iKangaroo » New Orleans

New Orleans: Best boiled crawfish joints

Chris — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:00:55 +0000

2010 Update by Dylan O’Donnell- New Orleans

Every day is a festival in Louisiana. Literally. The soulful, sultry Bayou State in the southern U.S. boasts of more than 400 festivals annually. And just as Carnival (January 6^th-Ash Wednesday) winds down it’s time for another season: crawfish season! Known as crayfish outside of the linguistically-dynamic borders of Louisiana, these freshwater crustaceans are at their best from March until June. Similar to an American Barbecue, the people of southern Louisiana typically eat these tasty “mudbugs” at a crawfish boil: a large social gathering often in someone’s backyard where live crawfish are boiled in massive pots full of heavily spiced water, usually with garlic, cayenne, lemons, salt and pepper. In fact, Louisiana produces 90% of the crawfish in the world, 70% of which is consumed in the state. Popular items to boil along with the crawfish include sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, and whole garlic. Once done boiling and soaking, this cornucopia of spicy delectables is poured out onto a large table covered in newspaper, and finally covered in a last round of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Then its time to “belly up” to the table and chow down.

Although the meat inside the tail of the crawfish is the real prize, it is quite common, encouraged in fact, to suck the spiced juices from the head as well. So if you find your self lucky enough to end up in a backyard in southern Louisiana elbow to elbow with locals, staring down at a pile of bright red crawdads and someone asks if you “suck the head after pinching the tail”, don’t be offended, they’re just being nice.

For travelers to New Orleans without the luxury of a local contact, here are 6 places to grab some boiled crawfish and one place to try if you can’t make it to the Big Easy. And remember, crawfish go great with a cold pilsner, amber-bodied beer, or chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

Lucy’s Retired Surfers’ Bar: Located in the Warehouse District, this spot has long been a favorite happy hour spot for the working crowd, especially on Friday’s. During crawfish season Lucy’s does a boil every Sunday from 4:00 until they’re gone.
Yo Mama’s Bar and Grill: Just off Bourbon St. Yo Mama’s has a lot going for it: cheaper beer, great hamburgers, close to Bourbon, 60 + varieties of Tequila…and of course, crawfish. They do a boil during the season from Friday to Sunday starting at 12:30 until about 7:00.
Acme Oyster House: The NOLA classic serves up boiled crawfish everyday while they are in season.
Franky and Johnny’s: Located in the Uptown area of the city (up the river from the French Quarter) this is where the locals go for award-winning boiled crawfish when they’re not cooking them at home. Their solid menu features other New Orleans favorites like po-boys, muffulettas and homemade bread pudding. This place epitomizes the neighborhood bar and boasts a classic jukebox that only plays 45s. Dancing allowed.
Big Fisherman Seafood: Sells boiled crawfish by the pound for you to take away. Prices vary each season for a variety of reasons, but will generally fall between $3.50-$4.50/lb. Because the peeling, pinching and sucking motions necessary do not lend themselves to eating “on the go”, try the bar across the street (next).
Bulldog across the street has been kind enough to let people eat the crawfish at their bar; all you have to do is order a drink. Not a bad deal since they feature one of the best draft beer selections in the city!
Recommended! Deanie’s French Quarter: The original in Bucktown has been a New Orleans favorite for decades. Now they have opened up a brand new location in the French Quarter that serves up delicious seafood including a spicy and succulent crawfish boil.
Now for those of you who are not able to make it to New Orleans you can try Pappadeaux. This seafood kitchen has a few locations throughout the USA, which have a crawfish boil a couple of times weekly. Check their website www.Papadeaux.com for locations and days of the week.

Enjoy this video of how to eat the crawdaddies!

For those of you that are not able to make it to NOLA for the Crawfish season make sure you check out the great activities including a Running with the Bulls in the French Quarter put on my NOLA Bulls. Check out their link here.

