BARS
We all know a good percentage of most bachelor parties is spent putting in some serious bar time with the crew. New Orleans of course is home to literally thousands of bars, we’ve assembled a selection here to help you get your night started off before you head out exploring.
If you are still up around 4:30am this is where you’ll find the people that keep the French Quarter thriving stepping in for their post work drinks. The drinks are cheap and the locals are colorful, you may find anyone from your favorite bartender to your favorite “dancer” sidled up to the bar at The Alibi as sunrise approaches.
For the past 65 years the Carousal Bar has been famous for one very unique feature, the bar never stops rotating! Located just off the Hotel Monteleone lobby they are open to the public daily and offer a fantastic cocktail menu featuring New Orleans classics and new favorites. Their extensive bar bites menu also does not disappoint.Escape rooms are a great way to test how well you crew communicates and problem solves together. Boasting a very low 37% escape rate, this challenge is not to be taken lightly. Escape My Room New Orleans offers two different rooms for different group sizes and difficulty levels.
Located in The Roosevelt hotel, the Sazerac Bar is an upscale bar originally opened as the Main Bar in 1938. For decades the Sazerac Bar and the legendary Blue Room down the hall were home to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra to name a few. Named after what is widely considered to be the worlds first mixed drink, the Sazerac Bar makes a great place to soak in some New Orleans history over a pre dinner drink.
Really 5 bars in one, this is a must do. There are dueling pianos nightly, fountains that spit flame in the courtyard and even old German steins lining the ceilings in the main bar. Famous for The Hurricane cocktail, we recommended limiting your hurricane intake to one and exploring other drinks on the menu so as to prolong your Bourbon St. exploration.
Named after Jean Lafitte, an 18th century pirate that defended New Orleans from the British navy during the battle of New Orleans, this is the oldest bar in the city. Originally constructed as a blacksmith shop in 1722-1732, it now is home to two separate bars and a live piano player that is very receptive to requests. The classic drink here is the slushy like “Purple Drank” served in to go styrofoam cups, it’ll help with the heat of a hot French Quarter day.
LIVE MUSIC
The New Orleans live music scene is world famous, and for good reason. As the birthplace of jazz we have been a driving force in music nationally and internationally for well over 100 years. Your typical bachelor party only has one or maybe two nights to experience a little bit of that magic, so we’ve put together a short list of favorite and most reliable live music venues to make your planning a little easier.
One of the most famous venues in Uptown, the Maple Leaf has recurring nightly shows Sunday-Thursday and traveling acts Friday- Sunday. Its small physical size is more then made up for by the energy of the crowd, especially on Tuesdays when the Grammy winning Rebirth Brass Band plays. They’ve been known to host free seafood boils on Sunday’s, and sometimes at random.
This renowned Uptown New Orleans establishment is home to some of the coolest shows you can find around. Often voted one of the best big rooms in the country they are typically only open Thursday- Saturday nights they draw some big name acts. Tip’s is know to sell out often, so check out their website for tickets before making your way Uptown.
For the best Cajun Zydeco head over to Mulate’s, nightly shows run from 7:00pm to 10:30pm nightly. Known as the original Cajun restaurant in New Orleans you can get great local cuisine and soak up some Zydeco at the same time.
The jazz playhouse is the place to go for a quieter night of jazz and good food, free show
The most famous music venue in the French Quarter, Preservation Hall was the center of the New Orleans jazz revival of the 1950’s. Today the Preservation Jazz Hall Band plays three or four limited seating jazz sets every night in the hall that remains virtually unchanged for the last 50 years. Definitely get your tickets in advance!
For the last 30 years Snug Harbor has provided New Orleans with the best in Jazz, every night. Two shows each night with names such as Neville and Marsalis, this is where Jazz royalty likes to play. The layout of the space puts you directly in front of the best Jazz players in the country every night. There really is no bad seat in the house. Nightly shows at 8pm/10pm, $20 cover.
For intimate local and regional music on Frenchmen St. d.b.a. is definitely the place to check out. Their double sided bar allows you to grab a fresh drink in either room and the venues size guarantees you can hear every note from anywhere in the building. We recommend walking by, if you like what you hear the covers are usually quite low and the drinks are excellent.
One of the coolest little music joints on Frenchman Street, the Spotted Cat has some of the best Jazz, Zydeco, Blues and even little bit of Funk. Free on weekdays and a $5 cover on the weekends, you will not find a better deal in town. If you want to go where the locals go to catch great local music and maybe some lindyhop, this is your place.
CLUBS
While known for it’s live music, New Orleans offers a great selection of nightclubs if dancing and bottle service are more your style. Checkout our selection of New Orleans’ highest rated clubs!
Republic is a large upscale live music club featuring 6000 square feet of open, lounge, and high top seating, between it’s main floor and open mezzanine. Catering to a diverse mix of local and national acts, it’s definitely worth checking out their calendar. VIP lounge reservations and bottle service are available on both levels.
Every Saturday night Metropolitan opens it’s door to feature two separate clubs in one styled out building filled with smoke machines, intelligent lighting, and strobes. Complete with eleven bar stations, bottle service, and VIP table options, each room offers it’s own twist on the nightclub experience. Top 40 and Hip Hop on one side, the best in House, Electro, and Techno in the other.
The Gold Mine is one of those French Quarter places where the younger set goes to dance, drink flaming Dr. Peppers, and sweat through the night. It offers a no frills unencumbered good time until the sun comes up, if you can keep up.