New Orleans is a great destination for bachelor parties, with its lively clubs and fun activities on Bourbon Street. But there's more to the city than just the famous Preservation Hall. From Chickie Wah Wah in Mid-City to Tips Uptown and d, b, a. In Marigny, there are plenty of gems to explore.
Whether you're looking for a place to have dinner and see a show or just want to dance until dawn, here are some of the best places to go for nightlife in New Orleans. The Maple Leaf Bar is Uptown's main music venue, besides Tipitina. It focuses on local musicians, and many stay at the bar. Some of the city's best funk artists perform here, from Jon Cleary to George Porter and Johnny Sketch. Maple Leaf is on Oak Street, which is a prime spot to have dinner and see a show.
Customers can enjoy the best music in New Orleans here seven nights a week. The fame of Maple Leaf once attracted Beyonce Knowles to shoot a promotional video for one of her singles, and from time to time there are special guests who participate on stage (Bruce Springsteen and Bonnie Raitt have done so in the past). While local musicians are entertained, customers relax on comfortable sofas and drink cocktails at this popular Marigny lounge. The Spotted Cat was frequently featured on the HBO series Treme, and you might hear The Davis Rogan Band perform. Rogan is the real person that Davis's DJ character was based on.
The first shows attract a larger audience and there's usually no cover charge, just a drink at the very least. Although food isn't served, there are plenty of places where you can grab a bite if you need it. The expanded club now offers more elbow room, although finding a seat is still difficult. Bourbon Street is the best party area and epicenter of nightlife in New Orleans, with the highest density of nightclubs and bars. Located in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel, the Sazerac bar has barely changed since it opened in the 1930s.
No, the homonymous drink wasn't invented here, but they make excellent cocktails and it's a bar that seems to have been seen a lot, partly because of the bullet hole in the wall from a coup attempt that went wrong. This place is usually packed with people, from local politicians to bachelorette parties, and it's a good place to start a night before taking the inevitable stroll down Bourbon Street.
Cane & Table
is hard to define - is it a restaurant with great drinks or a stylish cocktail bar that serves surprisingly good food? Either way, it's one of our favorite spots in the French Quarter, and its large backyard is the perfect place to escape the chaos of nearby Bourbon Street. They have one of the most diverse cocktail menus in the city and serve a mix of great small plates and starters for when you're hungry. Whether you need a place for a large group or a place for a date, Cane & Table has what you need.The Bulldog
is a beer bar in Uptown with a large patio and some of the best bar restaurants in the city.It's far enough from the French Quarter that you don't have to worry about too many bachelor parties or flocks of tourists arriving, unless they specifically come to see the large selection of beers, of course. If you're looking for a quiet night during your next visit to New Orleans, be sure to spend a night on this spot's patio. In recent years, New Orleans has seen a lot of new craft breweries emerge, but our favorite is Parleaux Beer Lab. This beer and beer garden is located on the farthest end of Bywater, near The Joint and Bacchanal, and, in addition to serving lots of seasonal beers, it houses different food trucks most nights of the week. Stop by for some beers and some food, or you can even go to a yoga class here in the morning if you want. After leaving a show at Tipitina's, walk to Le Bon Temps Roule to play pool, see another show, or just drink until morning.
This dive area never closes and is always full of locals at any time of the day, so it doesn't matter if you need a shot or a beer, or just want to ask someone who knows what “lagniappe” means - come here.
The Saint Bar & Lounge
, in the Lower Garden District has a large backyard and foggy dance floor with DJ until 4 in the morning. It looks like something between a biker bar and real cave but it's great for when you feel like drinking cheap beers and dancing with like-minded strangers until dawn. When you go out to Marigny one way or another you end up at Mimi's, which stays open until 4 in the morning. This place finds its way into your heart whether it's because you want to have few beers and play pool on ground floor or because of surprisingly good tapas and large balcony on second floor. There's no doubt that Mimi's is local place but all regular customers are very friendly and eager to tell you about neighborhood so don't be surprised if your supposed drink turns into an hour-long summary of history of New Orleans.Barrel Proof
, located in Lower Garden district has 288 reasons why you should come here - their selection of craft beers! It's also great spot for late night snacks as they serve delicious food until late hours.Conclusion
New Orleans has something for everyone when it comes to nightlife - from lively clubs on Bourbon Street to cozy bars off-the-beaten-path.Whether you're looking for live music or just want to dance until dawn - there are plenty of places where you can do just that! So grab your friends (or your date) and explore all that New Orleans has to offer!.
