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Home » BLOG » USA » The 10 Best Bars in NOLA for Your 2020 Trip

The 10 Best Bars in NOLA for Your 2020 Trip

By Matt Forma Last Updated February 6, 2020

THE BEST BARS IN NOLA (Getcha Drank On)

It’s unlikely you’ll ever visit another place quite like New Orleans. French and Spanish influences with a dash of Southern charm and a sprinkle of African voodoo combine to create America’s most intriguing city. NOLA is a special place. Hard times make people come together and you’ll be welcomed by the locals whose joie de vivre is contagious. So relax, be easy, and soak in the revelry at the best bars in NOLA.

Bourbon Street in New Orleans at dusk
There’s more to New Orleans than Bourbon Street.

Several drinks were invented within these city limits, including one of the oldest American cocktails that gained popularity in the mid-1800s, the Sazerac. Sip the official whiskey cocktail of The Big Easy in a classy setting. On the other hand, don’t forget the Hurricane. A potent drink infamous for its ability to encourage bad decision making and illegitimate children. Limit your intake and beware of sexy strangers. On that note, let’s get to it, here are our top recommendations on where to imbibe.

Maple Leaf Bar

mapleleafbar.com
8316 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Maple Leaf Bar in Uptown Best Bars in NOLA
The neon sign in front of the legendary Maple Leaf Bar.

Opened in 1974, this unassuming venue hosts live music seven nights a week. Go here on any Tuesday night and see the  Grammy award-winning Rebirth Brass Band. Grab a cold beer and dance the night away with locals and college students from Tulane and Loyola University. $20 cover. This is the quintessential New Orleans experience. Try to get upfront for the second set and to really feel those horns.

Rebirth Brass Band at Maple Leaf Bar
Grammy-award winning Rebirth Brass Band plays every Tuesday night at the Maple Leaf one of the best bars in NOLA for live music.

Carousel Bar

hotelmonteleone.com/carousel-bar
214 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA

Carousel Bar in New Orleans, Louisiana
Is it me or is the room spinning? Photo by: VXLA licensed using CC BY 2.0

Come and sit at this bedazzled revolving bar inside the luxurious Hotel Monteleone. Yes, you heard that right, revolving bar. This iconic Merry-Go-Round has been rotating for 60 years! They’ve got a comprehensive list of craft cocktails, including two their bartenders created. This is one of the most popular bars in New Orleans, so be ready to wait! Food & Wine ranked this one of the best bars in the world. Hey, you might even spot an A-list celeb sitting across from you. Is that you Brad Pitt?

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

lafittesblacksmithshop.com
941 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana
It’s your chance to enjoy a drink at the oldest bar in New Orleans and one of the oldest in America. Photo: Yair Haklai [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Built between 1722 and 1732, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop is older than the Declaration of Independence. Nobody knows for sure, but it’s probably the oldest building in the United States to be used as a bar. In true NOLA fashion, it’s believed to be haunted and we wouldn’t be surprised if it was. Its definitely got some mystery hidden in those dusty brick walls.

It’s believed that New Orleans’ most infamous pirate, Jean Lafitte, may have used it as a safe place to transfer smuggled goods. His brother Pierre Lafitte was a blacksmith in this building. There’s a sing-along piano bar in the back, which would feel cheesy almost anywhere else, but it works here. It’s one of the few establishments on Bourbon Street worth revisiting. Sample their pre-made Voodoo Daiquiri or wide Abita beer selection.

Going to NOLA? Read next: Where to Eat Your Heart Out in New Orleans

Jean Lafitte’s Old Absinthe House

oldabsinthehouse
240 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA

Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House. Best bars in NOLA
Grab a drink with the ghost of Jean Lafitte at this haunted bar on Bourbon Street.

It’s easy to walk by this centuries-old establishment along Bourbon Street without even realizing it’s cultural significance to New Orleans. Adorned with dusty football memorabilia you’d never know it’s considered one of the city’s most haunted buildings.

Jean Lafitte is rumored to still haunt this place. The legend says that he met Andrew Jackson here to arrange a pardon for his smugglers in exchange for fighting to fend off the British in the Battle of New Orleans, the final battle of the War of 1812. The likes of Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, P.T. Barnum, Mark Twain, FDR, and Frank Sinatra have all knocked back a drink here. Why wouldn’t you do the same? Try one of their unique absinthe cocktails.

The Blind Pelican – Closed

theblindpelican.com
1628 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

A view in front of the Blind Pelican in New Orleans, Louisiana
Come for the oysters, stay for the oysters. Photo: Mike Tilley [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Please just go to this place! Not only is it located in the beautiful Garden District, but it has the BEST happy hour! From 4-8 pm every day, they offer .25 cent oysters ($3 a dozen) and $10 per dozen chargrilled oysters when you purchase an alcoholic beverage. It doesn’t get any better.