NOLA Running of the Bulls 3rd Edition

Chris — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:50:37 +0000

NEW ORLEANS, La.— From July 6-14th the town of Pamplona, Spain becomes a daredevil’s paradise, when people gather for Sanfermines. Many may not know it by that name, but they are sure to know about its main attraction: the Running of the Bulls (encierro). New Orleans now hosts its own homage to this event from July 10-12th, called the San Fermin in Nueva Orleans festival (SFNO), brought to you by Nola Bulls, LLC.

On July 10th, 2009, the third annual SFNO will commence with El Txupinazo (pronounced choo-pee-NAHT-so) at Rio Mar Seafood Restaurant at 800 South Peters St., from 6-9 p.m. The guest list for this event has been expanded to 300 in order to accommodate the growing popularity of the event. Tickets are expected to sell out, so attendees are encouraged to reserve them early. Email info@nolabulls.com for more information.

Saturday’s encierro begins precisely at 8 a.m. as in Pamplona and will once again feature the Big Easy Rollergirls as the bulls. This year also includes rollerbulls from leagues in Baton Rouge, Houma, Houston, TX and Jacksonville, FL. It will begin at the corner of Conti and Burgundy in the famous French Quarter. After gathering at the Three Legged Dog Bar (see map point 1) at 6:30 a.m. for instructions, over 70 rollerbulls will be unleashed upon the runners (corredores). While death is highly unlikely, there’s always the threat of being battered by a foam-core bat or spraining an ankle! Either way, it will be “run at your own risk.” This year’s attendance is expected to grow significantly from the nearly 1,000 participants at last year’s encierro on July 12th, 2008.

After the encierro, the party continues at the Gazebo Cafe (see map point 2), located at 1018 Decatur Street. Tapas style food, sangria, Marques de Caceres and Dona Paula wines, Stella Artois beer, Old New Orleans Rum and Port of Barcelona Gin drinks, Obsello Spanish Absinthe, Cult Energy Drink and live music and DJ’s will be on-hand for all to enjoy.

SFNO 2009 will also introduce two new events. Saturday night’s Fiesta de Pantalones (Pants Party) at Chickie Wah Wah (2828 Canal St.) features Los Po-boy-Citos and Dr Gumbo’s Spanish Soundsystem, with doors opening at 8 p.m., and the show starting at 9 p.m. Sunday’s Pobre de Mi (Poor Me) at 12 p.m. will close the festival at a soon-to-be disclosed venue. Revelers will have a chance to relive the glory of SFNO 2009 and watch or participate in a Hemingway Contest.

For more information on all events, visit www.nolabulls.com.

A part of the proceeds for SFNO 2009 will go to Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO), an organization created and dedicated to the rescue and aid of abandoned and homeless animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi, including responding to the immediate needs of those animals in need of medical care, or who have been neglected, abused and deprived of love. ARNO promotes the foster, adoption, and reunion of pets with caretakers, as well as spaying/neutering of all companion animals.

Nola Bulls, LLC was founded 2007 and is a provider and promoter of entertainment and cultural events in the New Orleans area.

St. Andrew’s Day comes to New Orleans!

Chris — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:44:13 +0000

A New Festival from NolaBulls– the same crew who created NOLA Running with the Bulls– and the Reverend Psycho Ward.

St. Andrew was the first apostle and is the patron saint of Greece, Scotland, and Russia. His feast day Andrzejki (pronounced an-dzey-ki), celebrated on the night of the 29th through 30th of November, is the biggest party day of the year in Poland and is now being imported to New Orleans.

Traditionally Andrzejki was observed by young single girls who wanted to know who their future husbands would be, though today both young men and women join the party to see their futures – and to drink enough to forget the past or present or whathaveyou!

In the United States the fattened time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is generally reserved for shopping and digestion. Across the pond however, from Edinburgh to Warsaw, an important holiday is celebrated in a myriad of different ways: St. Andrew’s Day, the last raging feast before the traditional pre-Christmas fast.

