Immediate neighborhood of Venusian Gardens
(Faubourg Marigny)
Mimi's
2601 Royal Street
(504) 942-0690
Open very late (at least 2am but variable)
every night
A relatively new bar with a very friendly local, bohemian crowd.
A small but good selection of beers is available on tap.
R Bar
1431 Royal St.
(504)
948-7499
A jukebox full of rock anchors this eclectic bar, the better half
of a "Bed and Beverage" operation. In addition to the
wayward locals who drift here late at night to approximate games
of pool and swirl atop leopard-print bar stools in plus-size shades.
Cafe Brasil
2100 Chartres Street
(504) 949-0851
Ehlenberger got his start here, with his first exhibition in 1985.
Located on Frenchmen Street with a handful of clubs frequented by
both locals and out-of-towners in the know, this is certainly one
of the best places to end up on a night out in New Orleans. If a
popular band such as the Iguanas is playing, then it's strictly
standing and dancing inside. Modern jazz and experimental theater
draw smaller crowds of serious listeners who sit at comfortably
spaced tables. All kinds of music and people come to this bohemian
hot spot, and it's also a popular place to show off costumes on
Mardi Gras.
Snug Harbor
626 Frenchmen St.
(504) 949-0696
This intimate club just outside the Quarter is one of the city's
best rooms for soaking up modern jazz, blues, and R&B. It is
the home base of such esteemed talent as vocalist Charmaine Neville
and pianist-patriarch Ellis Marsalis (father of Wynton and Branford).
The dining room serves good local food but is best known in town
for its burgers. Budget-conscious types can listen to the band from
the bar without paying the rather high cover charge
The Spotted Cat
623 Frenchmen St.
(504) 943-3887
Rattan furniture in the storefront window makes a perfect perch
for an afternoon libation. Rarely overcrowded, the Spotted Cat is
an understated place in the middle of the Frenchmen Street scene.
Solo acoustic performers sometimes take to the small raised area
that passes for a stage
d.b.a.
616 Frenchmen St.
(504)
942-3731
A little slice of New York City comes courtesy of this southern
branch of New York's East Village hot spot. The polished look of
the two rooms sits a bit uneasily among the rough-and-ready feel
more typical of New Orleans bars, but the fine scotch selection,
among a plethora of other liquors, is unparalleled. Serious bands
sometimes play in the back corner.
more coming!
French
Quarter
El Matador
504 Esplanade Ave.
(504)
569-8361
The Matador belongs more to the Marigny than to the French Quarter
in spirit, sitting as it does at the beginning of Frenchmen Street.
The horseshoe-shape bar is a favorite perch among local and visiting
musicians and film types and the otherwise hip, day and night. Most
nights see live music
Central Business District (CBD)
360
2 Canal Street
World Trade Center, 33rd Floor
(504)
595-8500
Home to one of Ehlenberger's sculptures, this
is an exciting revolving lounge, sitting on the edge of the Mississippi
River overlooking the downtown and French Quarter. Alive with techno
and contemporary music, it is a favored dance spot. It is also the
BEST place to view New Orleans firework occasions, particularly
New Years Eve.
Mermaid
Lounge
1100
Constance Street
(504)
524-4747
One
of the hottest clubs for the best in local music,
located in the CBD, under the bridge, New Orleans.
more coming!