde New Orleanians and visitors congregate at the Carousel Piano Bar and Lounge in the Moneteleone Hotel.
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12 Carousel Piano Bar and Lounge (Monteleone Hotel)
214 Royal St., 523-3341; www.hotelmonteleone.com
If the upper Quarter seems to revolve around the historic Hotel
Monteleone, it's largely due to this rotating, 25-seat landmark motor,
whose starry big-top ceiling raises the roof (and the standards) on the
debauched circus happening outside on Royal Street. Sidle up to the
bar, order the house Vieux Carré cocktail (a rye, Cognac and
sweet vermouth sipper) and your next pass will be timed perfectly for
another round.
Photo by Gary Loverde A rock and roll vibe sets the tone at One Eyed Jacks.
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13 One Eyed Jacks
615 Toulouse St., 569-8361; www.oneeyedjacks.net
Perhaps like Storyville saloons, even the parlor is entertaining at
One Eyed Jacks. You don't need to climb the stairs to the entertainment
— which includes indie rock touring acts, burlesque and DJ
nights. Red velvet-upholstered walls give the room a vaguely seedy
glow, and tattoo chic sets the tone.
14 Bar Tonique
820 N. Rampart St., 324-6045
Small, elegant and serious, Tonique is a key player in the city's
growing craft cocktail movement. Drinks are meticulously prepared using
fresh juices, housemade tonic water or ginger beer and exotic,
ultra-premium liquors. Sedate early in the evening, Tonique grows
lively as dinner shifts let out around the Quarter.
Photo by Gary Loverde The Saturn Bar offers a bohemian mix of cheap drinks, sci-fi art and shabby chic decor.
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15 Saturn Bar
3067 St. Claude Ave., 949-7532
Part hunting lodge, part collections archive from an alien
spacecraft's Human Museum, this 9th Ward spot is an appropriate
interplanetary namesake. Walls are dotted with photos of past and
current clientele, and the coolers are always filled with affordable
domestic and international longnecks. Monthly Mod dance parties and
punk rock shows are part of the bar's eclectic appeal.
16 Bridge Lounge
1201 Magazine St., 299-1888
The canine-friendly Bridge Lounge is one doghouse to which people
happily flock. Arty, floppy-eared photos line the dimly lit walls, and
scrawled blackboards advertise du jour wines, craft cocktails and small
plates of bar food. Should Canal Street ascend to its Broadway South
aspirations, consider this Lower Garden District hotspot our one-block
Brooklyn.
17 Markey's Bar
640 Louisa St., 943-0785; www.markeysbar.com
A recent renovation streamlined the bar at Markey's and added more
flat screens for the fanatical sports fans who cheer local teams first,
Boston teams second and others along the way. But none of the changes
could diminish the neighborhood feel of this quintessential Bywater
corner joint.
18 Pal's Lounge
949 N. Rendon St., 488-7257
Whether you're putting your money into the jukebox, the air hockey
table or toward a round of affordable beer or strong cocktails, an
evening at Pal's is affordably well spent. There are board games in the
corner and food served almost every day at this Mid-City hangout.
19 Cooter Brown's Tavern
509 S. Carrollton Ave., 866-9104; www.cooterbrowns.com
Regulars are speculating when plastic replicas of Farrah and MJ will
join their deceased brethren on the tavern's walls. It's a question to
mull over while feasting on a 9th Ward specialty sandwich paired with
one of Cooter's 42 drafts while watching one or many sporting events on
one of the umpteen large-screen TVs.
20 Maple Leaf Bar
8316 Oak St., 866-9369; www.mapleleafbar.com
Few bars embody the ineffable spirit of New Orleans better than this
Oak Street institution, whose nightly music (Tuesdays with Rebirth are
a two-decade tradition), sweltering temperatures (the rectangular
dancehall is a sweatshop even after sundown) and abundant social
lubrication (aka cheap beer) are like blueprints for Crescent City
living.
