New Orleans has never shied away from bacchanalia, and what better complements that festive spirit than a good drink? The city’s cocktail culture is an integral part of its identity; New Orleans is the birthplace of the Sazerac, Hurricane, and Ramos Gin Fizz. These drinks debuted in saloons, soft drink stands that sold home brews during Prohibition, and storied bars, paving the way for the city’s party-all-the-time persona.
But the heart of the city lies in community and tradition, fueled by second lines and red beans and rice on Mondays, and there’s far more to drinking in New Orleans than Hurricanes and throwing beads on Bourbon Street. A passion for innovation and a bit of lore makes bars old and new appealing.
French Quarter mainstays include a mix of dive bars and craft cocktail lounges with a centralized location that draws both residents and visitors alike. At Old City haunts like Sazerac Bar, the beloved trio of whiskey, bitters, and sugars is still fervently poured into an Herbsaint tinged old-fashioned glass and garnished with a lemon peel. NightBloom in the Bywater shines a light on locally owned and operated distilleries in a laid-back setting that feels like coming home after a long day of work.
Read on for nine of New Orleans best bars to visit right now.
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321 N. Peters St., New Orleans, LA 70130
@latitude29Nola
In a city full of frozen libations, this tiki bar tucked away on the ground floor of the Bienville House Hotel stands out thanks to Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. The cocktail historian has authored seven award-winning books on tiki drinks and was dubbed “the Indiana Jones of tiki drinks” by The New York Times. The cocktail menu here spans the entire 90-year history of tiki drinking, from lost vintage recipes that Berry unearths in his books to his own original cocktails. You can take your pick from classics like mai tais and zombies or delve into an iced take on a hot buttered rum called the Pontchartrain Pearl Diver. Instead of a kitschy thatch and beach-bar aesthetic, Latitude 29 immerses visitors in polished antique woods that were specially commissioned by neo-tiki artists Bosko Hrnjak and Danny Gallardo.
You Should Try: Outcast of the Islands, L29’s signature gin drink, which includes fresh lime juice, ginger liqueur, cinnamon and orgeat syrups, Herbsaint, and a float of ginger beer—all served in a hollowed-out hand-carved ice shell shaped like an igloo.
3100 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans, LA 70117
@nightbloombar
Set in the Bywater on the corner of St. Claude Avenue and Clouet Street, NightBloom is a late-night hangout helmed by the team from one of the city’s most celebrated wine bars, Bacchanal. Opened in 2024, NightBloom highlights many women-owned, minority-owned, and single-family spirits from the region, including rye whiskies by Exclave Spirits and River Basin Distillery. Inside the dusty pink and teal interior, visitors can grab a seat at the warmly lit bar bathed in purple and red lights. General manager and head bartender Justin “Juice” LeClair curates a rotating list of eight cocktails intentionally priced between $10–$16—options include a white Negroni infused with rose water and a cosmopolitan remixed with hibiscus-infused Polish vodka. Underneath the Purple Rain buzzes with herbal notes from aloe liqueur and lavender-infused gin. Beyond its drink offerings, a calendar of events including food trucks and guest DJ sets.
You should try: Miss V, a bright take on a green smoothie brought to life by tequila and mezcal shaken with a house-made verdita consisting of cilantro, mint, jalapeño, pineapple, fresh lime juice, and a dash of salt.
1026 St. Louis St., New Orleans, LA 70112
@jewelnola
Jewel of the South shattered the image of the French Quarter’s dive bar scene when it opened in 2019. The bar’s name pays homage to the original Jewel of the South, run by Joseph Santini, one of the 19th century’s most famous bartenders. Today the 1830s Creole cottage has been brought back to life by former cofounder Nick Detrich and head bartender Chris Hannah, who takes daring swings of flavor paired with expert technique. The Pouves-Vous Poulet is a playful ode to poultry with duck-fat-washed rums, lapsang-tea-infused maple syrup, and Bitter Queens Caribbean Spice Bitters. An opulently nostalgic food menu includes loads of caviar, a crispy tripe with pickled onion, and Wagyu beef tongue with chanterelles, all of which can be enjoyed in the foliage-filled backyard.
You should try: Brandy Crusta, a Joseph Santini’s 19th century cocktail that has been resurrected with Remy 1738 cognac, a French triple sec, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, and Angostura bitters to create a tart and lightly spiced sip.
130 Roosevelt Way, New Orleans, LA 70112
@therooseveltneworleans
Housed in the historic Roosevelt New Orleans, the Sazerac Bar is a restored landmark, known for popularizing the Sazerac and Ramos Gin Fizz cocktails. Every year, Stormin’ the Sazerac, an event orchestrated as a publicity stunt to announce that it would abolish its previous men-only policy and begin serving women, is reenacted with events and participants decked out in period costumes. Though it’s often frequented for its Art Deco charm and historical cocktails, the Sazerac Bar also offers modern creations like the Chocolate Cherry Bomb, made with peppercorn-spiced Bombay dry gin, cherry, crème de cacao, amaretto, lemon, and all topped with an egg-free foam.