Saint Andrew is also the patron of singers and performers of all stripes so it is customary for people to don his colors (blue and white) and take part in all sorts of entertaining activities. St. Andrew’s Day is the most auspicious day of the year, thus perfect for divining the future with all sorts of methods from tarot cards to examining wax formations poured through keys is employed to unlock your destiny.

This year St. Andrew’s Day comes to NOLA.

The details

On Saturday, November 29th at Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits on 600 Poland Avenue, you are invited to celebrate Andrzejki: St. Andrew’s Day in New Orleans! Brought to you by the Reverend Psycho Ward and NolaBulls. This will be more than a simple party, it will be a transcontinental event! Gates open at 4pm and then the activities begin at 6 o’clock with a bagpipe-led parade. St. Andrew’s Day will transform Bacchanal into a mystical wonderland of infinite delights! We’ve even signed on rising star chef Stephen Stryjewski of New Orleans’ paean of pork, Cochon, to cater the event!

The schedule:

4pm      Gates open!
6pm      Bagpipe parade
7pm      Kielbasa-eating contest
8pm      Wax-readings
9pm      Scavenger hunt
DJs, food and tarot card readings throughout.

Participants (that means you) are required to wear any combination of blue and white clothing and accessories.

The venue: Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits

Located the corner of Poland Ave. and Chartres in the historic Bywater section of New Orleans, Louisiana, this funky little wine shop oozes old world charm and bohemian flavor. The 200 year-old building and tropical courtyard make Bacchanal a must New Orleans destination. Featuring an incredible collection of affordable, world class wines and delicious artisan cheese, on St. Andrew’s Day Bacchanal will also have spirits and beer available, as well as premium vodka! Bacchanal also hosts wine tastings and guest chefs on Sundays.

New Orleans: Running with the Bulls

Chris — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:02:12 +0000

RUNNING OF THE BULLS IN NEW ORLEANS!!! SECOND ANNUAL: Many Americans dream of laying their bravado on the line in Pamplona, Spain by participating in the famed encierros of Sanfermines. Most Americans never get there! Why? Probably because they can’t take that much time or spend that much money. Maybe it’s because their spouse or mom won’t let them! Well, now they can get as close to that experience as possible, right here in New Orleans.

The second annual San Fermin in Nueva Orleans (SFNO) will commence at precisely 8AM, as in Pamplona, at the corner of Conti and Burgundy in the famous French Quarter. After gathering at the Three Legged Dog bar for instructions, the bulls, in this case played by 30 of the beautiful, yet equally imposing Big Easy Roller Girls, will be unleashed upon the corredores (runners). While death is highly unlikely, there’s always the threat of being battered by a waffle ball bat, or spraining an ankle! Either way, it will be “run at your own risk.” This year’s turnout is sure to be more than the nearly 200 participants at El Primero Encierro 07-07-07 (The First Running of the Bulls).

After the encierro the SFNO festival continues at the Gazebo Café, located at 1018 Decatur Street. Tapas style food, Marques de Caceres Spanish wine, Miller High Life beer, and Old New Orleans Rum drinks will be on-hand for all to enjoy along with the DJs and live music, all put together by Nola Bulls. For more information, visit www.nolabulls.com.

Nola Bulls, LLC was founded 2007 and is a provider and promoter of entertainment and cultural events in the New Orleans area.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Mickey Hanning, please call 504.247.3714 or email Mickey at mickey@nolabulls.com.

It’s Super Fat Tuesday!