21 The Bulldog
3236 Magazine St., 891-1516; www.draftfreak.com
A beer-tap fountain on the patio welcomes ale aficionados to the
Bulldog, a sud-soaked anchor along the Magazine Street edge of the
Garden District. Behind the bar, there's a seemingly infinite selection
of bottle and draft beer from the East and West coasts to Turkey,
Thailand and everywhere in-between. The laminated beer menu is a
geography test in disguise; a few pints later and anyone's an
expert.
Photo by Gary Loverde The Polo Club Lounge in the Windsor Court is an elegant setting for a cocktail.
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22 Polo Lounge
300 Gravier St., 523-6000; www.windsorcourthotel.com
Gentlemen's-club elegant (though cigars were banned a while back),
the Polo's sofas, leather chairs and auld-school equestrian decor
demand a brandy, a cognac, a port or one of barman Roger's classic
cocktails. Nibbles aren't cheap — nor are drinks — but for
posh indulgence, the Polo is like a fine tuxedo: always timeless, never
trendy.
23 Mother-In-Law Lounge
1500 N. Claiborne Ave., 947-1078; www.k-doe.com
This 7th Ward shrine to "Emperor of the Universe" Ernie K-Doe sadly
gained a second spiritual effigy in February, when den mother
Antoinette K-Doe died from a heart attack Mardi Gras Day. On Ash
Wednesday, with manager Geannie Thomas behind the bar and Ernie's
statue beaming in the corner, the sunny, muraled building teemed with
its typical clientele of area residents and emigre hipsters.
In Algiers Point, the Old Point Bar is a neighborhood rendezvous.
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24 Old Point Bar
545 Patterson St., 364-0950; www.oldpointbar.com
Sitting by the levee on a sleepy corner in Algiers Point, the Old
Point is a casual watering hole framed by blond wood, big windows and
few neon signs. There's plenty of seating on the sidewalk, and the
neighborly barroom heats up with live blues and funk through much of
the week.
25 Old Absinthe House
240 Bourbon St., 523-3181; www.oldabsinthehouse.com
For more than a century, the Old Absinthe House has anchored a
notable bar scene. The Absinthe House frappe cocktail was created there
in 1874, but more recent history is marked by the memorabilia of
helmets, jerseys, business cards, et al hanging from the ceiling and
stuck to walls. Depending on the day, the old-style copper top bar
collects revelers visiting the city, fans clad in Saints wear or, on
certain Carnival occasions, krewe members emptying out of
Galatoire's.
26 Ruby's Roadhouse
840 Lamarque St., Mandeville, (985) 626-9748; www.rubysroadhouse.com
A raucous outpost for everyone from professors to professional
barflies, Ruby's has cold beer, hot music and some of the Northshore's
best nightlife in a building that looks like the B-52's Love Shack.
Last month, Ruby's celebrated its silver anniversary with a performance
by the Radiators, the first band ever to play there.
27 Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
941 Bourbon St., 593-9761
The name is purely homage — the only things getting hammered
anymore at this lower-Quarter "blacksmith shop" are the patrons. But
three cheers anyway for Jean and Pierre Lafitte, the infamous pirates
who purportedly owned the candlelit shanty, now a National Historic
Landmark, in the early 1800s. If it wasn't for them, where would
bleary-eyed insomniacs unabashedly belt out Billy Joel's "Piano Man" at
4 a.m.
28 Rivershack Tavern
3449 River Rd., 834-4938; www.therivershacktavern.com
The roadhouse ambience here runs deeper than just the vintage Dixie
beer ads on the weatherboards. River Road motorists and cyclists
cruising the levee-top bike path really do drop in to slake their
thirsts, scarf a bar snack and hear bluesy bands on weekends.
29 Pravda
1113 Decatur St.
The absinthe-minded Lower Decatur bar melds steampunk couture with
St. Petersburg gothic, but with more beer than borscht. The social
Soviet hideaway could be a high-brow dive for you and your comrades,
with a spacious back patio and absinthe served in the French method, or
stick with a beer and a copy of Tolstoy. Na zdorovia!
30 Circle Bar
1032 St. Charles Ave., 588-2616; www.circlebarnola.com
Sort of a border between Uptown and downtown, the tight quarters of
this gritty little watering hole make it no less appealing to patrons
who stop in for a cheap beer or a good music show. The casual,
house-party vibe is energized by live music from a steady stream of
local acts — sometimes edgy, always entertaining.