You Should Try: The Ramos Gin Fizz, a beloved New Orleans original made with Old Tom Gin, heavy cream, egg white, lemon and lime juice, simple syrup, and splashes of orange water. The cocktail offers a distinct texture thanks in part to a lengthy shaking process, often 12 minutes or more, which emulsifies the ingredients and creates a frothy head.
339 Baronne St., New Orleans, LA 70112
@baronessonbaronne
Owners Camille Whitworth and Sidney Webb have long welcomed guests to Baroness on Baronne with craft drinks and a cozy community vibe. Seasonal menus celebrate New Orleans history through local ingredients like Louisiana strawberries, smoked pecan bitters, Peychaud’s bitters, and Herbsaint rinses. Signature drinks include The Queen Bee, crafted with botanical gin and a house-made vanilla honey syrup. Behind the main room lies Secreto, a dimly lit, mahogany-walled speakeasy offering craft cocktails and storytelling around classic spirits.
You Should Try: The Little Boy Blue, a menu mainstay that brightens up vodka with fresh lemon juice, house-made blueberry syrup, and a sprig of earthy sage.
1201 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70130
@barrelproofnola
Barrel Proof’s dark wood interior feels like stepping into an old whiskey barrel—an apt theme considering more than 500 bottles of bourbon and rye are available in the low-ceilinged space. Restaurateur Robert LeBlanc and his team have created a neighborhood bar that takes its drinks seriously, a welcome addition to the New Orleans bar landscape which is notably short on dedicated whiskey dens. The usual lineup of whiskies are available alongside single-barrel and small-batch picks like E.H. Taylor and Cathead Distillery Old Soul Bourbon. Craft beers, cocktails, and wines are also available alongside food pop-ups from rotating vendors.
You Should Try: The Party Cat, named after the bobcat mascot who sits above the back bar wearing an ever-changing wardrobe of items from the lost-and- found bin. Wonderbird gin, lemon juice, allspice dram, crème de cacao, and St-Germain, impart warm, honeyed notes.
820 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70116
@bartonique
Three blocks away from Bourbon St., with just enough distance to hear your own thoughts, this dive-ish cocktail spot features a U-shaped bar inside an unadorned room. The reliable cocktail list is scribbled on chalkboard behind the bar with drinks like The Rocky Mountain, which features Torre Oria Brut NV Cava, El Dorado 5 Year Rum, Maraska Maraschino, house-made sherbet syrup, and lemon peel. There is also a dedicated punch section; the Ruby Punch centers port, Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, a distilled spirit made from sugarcane and red rice, and a house-made sherbert syrup. N/A sodas dubbed Temperance Drinks employ the aromatic flavors of a homemade strawberry syrup and celery bitters.
You Should Try: The Trinidad Sour, concocted with a base of Rye & Sons Rye Whiskey that imparts a warm depth created from Angostura bitters and notes of marzipan from a house-made orgeat syrup.
Address: 508 Dumaine St., New Orleans, LA 70116
@manolitonola
Many visitors walk past the plain exterior of this 199-year-old French Quarter building. Step inside, however, and the sounds of salsa and bright vintage Cuban posters instantly transport you. A photo and small shrine on the wall honor Manuel Carbajo Aguiar, a legendary bartender from Havana’s famous El Floridita, home of the classic daiquiri and a favorite of Ernest Hemingway. Manolito’s three owners, Chris Hannah, Nick Detrich and Konrad Kantor, traveled to Havana to learn from bartenders (called cantineros) about the craft of drink-making, then brought those Caribbean techniques back to the bayou. Daiquiris can be found on any corner in the Quarter, but almost none of them are as carefully crafted as the slushy standouts at Manolito. A flavor called Jazz includes Bacardi Añejo Cuatro, crème de cacao, coffee beans, and lime. Food plays an integral role in Manolito’s draw; small dishes include a classic mustardy Cuban sandwich and ropa vieja with raisins and capers that make each bite dance between sweet and salty.
You Should Try: The punchy guava daiquiri, which marries Cuba’s beloved fruit with cachaça and silky, floral violet liqueur.
757 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130
@charlesandjulianola
Spanning two levels of the Hotel Perle on St. Charles Avenue, Charles & Julia opened its doors in May with a cozy living-room-style lobby lounge and a sprawling rooftop terrace with skyline views. Beverage Director Allison O’Keefe helms a cocktail menu that includes lighter, aromatic cocktails to spirit-forward selections on the ground level, including a vibrant CBD Spritz that mixes vodka, strawberry, basil, elderflower, lemon, and sparkling wine. On the heavier side, the rich Jabberwocky layers bourbon with walnut, cinnamon, cacao, and Luxardo maraschino liqueur, while the robust Chicory Chicory Bang Bang highlights local flavors by blending rye with coffee-infused amaro, chicory, and pecan. Upstairs on the terrace, refreshing cocktails suited for outdoor drinking include the Summer Crush–made with tequila, watermelon, fig-balsamic, Acqua di Cedro, and lime.
You Should Try: The Génépy From the Block, made with blanco tequila, lemongrass, coconut, lemon, soda, and an alpine herbal liqueur called Génépy le Chamois that gives the citrus notes of the drink a sharp, cooling jolt of mint flavor.