Chris — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:01:12 +0000

Hello Travelers!

iKangaroo wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast for that matter, a fantastic and safe Mardi Gras. Also, we would like to thank our friend for sending the King Cake, it is delicious. A King Cake, for those who don’t know, is another spill over from the ancient Roman traditions that inspired Mardi Gras. It’s an oval-shaped cake made from gourmet cinnamon dough and iced with sugars in the Carnival colors of purple (for justice), green (for faith) and gold (for power). In ancient Rome, during the festival of Saturnalia, the Romans used to bury a bean in a pastry which insured fertility to the person who got the bean in their piece of pastry. Today the King Cake comes with a plastic infant, representing the baby Jesus, which is no longer buried in the cake but is placed on top to avoid chocking issues; the person who gets the baby is then obliged to bring next year’s cake. As of yet, we still don’t have a winner.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Here comes Mardi Gras 2008

Chris — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:49:03 +0000

Hello Travelers!

It’s that time of the year when New Orleans and other cities along the Gulf Coast partake in the leftover pagan ritual designed to get “it” out of your system before having to sow the fields. Now it just seems to be the day before Ash Wednesday that is an awesome world-class festival.

To New Orleanians Mardi Gras is when forgotten about acquaintances come out of the woodwork and act like best friends or family members just to couch-surf (i.e stay for free) for this great event. It’s when people you’ve never wanted to see naked and people you would pay money to see naked -as evidenced by Joe Francis making a mint on Girls Gone Wild- willingly put their business out out on the street as normally as ordering a drink.

Mardi Gras, if celebrated right, means that you’ll awake on Feb. 6th as though it was all a wonderful and sometimes freighting dream; however, if you don’t party correctly then you could wake up in the Orleans Parish Prison holding center. Either way you’ll have had a great time and, most likely, be slightly hungover.

If this is your first time doing Fat Tuesday then take heed and remember these 7 Mardi Gras tips. If you’ve been through this before then this will be a nice refresher course.

Welcome to Mardi Gras 101: 7 things to remember

Tip 1. Don’t urinate in public. You’ll see people doing it, and finding a bathroom can be a real pain, but peeing in public is now a lude felony in the Crescent City.
Tip 2. Unless it is a dire emergency, DO NOT BOTHER THE POLICE! Which means: do not pet their horses; don’t ask them for directions; DO NOT GET INTO A FIGHT and expect them to take your side. The NOPD is under extreme stress this time of year, and they will throw you in jail and not let you out until ASH WEDNESDAY. By the way, did I say that bail is pretty expensive? People think they can talk themselves out of their predicament but that won’t work because, well, you are drunk and your going to jail is cash in hand for NOLA.
Tip 3. Don’t talk to anyone who wants to discuss “where you got your shoes,” or any other odd riddles or seemingly benign challenges (i.e.bets) such as “I know where you’re from”. These apparently friendly chaps are scam artists and their purpose in life is to get your money. If approached, just ignore them and keep walking into the crowd. This may be particularly challenging for you friendly people who want to talk to the locals about New Orleans, but trust me and just move along. Answers: “Where you got your shoes”: On your feet; “I know where you came from”: From your mother. I know these questions are silly, but it’s best to not even engage these guys whatsoever.
Tip 4. See the parades, they are truly impressive and wonderful. Many people stay on Bourbon, or in the Quarter, but parades haven’t gone through these areas since the 60’s, due to the floats’ sizes and the small streets. Most parades can be caught on Canal, St. Charles, or Lee Circle. For more info www.nola.com/parades lists parade routes and times for all krewes (i.e. clubs of sorts that sponsor the parades).
Tip 5. Buy a package on Bourbon or other balcony areas. These packages run between $200 and $2000 per person, all with different offerings such as set entertainment, balcony access, buffets with world-class cuisine and most importantly, open bar. It may seem like a lot to spend, but these options can actually be a very economical deal. Just do the math: divide your food and drinks by $200 and then add a premium location and easy access to a toilet, priceless. To find a package that’s right for your budget and your interests call French Quarter Phantom Tours at 504-666-8300.
Tip 6. Don’t pick up beads off the ground because it’s considered a huge faux pas and will single you out as a tourist. Moreover, the ground is filthy thus making your chances of getting a Staph infection pretty good.
Tip 7. Show your Tips! That is, treat your bartenders and wait staff well. This season is a big for them and they work themselves to death this time of year. Plus, the bars are terribly crowded, so to set yourself apart from the competition (i.e. others pushing, shoving and yelling for a drink) it is a pretty wise strategy to attract your server with a few bills. As the old saying goes, “attract more bees with honey than vinegar.”