We love raw oysters, but their chargrilled oysters were some of the best we had in the city. They’re Italian style with garlic herb butter, tomato, parmesan, and french bread. Dip the bread in the melted butter, spoon the oysters onto the bread, and blastoff! A pure miracle in your mouth. We also met a few of the friendliest bartenders we’ve encountered anywhere. It’s open 24 hours a day, so you’ll have plenty of time to sober up before the next happy hour. *Update: Unfortunately someone has told us that this bar has now closed.

Spotted Cat Music Club

spottedcatmusicclub.com
623 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Spotted Cat Music Club New Orleans, LA
The music at this bar will leave your ears purring like a kitten.

The tourists go to Bourbon, the locals go to Frenchmen. There are loads of fun bars on Frenchmen Street but “The Cat”, seems to have the best music. While most of the clubs end their music at 2:30 am this bar can continue past 3 depending on the size of the crowd. Featuring eclectic artists, it’s a small intimate venue that became our favorite on Frenchmen.

Bamboula’s

bamboulasnola.com
516 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116

A live band plays at Bamboula's on Frenchmen street in New Orleans
Live music under the lights at Bamboula’s on Frenchmen Street.

This brick-walled bar has live local jazz and blues music. It feels like you’re in a 1920’s wine cellar, so get a table under the chandeliers and have a ball. Music starts around 9 or 10 pm and typically ends at 2:30 am. We saw @bonbonvivant perform and the energy was magnetic! Their kitchen offers casual Caribbean Creole cuisine, and we liked the crab cakes but the main reason you go is for the drinks and the tunes.

R Bar

royalstreetinn.com
1431 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 701

R Bar and Royal St Inn New Orleans, LA
R Bar & Royal St Inn near Frenchmen Street. Photo of New Orleans [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
We went here after a wild evening of live music on Frenchmen St. R Bar is typically open later than the bars on Frenchmen and it’s just around the block. There’s also a B&B upstairs and they offer free haircuts on Mondays!

PJ and Jackie were the bartenders when we strolled in at 3 am, and we had some great conversation with them. Ya know, the kind of conversation that only happens in the gin-soaked hours of the morning. PJ has lived in Nawlins for fifteen years and he gave us several recommendations on where to eat. This dimly-lit haunt is the perfect setting for a nightcap.

Pat O’Brien’s

patobriens.com
718 St Peter, New Orleans, LA 70116

Pat O'brien's in the French Quarter lit up at night in New Orleans
Pat O’brien’s in the French Quarter the home of the Hurricane.

Pat O’Brien’s is home to the famous “Hurricane”, a rum cocktail made with passion fruit, orange, and maraschino cherries. It gets its name from the hurricane lamp glass it comes in.

The bar is set in a historical building, built in 1791, that has a lavish green courtyard. They host dueling piano shows that typically run Monday-Thursday from 6:00 pm to close and Friday-Sunday 2:00 pm to close. Although we wouldn’t say hurricanes are our favorite libations, Pat O’Brien’s is a New Orleans classic.

Tropical Isle

tropicalisle.com
610 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Tropical Isle best bars in NOLA
Stop into this kitschy bar to try the Hand Grenade “New Orleans Most Powerful Drink”. Photo: Sean Davis License: Attribution-ND 2.0

This tacky tourist bar is not one of the best bars in NOLA by any means, but its claim to fame is having the city’s most powerful drink, “The Hand Grenade”. It’s a trademarked neon green melon flavored concoction poured into a plastic yard glass featuring a cartoon grenade-like man.

We shared one and felt a nice buzz. Safe to say you shouldn’t have one at the end of the night. It’s very Bourbon street, but the live music and kitschy decor make it a fun and dumb thing to do. Order their “Shark Attack”, another comical cocktail, and watch what happens next…

Honorable Mentions

Here are a few other bars we didn’t get the chance to visit, but hope to hit next time.

Arnaud’s French 75

The Sazerac Bar

Tipitina’s

The Bulldog

Have you been to the Big Easy? Where do you like to get your booze on?

The Best Bars in New Orleans // Why We Seek
Planning a trip to The Big Easy in 2020? Pin this for later!
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About Matt Forma

Co-founder of Why We Seek. Blogger/Photographer/Foodie. Currently exploring Mexico and eating all the tacos! Follow us on Instagram @whyweseek

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Hey! We’re Sindhya and Matt. We travel slowly on a budget, seeking delicious food and a life of adventure.

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