What to do in New Orleans? (1 Viewer)

Here is the "Official" Thread I'd go there - https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/topic/371326-official-new-orleans-thread/?tab=comments#comment-7869247

My personal tip is to avoid Bourbon - except for French 75 and maybe a few other rare spots. Spend your time on Frenchmen St. for music or elsewhere in the city. 

Everyone has their own ideas and likes - I will say I have had some of the best times of my life at Vaughns in the Bywater - Corey Henry on Thursdays is the party. (BJ's on the next block is a wild time as well) By the way  homes around Vaughns go for 500K for a small shotgun up to 1M - hardly a ghetto.

NeverEnough said:

-Davenport's @ The Ritz is my new favorite place. We were there almost every night.

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I like this. It's quiet during the day. It's an old building that has childhood memories for me. It can get crazy at night. It has its own music room / library. Totally confusing to get to. Also, good music. Perfect.

NeverEnough said:

Also, going through the ghetto to get there was super fun.

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Eh, no not really.

NeverEnough said:

Whomever said go to Vaughan's in the Bywater for good music without bs is clearly asleep at the wheel. Place is a crap dive bar. $20 cover as well? SMH. Apparently, we also got there while the band was on break. We were told they will be back. Yea, never came back.

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It's changed IMO. People remember the cheap/no cover Ruffins days. Word of mouth kills everything, oh well.

ren hoek said:

Sent a message to @SaintsInDome2006, but it looks like his inbox is full.  Anyway I'll be headed down to the French Quarter for a few days (never been before) and was wondering if you guys got any pro tips for tourists out there.  

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Reeeennnnnn! Good for you. Yeah sorry about my inbox, that's years of stuff. - Also, sorry I missed your @ earlier, just missed it.

I'll have to think about this, what's your speed? Food, beer, liquor/drinks, history? I feel some pressure here but I'd hate to leave you empty handed. I don't want to pelt you with ideas, like I said give me some targets to hit.

Let me know what you're interested in and I'll do the best I can.

ren hoek said:

Sent a message to @SaintsInDome2006, but it looks like his inbox is full.  Anyway I'll be headed down to the French Quarter for a few days (never been before) and was wondering if you guys got any pro tips for tourists out there.  

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Ren, fyi good info here if you scroll.

SaintsInDome2006 said:

Reeeennnnnn! Good for you. Yeah sorry about my inbox, that's years of stuff. - Also, sorry I missed your @ earlier, just missed it.

I'll have to think about this, what's your speed? Food, beer, liquor/drinks, history? I feel some pressure here but I'd hate to leave you empty handed. I don't want to pelt you with ideas, like I said give me some targets to hit.

Let me know what you're interested in and I'll do the best I can.

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My man!  We're not much for huge itineraries.  We pretty much like to do 1, maybe 2 things a day and be done with it.  We're there about 4 days... so I'll say a history thing, a few food things (no oysters! ) , a downtown walking/art thing, and a liquor thing.  I'm bringing my Tums with me, so don't worry about that.  Thanks a lot

ren hoek said:

My man!  We're not much for huge itineraries.  We pretty much like to do 1, maybe 2 things a day and be done with it.  We're there about 4 days... so I'll say a history thing, a few food things (no oysters! ) , a downtown walking/art thing, and a liquor thing.  I'm bringing my Tums with me, so don't worry about that.  Thanks a lot

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Alright amigo, let's try this (though I might stretch slightly out the quarter here, we'll see how it goes...):

History - take your pick - the first 3 you could do boom boom boom and get to drinking & food, the others are pick 1:

• St. Louis Cathedral - I like this, it's peaceful, calm and it's where the city was born. Right next to it is the Cabildo and Presbytere, - I'll add that right behind it is the Pirate bar where you can get an absinthe (if you're interested). - There is also good eating nearby, including Muriel's, Sylvain and Doris.
  
• Jackson Square - right by the Cathedral.
  
• The River - worthy seeing though being on the Ohio you've done the big river thing. - You can get to the moonwalk just across Decatur from the Square.
  
• NO Pharmacy Museum - odd, quirky, small easy. Royal Street, also right by Napoleon House. This is also quick. One of my uncles used to work here.
  
• Historic New Orleans Collection - Royal Street. Pretty simple.
  
• Louisiana State Museum - this is in the Cabildo, right next door to the Cathedral. - Fyi Napoleon's death mask is here. Legend has it (slightly mostly real) that NO was his escape plan to get away from Elba and start a new North American empire, didn't quite pan out but hey people still worship him here.
  