Where ever you go and whatever you do, I hope you all have a safe and happy Mardi Gras. I hope I see you here in the Big Easy!

Happy Travels,

Sarah L.

New Orleans: Best Hamburgers

Chris — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:09:28 +0000

Hello Travelers!

We know that people don’t pilgrimage to New Orleans for its hamburgers but after a couple of days of fried chicken, Hurricanes, etouffee, jambalaya and the other specialties you might be craving something simple and familiar. This doesn’t mean that you have to run for the Golden Arches when there are such delicious Cajun variations of the American Classic.

1. Port of Call: 838 Esplande Ave. New Orleans 504.523.0120 Burgers $7-$13

As the name implies this quaint place has a ship and shore decor theme complete with lots of rope, wood interior and a captain’s wheel or two. As the name does not imply, Port of Call serves up delectable torpedo sized burgers accompanied by king sized baked potatoes. By and far, Port of Call provides a ton of food for the dollar and thus a nice base and extra cash for later festivities.

2. Yo Mama’s: 727 St. Peter, New Orleans 504.522-1125 Burgers $7-$12

Located just steps from Bourbon Street, Yo Mama’s is a locals’ favorite in that it was recommended to us by a number of bar staff as we surveyed New Orleans. Burgers are big and also served with a potato side (either fried or a baked). Aside from the worthy burgers, Yo Mama’s is the place to go if you LOVE tequila. We counted all the bottles and checked and compared the brands to the ones listed on the menu and all 66 varieties were present. Tequila prices range from $5 to $25, so if you have a hankering for a shot of Don Julio Real think about Yo Mama’s.

3. Luke: a John Besh Restaurant: 333 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans 504.378.2840

Not in the budget traveler’s consideration set; however its $16.00 Luke Burger which is made of local Charolais beef, Allen Benton’s bacon, onions and topped with Emmenthaler cheese demands to be mentioned. Luke is one of the four restaurants owned by celebrity chef John Besh and is not a pop in type place so you will need to make a reservation. The good news is that they are open every day from 7am to 11pm and serve all meals, so you have plenty of opportunity to squeeze it into you itinerary.

4. Tucker’s Tavern: 635 S. Roman St. New Orleans 504.522.0440

“Home of the Stuffed Deep-Fried Burger”

The tag-line says it all: this place has its own take on the burger in that it serves it up battered, deep fried and stuffed with cheese. The Tuck burger is the stuff of fried legend with its battered exterior covering its soft interior like an…. Obviously this is not health food, but it will make your life richer; just not for its vitamins and minerals. The signature Tuck Burger goes for $8.00 and goes up a little with its creations such as Cordon Tuck and the Big Tuck. Health food it ain’t, but unique and close to the Dome it is! Open for lunch and dinner and part of the day on Saturday.

Good Appetitie!

New Orleans: Classic cheap eating

Chris — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:35:01 +0000

Hello Travelers!

New Orleans is full of fantastic eating establishments that have been generating enthusiastic word-of-mouth of happy patrons and visitors for generations. These places, long ago, sprang from a stove and house special to become a part of the Pantheon of New Orleans cheap eating. Each of the following restaurants have been around for so long that they are now synonymous with The Big Easy. No doubt that we are not telling you anything new however we are telling you the places that everyone visiting NOLA should know.