31 Dos Jefes Cigar Bar
5535 Tchoupitoulas St., 891-8500; www.dosjefescigarbar.com
Part Cubano beachfront, part Robinson Crusoe outpost, the
tropical patio at Dos Jefes is the apotheosis of Tchoupitoulas Street's
island-port vibe. Swirl a snifter of black rum, chew on a Rocky Patel
stogie and practice your best Hemingway sneer as college kids try in
vain to "ring the bull," a Caribbean pub game whose fundamentals
include hooks, strings, metal rings and mass frustration.
32 Mid-City Yacht Club
440 S. St. Patrick St., 483-2517; www.midcityyachtclub.com
There aren't any yachts at this club, named for a
whistling-past-the-graveyard reference to the Katrina flood. Still,
there's plenty of sport, with kickball teams juicing up after (or
during) games at the adjacent ballpark. The impressive beer list and
beautiful woodwork are worth a wander down the dead-end streets leading
here.
33 Swizzle Stick Bar (Loews Hotel)
300 Poydras St., 595-3305; www.cafeadelaide.com
Like the bar's namesake, Adelaide Brennan, the Swizz aims for Auntie
Mame style: classy and a bit bawdy. Bar chef Lu Brow executes classic
cocktails and her own creations with panache (and can give you a
fascinating lesson in Advanced Mixology), but off-hours table service
can be erratic. When Lu's on the scene, it's tops.
34 The King Pin Bar
1307 Lyons St., 891-2373; www.kingpinbar.com
Sinful crimson walls with black trim and an Elvis shrine set the
tone at this Uptown late-night drinking spot. Short on bar space, the
King Pin makes up for it with fast-moving bartenders, one of the city's
few extant shuffleboards and a service-industry crowd that doesn't mind
bumping elbows with newcomers.
35 Vaughan's Lounge
800 Lesseps St., 947-5562
Any serious New Orleans drinker has to spend at least one night at
this iconic Bywater bar. There's tree-stump seating outside, a
split-level interior that boasts a ping-pong table down below and an
inexpensive bar up top, but it's the age-ranging crowd that keeps the
locals and tourists coming in.
36 Cosimo's
1201 Burgundy St., 522-9715
Positioned like a postage stamp on the French Quarter's downtown,
lakeside corner, Cosimo's has the warm charm of the heart of the area's
residential blocks. The spacious front room, with its long bar, is just
elegant enough to be a world apart from the rowdiness of Bourbon
Street, yet casual enough to let the hours slip away in hazy cheer.
37 Pat O'Brien's
718 St. Peter St., 525-4823; www.patobriens.com
Save the piano bar and the patio for when you have guests. Instead,
slip into the locals' bar (opposite the piano bar at the St. Peter
entrance), order a proper cocktail, drink in the dark coolness,
ruminate on the photos on the wall and be grateful Pat O's preserved a
corner where New Orleanians can make a memory or two.
Photo by Gary Loverde Le Bon Temps Roule is a popular neighborhood watering hole and music spot.
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38 Le Bon Temps Roule
4801 Magazine St., 895-8117
By day, the front bar provides a solid food menu, drinks, pool and a
dark, cool respite from the oppressive heat. At night, regulars are
willing to share, and the back bar opens up for brass bands and other
local acts — normally without a cover charge — making this
an always-reliable music and drinking venue.
Photo by Gary Loverde An eclectic downtown crowd gathers at the AllWays Lounge.
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39 AllWays Lounge
2240 St. Claude Ave., 218-5778; www.marignytheatre.org
Apparently feeling "Cowpokes" had a certain connotation, the
operators of St. Claude Avenue's queerest rodeo changed the name to the
less-categorical AllWays Lounge, and watched as all manner of downtown
drinkers adopted the welcoming saloon as their own. The Marigny Theatre
lobby, ideal for pre-show imbibing, is now a destination in its own
right, with the most engaging, entertaining barkeeps east of St. Ann
Street.