• Madame John's Legacy Or Gallier House - if you want to see an old NO colonial home.
  
• Irish museum. Very small but kinda neat. Free alcohol IIRC.
  
• St. Louis cemetery - by the Quarter but feels like you're leaving the quarter (and really you are). Weird old graves which we have a lot of. Marie Laveau is here. Definitely a sketchy neighborhood, don't go late if you go, seriously. Morning.
  
• WW2 Museum - this is not in the Quarter but it's not far as a walk. In the warehouse district (basically head towards the river, then take a right and keep going down Magazine). Bittersweet (coffee) and Peche (excellent restaurant) are along the way. - The WW2M is probably the no. 1 history destination these days. Another uncle volunteers there, I've done so also. Great place, especially if you're not into the aforementioned New Orleansy stuff, but it is a big complex. Full afternoon.
  
• I think the ghost tours are actually worth it, fun, silly, scary, learn some stuff about NO's old days along the way. Night time.
  

Walking art, really two choices:

• Royal Street & Chartres Street - this is easy. Just walk from one end to the other (eh not really the end to end, mostly the middle between the last two blocks on both sides). Lots of galleries and nice shops. - I'd say go to Carousel Bar for a drink on the front or back end. Eat at Mr. B's or Muriel's depending on where you are.
  
• Warehouse District - simplest easiest thing is to go to Julia Street, find a gallery and ask for a map of close by other galleries. - This would be the eat at Peche and WW2M itinerary.
  

Food things (sans ersters) - this of course depends on how fancy you want to be:

• Cheap/easy/cool interior - Napoleon House. Sazeracs and good NO food here.
  
• More cutting edge / expensive - R'Evolution. - On Bienville by Bourbon. Also nice bar, great wine.
  
• Traditional expensive - Galatoire's, Arnaud's or Antoine's. - This is either wonderful classic traditional NO or old/stodgy/boring, probably a question of what y'all like.
  
• In between, nice but easy and flavorful - Mr. B's (good gumbo).
  
• Romantic, late - Sylvain.
  
• Meat/steak - Doris, and Tommy Brennan's. Also, Rib Room (Royal Orleans).
  
• Fish - GW Finn's. Expensive.
  
• Gumbo (very easy/cheap) - Gumbo Shop - St. Peter.
  
• PoBoy - this is surprisingly tough in the quarter. Johnny's is the only place I would send someone.
  
• Muffaletta (traditional NO bigass samwich) - Central Grocery on Decatur or Napoleon House (this is actual a restaurant, Grocery really isn't).
  
• Fyi Tujague's, Acme and Felix's are touristy and erster-centric.
  
• Maspero's is definitely a stay-away IMO.
  
• Peche - down Magazine in the warehouse district. Very good.. in the cutting edge and semi-expensive category, but great.
  
• Cochon - in the warehouse district, not far from Ww2 museum. Also has a great deli with excellent meats & beer in back. Great chef.
  
• Herbsaint - in warehouse district, great chef.
  
• Sac Au Lait - in the warehouse district (might be a short uber for you rather than walk...). Expensive and on the exotic side but great. Not a scene.
  

Ok liquor (rubs hands... I'm not kidding when I say I may have been to every decent bar in this town):

• I'll join others and say stay away from Bourbon. If you must (because hey it is a thing) then go to Johnny White's on St. Peter, Absinthe House or Fritzel's (traditional jazz).  Otoh if you want to get hammered, oh it will take you roughly an hour any place left or right will do. Don't take shots from the shot girls, it's pretty much illegal #### in there.
  
• On Bourbon - the Royal Sonesta is an oasis. It has a great set of bathrooms (not kidding), plus the jazz club (which used to be Irvin Mayfield's, before Mayfield got busted for corruption (seriously even our jazz musicians get investigated here...)). Le Booze next door is ok too.
  
• In terms of normal, non-teenager drinking however:
  
• Carousel Bar - lovely setting in the Montleone. This goes with the art walk like I said further up.
  
• Napoleon House. Yes. Also food here.
  
• Hermes Bar - connected to Antoine's.
  
• Pirate Bar - Pirate's Alley. - Again absinthe here.
  
• Sylvain - Chartres Street. - Romantic, late night, but small.
  
• Ryan's pub - if you need to catch a sports event. 
  
• Kerry's pub - Chartres. Irish. If you want some Guinness and Irish music).
  
• Arnaud's 75. - Also classically pretty.
  
• R'Evolution.
  