Here is a brief timeline to help you keep the follwing businesses in their historical context:

1821: Napoleon invited to stay in what is now The Napoleon House
1826: Thomas Jefferson Dies
1861-1865: American Civil War
1906: Central Grocery Opens and 1st Muffulettas served
1910: Original Acme Oyster House Opened
1914: Impastato Family take ownership of Napoleon House
1914-1918: WWI rages in Europe
1924: Original Acme Oyster House burns, new and present location opens
1929: Great Depression begins
1938: Mother’s opens as NOLA shipyard booms
1941-1945 USA in WWII
1950: Johnny’s Po-Boys opens
1960: Central Grocery’s Muffuletta gets famous outside of NOLA
1969: Moon landing / Hurricane Camille destroys Gulf Coast
2005: Hurricane Katrina makes huge impact on New Orleans and Mississippi Coast
2008: Central Grocery, Acme Oyster House, Napoleon House, Mother’s and Johnny’s still going strong!

1. Central Grocery: 923 Decatur St. New Orleans 504.523.1620

Opened in 1906 in much the same capacity as it is today, a grocery and deli. Central Grocery is famous for inventing the Muffuletta which was originally created by the founder to feed Sicilian truck drivers dropping off produce at the farmers’ market. Central Grocery has the look and feel of a typical Italian grocery found throughout Italy where people in the neighborhood stop by to pick up their necessities and grab a panino. The Muffuletta is a brilliantly designed sandwich that is user friendly in terms of eating on the run and delicious due to its Italian meat, cheese and olive spread. The trick is to get one of these treasures is to know when Central Grocery is open: Tuesday to Saturday 9-5, closed on Sunday and Monday. Muffulettas are sold by the whole for $13.12 or half for $7.12. We split a half and it was plenty.

2. Mother’s Restaurant: 401 Poydras St. New Orleans 504.523.9656

Situated between the waterfront and courthouse, in 1938 Mother’s began by serving po’ boys to longshoremen, laborers, newspapermen and attorneys. During WWII Mother’s became a hangout for The Marine Corps who nicknamed the restaurant the TUN Tavern New Orleans, which was the tavern in Philadelphia that was used for the original Marine Corps recruitment drive. Mother’s decor is a lot of diners in the USA, but it distinguishes itself because its walls are adorned with souvenirs from the last 70 years. This diner is one of those classic places where you can spend a good hour looking at the pictures on the walls and imagining all of the lives that Mother’s has participated in. In addition to the typical NOLA fare Mother’s serves breakfast all day 7 days a week complete with Bloody Marys.

3. Napoleon House : 500 Charters St. New Orleans 504.524.9752

Thank goodness for treasures such as Napoleon House! Completely distinctive from every other place in New Orleans, The Napoleon House is the distilled essence of The French Quarter. This establishment gets its name because a prominent New Orleanian offered his house, the current Napoleon House, to the French General during his exile in 1821; Napoleon never made it but the name stuck. The cafe serves up a selection of po’boys, salads and various assortments. Drinks are among the least expensive in the Quarter, thus the “going back in time” theme extends beyond the decor and classical music to the bill as well.

4. Johnny’s Po-Boy Restaurant: 511 St.Louis St. New Orleans 504.524.8129

Just off Decatur Street on St. Louis, Johnny’s has been serving NOLA since 1950. Johnny’s dining space is alive with both locals and tourists, who because they have ventured 100 feet from the main street, have smiles like they have just discovered a lost temple. However, even though Johnny’s has long since been discovered and is now a part of the well trodden path it maintains all the charm of a secret breakfast and lunch spot. The cheap food and drinks coupled with the friendly atmosphere make Johnny’s a perfect breakfast or lunch choice. They are open 7 days a week from 9am to 4pm and just in case you need it, they deliver.