40 The Saint Bar and Lounge
961 St. Mary St., 523-0050
A heavy door opens like a vault to reveal the Saint's insides, which
may include an impromptu late-night dance party or just regulars at the
after-hours hangout of choice for a certain breed of twentysomething
tattooed folk. The bar is a Technicolor spectacle of dirt-cheap drinks,
a cheesy video arcade and a photobooth with output steadily gracing
Facebook profiles citywide.
41 Winstons' Pub and Patio
531 Metairie Road, Metairie, 831-8705
Who'd ever think a homesick Englishman could find a properly poured
Guinness Stout paired with a plate of fish 'n' chips on Metairie Road?
He would discover many more reminders of home: a dark mahogany bar, a
British invasion jukebox and assorted U.K. memorabilia. The crowd won't
be the typically diffident English variety, however, so he might be
forced to make friends.
42 Bar Noir (Le Chat Noir)
715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812; www.cabaretlechatnoir.com
This tiny, tony spot is a slice of Manhattan's Upper East Side on
St. Charles Avenue, and an after-show hangout for the theater crowd.
Paulee, the genial Glaswegian mixologist, fixes great well drinks and
specialty cocktails, and you may spot Bryan Batt or Becky Allen sipping
on the settee.
43 Parasol's Restaurant and Bar
2533 Constance St., 897-5413; www.parasols.com
With cheap and hearty eats and matching drinks, this is the epitome
of Irish Channel neighborhood joints. Proud regulars proclaim the
ancient walls could fall down at any time but the most likely occasion
would be St. Patrick's Day when the party spills on to the streets and
surrounding blocks.
44 45 Tchoup
4529 Tchoupitoulas St., 891-9066
A stone's throw from Tipitina's, 45 Tchoup puts a new shine on a
Louisiana basement bar hidden among a row of shotgun homes. The digs
inside this watering hole include a reclaimed-wood bar, a popular
trivia night and a refuge for expat Red Sox fans.
45 Wit's Inn
141 N. Carrollton Ave., 486-1600; www.witsinn.com
Mid-City needs its own Cheers, and Wit's provides it with
pool, satellite TV, WiFi, a friendly crowd and damn good bar food (the
pizza is a reliable standby when Venezia across the street is too busy;
try the Wit's Works). Plus it's cheap and no kids allowed. What's not
to like?
46 Balcony Bar and Café
1104 Harmony St., 895-1600
Pick your poison: Downstairs, this Garden District dive overflows
with thirsty service-industry workers, crowding around pool tables,
talking shop and turning their tips into someone else's. Tackle the
deadly staircase, however, and the tavern's namesake perch offers a
vastly different vantage point — a breezy Magazine Street
treehouse where cheap eats and pitchers of Abita require no
password.
47 Bullet's Sports Bar
2441 A.P. Tureaud Ave., 948-4003
Bullet's is cut from the old-school cloth of New Orleans joints, and
built in a raised 7th Ward house. Buy a pint of liquor from the bar and
get all the set-ups to mix your own drinks, or hang at the bar with a
longneck to talk Saints odds with regulars.
48 Yuki Izakaya
525 Frenchmen St., phone n.a.; www.myspace.com/yukiizakaya
Inspired by the land of the rising sun, you have to wait till well
after sundown to enjoy Japanese bar food and twisted cocktail
concoctions at this Frenchmen Street oddity. After a few rounds from
Yuki's sake or shochu list, the X-rated bathroom art may suggest a
strange Tokyo decadence.
49 Molly's at the Market
1107 Decatur St., 525-5169; www.mollysatthemarket.com
Somewhat faded from its glory days, Molly's remains thick with
tradition, helping keep its place in regulars' hearts and minds. The
rallying point for St. Patrick's Day and Halloween parades, it can be
relied on daily for a diverse and colorful clientele at its bars and
hanging from its front window.
50 Avenue Pub
1732 St. Charles Ave., 586-9243; www.theavenuepub.com
Long known as an around-the-clock and rough-around-the-edges saloon,
the Avenue Pub has shed some of its pedestrian ways. The bar features a
brand new tap system pumping an improved offering of imported and
domestic drafts. And the grill is now run by the founders of J'Anita's
during the day, offering creative dishes from the former Lower Garden
District barbecue spot.
Click here for more from our bar issue!
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