• Royal Orleans - at St. Louis and Royal - Rib Room restaurant here and also a nice cool place to have a sophisticated drink in a nice setting.
  
• Blacksmith shop - on Bourbon - might be the oldest bar in America, might be the oldest standing thing in the quarter (debatable but possible), bad things have been hatched here over the years including by me but also various buccaneers, politicians and empire builders, crazy people watching.
  
• Cane & Table + Decatur. - Also a good restaurant. - If you want to basically do the Key West margaritaville thing, lower Decatur is a nice option from Bourbon. Decatur is fairly bohemian, with various gutterpunks, touristas, Nola old hands. You can kind of park yourself in one of these joints. Coops has the best food amongst them (aside from C&T, talking bar food but also some good NO options here).
  

If you must have music:

• Go to Frenchman Street - Spotted Cat, DBA, Snug Harbor.
  
• If you need to eat over there - Cafe Marigny.
  
• If you need a brewery over there go to Brieux Carre, on Decatur off of Frenchman
  
• One Eyed Jack's - in the quarter proper.
  
• Aforementioned "M" at the Ritz, formerly Maison Blanche. Great place to drink late, laid back, great music, often by the featured performer Jeremy Davenport. It can be cool and laid back with few in there but also seriously hopping in late hours on Fri and Sat. 
  

I may edit this if I think of anything else, I've focused on the quarter mostly. Main thing you need to know is: Bourbon is tourists and teens and strip clubs, Royal and Chartres are like another planet with art and nice restaurants and bars on hand, and Decatur is pretty bohemian.  And yeah I guess it's dangerous here. Do your Max Cady stare down thing, I'm sure Louisville has its own pitfalls and you have skillz, just don't let it get in the way of a good time. Just keep yer wits about ye, lad, and you'll be fine.

-SID

ren hoek said:

Sent a message to @SaintsInDome2006, but it looks like his inbox is full.  Anyway I'll be headed down to the French Quarter for a few days (never been before) and was wondering if you guys got any pro tips for tourists out there.  

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Love you, SID. Nothing better than an LA brother.  

@SaintsInDome2006 with a great writeup. There are definitely some Gems in the quarter among the tourist traps. 

Cafe Amelie is a regular brunch stop for us when in the quarter area on a dice day. The courtyard is gorgeous and the food/service is exceptional. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Jazz Brunch.

Palace Cafe also provides a standout (albeit more upscale) Jazz Brunch on Canal. You COULD roll in here with your Crocs and Cargo shorts but I’d advise against it. Impeccable service/atmosphere and a great Bloody Mary bar. 

One Eyed jacks always seems to provide and entertaining round or 6 of drinks when in the quarter. 

St Louis Cemetery is awesome. Highly recommend one of the cemetery tours... the history/stories are absolutely worth it. Nicholas Cage’s (yes the living movie star) tomb being one of them... 

brohans i just found out that there are several parneras in the greater new orleans area so now you are covered for things to do you could just visit all the new orleans parneras and bam you got a slideshow to show your neighbors when you get back take that to the bank brochachos 

SaintsInDome2006 said:

I may edit this if I think of anything else, I've focused on the quarter mostly. Main thing you need to know is: Bourbon is tourists and teens and strip clubs, Royal and Chartres are like another planet with art and nice restaurants and bars on hand, and Decatur is pretty bohemian.  And yeah I guess it's dangerous here. Do your Max Cady stare down thing, I'm sure Louisville has its own pitfalls and you have skillz, just don't let it get in the way of a good time. Just keep yer wits about ye, lad, and you'll be fine.

 -SID

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Not that we were supposed to, but we’ve stuck to the guide pretty religiously.  We had beignets at Cafe Beignet this am, which were pretty good, but then we had beignets at Cafe du Monde.  Holy cow.  Those things were so good.  There were pidgeons walking around eating our beignet dust.  Thanks for the write-up, it is absolutely on point.  

We walked around the shops and St. Louis cathedral, ended up getting dinner at Napoleon House.  We ended up getting drinks at the little Pirate Alley cafe without even meaning to.  I probably spent $100 on.drjnks today.  I love that.  Just walking around with drinks all the time.  How is that not a thing everywhere?  Love this town!!  

Saintsindome2006- that was a great NOLA primer. I've been to almost every place you mentioned in your post.

We are headed back in a couple of weeks for wifey's 60th bday. When we lived in Destin we used to drive over about 6 times a year.

