We go a few times a year.
Absolute favorite thing to do is peruse the shops and art galleries on Royal Street and Chartres Street. Get early, grab some cafe au'lait, and walk the streets as the shops open. NOLA has some of the best local artists in the country that focus on the city they reside. By that I mean a lot of cities have art galleries out the wazoo, but many in NOLA are art specific to NOLA.
Potcake's list is good other than the ACME rec over Felix's. Last Saturday I had a blackened alligator poboy and chargrilled oysters from Felix's, as I've done before, and it was freaking amazing as always. ACME is good but it is very long lines for something that isn't worth the long line. It is popular because of name inertia. For years we'd laugh at the moron's standing in line at Acme as we walked into Felix's. There's often a line at Felix's now, and they had a massive expansion a few years ago due to the growing popularity.
We always stay at either Hotel Monteleone or Bienville House. Both are good locations. I wouldn't stay on Bourbon street unless you're under 35 and plan on doing a lot of things on Bourbon.
We stayed an Monteleone during Thanksgiving. It is beautiful during the holidays. I recommend requesting one of the remodeled rooms. That said, we stay at Bienville House so often when an opportunity purchase this painting presented itself over the weekend we couldn't pass it up. Retiring early is overrated.
The others mentioned are a few minutes walking from Bourbon and much lower chance of hearing hooligans partying at 2am 4 stories below your window.
Poboys - my favorite is Mahonys - I think their FQ location re-opened. Johnny's is very good too. It is cash only and closes at 4pm but there is an ATM in the restaurant.
R'evolution is very good and will also require a reservation. Their death by gumbo is a religious experience. They'll split it for two people. Also their blue crab beignets.
Jazz Brunch at Court of Two Sisters is very good and is buffet style. Don't be scared of turtle soup - it is fantastic and if you don't pour a little sherry on top you're doing it wrong.
The best charbroiled oysters are served on a plate that is soaking with garlic/herb butter, along w/a piece of french bread. Use the bread to mop up the butter.
Drinks -
- Latitude 29 - I'm a huge tiki fan. Make a reservation if you're going on a weekend, particularly in the evening. They open at 4pm and it is often impossible to get a seat w/out a reservation. Food is good too. Bonus - it is connected to Bienville House.
- Manolito's - only about 5 tables but fantastic cuban cocktails
- Lafitte's - wife loves the voodoo (frozen grape juice w/everclear) and I'm a fan of the hurricane. Much less sweeter than the wildly over sugared crap hurricanes at most places
- Port of Call - Monsoons are great but dangerous. Secret here is the burger. Get there 10 minutes before they open so you can grab a spot at the bar. Best place to sit.
- Erin Rose or Molly's at the Market - frozen Irish coffee
- Bourbon House - frozen milk punch
- Carousel Bar (or most places) - Sazerac
- 21st Amendment - great craft cocktails, often whiskey based, and nightly jazz bands.
- Bourbon'O - this is the hotel bar for the Bourbon Orleans and is on Bourbon St. It is however a bar w/professional 'mixologists' and you aren't going to find riff-raff in here getting their crunk on.
- As a first timer I definitely recommend Pat O's. I'm personally not a fan of their hurricane, it is too sweet for me, but still get one or a mint julip and soak in the court yard, flaming water fountain, etc. If you don't want the souvenir glass they server your drink in, do NOT leave it on the table. Take it to the bar for a $2 refund.
Note - you can order drinks to go anywhere, just request it in a go-cup. Likewise, no drink left behind. Ask your server or bartender for a go-cup.
Other - If
Charlie Halloran is playing go see him. One day we walked into Frenchman All Day on Frenchman street and he was there playing with his band The Tropicales. Absolutely incredible trombone player that plays a lot of Calypso type music, rhumbas, etc. Check his recent album "Shake the Rum" on Spotify. World class musician (as his resume shows) truly one of the unplanned random musical highlights of my life when we ended up spending 3 hours in FAD instead of 5 minutes to grab a drink.
If you want to be a badass and for your wife's undies to fly off, here's the magic - Go to Muriel's on Jackson Square. Walk past the host stand and make your way back to the bar. Order a drink (I recommend a Sazerac). Opposite end of the room from the bar is the stairwell upstairs. Go up and turn right. Visit the Seance room. Really cool room decked out in red. Then go back the opposite way past the stairs and walk out onto the balcony. Often at night you'll have this massive corner balcony to yourself looking out over Jackson Square. One year we were there with a few friends and there was a huge congregation of people singing Christmas carols in Jackson Square. There was a time that you had to walk through a large fancy reception/living room to get to the balcony. It would stink when you made it upstairs and the room was reserved for a private party. They've since walled it off and there's a dedicated hallway to access the outside. If you can get in that reserved room it is cool too - very old, period decorations, fireplaces, etc.
Safety - stay away from Canal Street at dark if you can. The street itself isn't that bad, but a lot of the muggings happen the last block or so before you reach Canal when heading from any of the streets in the French Quarter. Likewise if it is dark and you see "Rampart" street, run, don't walk, the opposite direction.
G Martin '87's taste in drinks is as fine as his taste in music. Here's my recent visit to Latitude 29.
Lastly here's our insane Bienville House painting. Can't wait to get it hung w/a dimmable art light. The artist's style is amazing with lights - when you dim an art light on his paintings it feels like the lights you see in the painting are dimming, and your visibility further away from the lights in the painting lessons, as does the perceived "output" of any lamp/lantern/etc. Wonderful wonderful artists on Royal and Chartres streets. I can't emphasize that enough. We aren't "art" people but over the last near 20 years what stuff we do have in our home has largely come from NOLA.
Staff - take out the trash.