Our most memorable experience in NOLA was we happened to be staying at the Monteleone on the night the Saints won the SB in 2010. We watched the game at the Hilton and I settled our tab with 2 minutes left in the game when it was decided- the Saints were gonna be World Champs! We hauled ### out of the Hilton to head back to the quarter to fill our flasks, relieve ourselves at the Monteleone and head out into the mayhem. As we exited the Hilton I looked over at the casino and people started rushing out crazily jumping for joy, it reminded me of an ant's nest after I hit it with the mower- just tons of people pouring out, screaming WHO DAT?

We ended up in front of the Absinthe House where we high-fived  what seemed to be a million revelers. Cops rode horses around to try to control the crowd and pulled people off of light posts who were just looking for something to climb. It was pure pandemonium! I've been to NOLA for several NYE stays and those paled in comparison. We got back to our room around 4:00am.

The next morning as we dressed to check out and drive home my wife says, "Oh my God". She was putting on her white sneakers and there was a black tire track across the top of both of them. She said, "I must have gotten run over last night!". We figured it was probably a hot dog cart but we are still uncertain to this day.

Great stuff in here guys.  Going to be staying near Frenchman Street, looking forward to taking in some good jazz to wind down each evening.

What would you recommend in terms of breweries or cocktail lounges in general.

We went last weekend Fri - Mon.

Arrived Fri around noonish and stayed at the Monteleone.

Fri- Drinks at Pirates Alley and then Muriels, Carousel HH, walked to Restaurant August for a very good dinner. After dinner walked to the Saenger Theater to see Jerry Seinfeld who was surprisingly great. After the show a couple nitecaps at the Bombay Club.

Sat- walked around Jackson Square and down to the French Market for bloodies/screwdrivers at the Organic Banana. Walked down Royal and hit a few galleries and then walked over to the Roosevelt to see the Christmas display and a late lunch at Domenica, killer pizza. Naps. Mr. B's bar for fried oysters and gumbo yaya, I like to sit next to the service bar and chat with the waiters while they collect their cocktails, all very friendly. Riding Blanton's Manhattans this day, seems most bartenders collect the bottle tops to spell it out. Back to the carousel for great jazz and lucky enough to score a cocktail table on the window for amazing people watching. A note about the carousel bar @ the Monteleone- they open at 11:00am and are instantly packed- there is a line of people waiting to run inside and grab a barstool. The first day we were there I exercised good bar sense and nabbed a couple of stools from some people about to pay out, there are vultures circling the bar estimating the next people to get up. One guy offered us $20 if we'd notify him when we were getting up so he could nab the seats.

Sun- this may sound crazy in the best town for sunday brunch but I woke early and walked over to Krystal for a sack of greasy cheeseburgers- irrestible to me after a solid nite of slinging manhattans. Wife wanted to go to a little Cuban bar Manolito on Dumaine where she had some cuban goodies. I then went to the All American Sports Bar on Decatur to watch the early games, solid sportsbar with good taps and food. Wife went shopping.

Headed over to Orleans Grapevine for HH which includes baskets of bacon! Rack of lamb was really good along with great vino by the glass. Over to Jackson Square for a candle and Christmas caroling, it was packed and we didn't go through the gates but sang outside with many inebriated carolers.

Mon- early flight back to Tampa, thanks NOLA for a great weekend! 

Mammy - with all the great restaurants, August is my favorite.  Good call.  

Binky The Doormat said:

Mammy - with all the great restaurants, August is my favorite.  Good call.  

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This was our 4th time there and it wasn't as knockout crazy good as it's been in the past. Besh restaurants treading water after he was busted with the "me too" stuff. Domenica was good too although I see Chef Alon left there to open a place in Denver.

Joe Mammy said:

This was our 4th time there and it wasn't as knockout crazy good as it's been in the past. Besh restaurants treading water after he was busted with the "me too" stuff. Domenica was good too although I see Chef Alon left there to open a place in Denver.

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He left there quite a while ago and open Shaya in Uptown - then after Besh got busted he left Besh Group- tried to get his name back but was unsuccessful - he has a newer place called Saba in Uptown on Magazine. Not too far from the original haunts of McClures. Now he is opening a new place in Denver - he'll have them both in operation.

Bumping this thread, as my wife and I (and another couple) are heading to New Orleans in a few weeks. Staying 4 days.

We have sightseeing and restaurants down, but looking for recommendations about live music (jazz or otherwise).

I see some recommendations above, but that was 4 years ago and pre-COVID, so not sure if some of the best places have changed.

TIA

Love the food in NO, but I'd rather party in Nashville.