5. Acme Oyster House: 724 Iberville Street 504.522.5973

Originally opened in 1910, Acme has that easy atmosphere that tends to elevate a good time into a great one. Many of the locals that we spoke with have at least one fond story of a good time that they had at Acme Oyster House. So with all those positive memories and energy, Acme is a Great destination for anyone visiting New Orleans. In the genre of other famous Southern joints such as Charlie Vergos Rendevous in Memphis, Acme is a must. However, with this said Acme can be a little intimating from the outside because of its Hollywood red carpet get up, but do not worry it is really just a friendly classic po’boy, gumbo and crawfish joint.

Happy Travels and bon apetite,

24hr drinking in New Orleans

Chris — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:26:59 +0000

Hello Travelers!

New Orleans has a lot of pubs that never close or what the locals call “industry bars” so if you are looking for a place to wind down or want to insure a hangover there are plenty of options. These places offer drink prices well below average to those adventurous enough to find them. And when we say “adventurous enough” we mean that you might go100 feet from Bourbon Street or poke your head into a place on Lower Decatur. True, they are what most would call dives, but we like to call them nexuses to the local colour, not to mention that they are effective budget preservation and rehabilitation.

iKangaroo surveyed 100+ bars in NOLA and the average price of a premium beer bottle is ~$4.50 so each of the listed bars are 10-20% below the average.

1. Aunt Tiki’s: 1207 Decatur St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

With a tag line like, “we only have one door so we can’t close it,” this place is another friendly local joint on Lower Decatur. They specialize in Bloody Mary’s and are famous for $1.75 cans of PBR. And yes, they really only do have one door. Credit cards are no good no good here so bring your cash.

2. The Abbey: 1123 Decatur St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

Smoke filled local hang out that never seems to be completely empty. The regulars are friendly and proud of their watering hole to the point where many of them took our reviewer aside to specifically state that more visitors should stop in The Abbey.

3. Flanagan’s: 625 St. Philip New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

Flanagan’s is an all around fantastic pub: it serves food -until 10:00pm Sun to Thursday and until 2:00am on Fri and Sat- it has a pool table, it is the meeting spot for French Quarter Phantom Tours, pints of Guinness are only $4.00 and it has free WiFi. Let’s just say that Flanagan’s is a 24 hour-one-stop-information-cheap beer-good food-shop/pub.

4. Johnny White’s: 733 St. Peter St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

Located just across from Pat O’s on the corner of St. Peter’s and Bourbon. Open 24 hours a day for the last 14 years, that includes during Katrina.

5. The Boondock Saint: 731 St. Peter St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $4.00

The Boondock Saint is a clean, friendly bar with great prices that shows the movie Boondock Saint on a constant loop. Another so-called industry bar which it is filled with locals late-night so do not be surprised if you are sitting next to the bartender who you stiffed earlier that night; or better yet the one who you were especially generous to.

Happy Tavels and hangover,

New Orleans: Bars to watch the game

Chris — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:15:00 +0000

Hello Travelers!

So you have gotten to the Big Easy and didn’t end up scoring a ticket to see the game, well fret not because there are plenty of worthy sports bars where you can soak in the spirit of sportsmanship. Hey, the Super Dome is awesome but at these well selected pubs the food and drinks are cheaper, you don’t have to fight -as much- for the toilet and being in NOLA you will still be right in the middle of the action. However, New Orleanians take their sports pretty seriously so rooting against the home team can be awkward but that good ol’ Southern hospitality usually prevails.

1. The Ryan: 241 Decatur St. New Orleans 504.523.3500

Not the biggest place in NOLA but what it does not have in size it makes up for in atmosphere. A solid pub that is popular with the locals and the few tourists that find this place will appreciate the friendly vibe. You can get a pint of Guinness for $4.50 or choose from the wide selection of other beers on tap, of course along with the fully stocked bar.

2. Molly’s at the Market: 1107 Decatur St. New Orleans 504.525.5169

On a nice day (temperate and dry that is) this Irish pub is hard to beat. It has a great indoor / outdoor thing going without having any outdoor seating; we liked the open and airy atmosphere. Drink prices are low: pint of Guinness $4.50, premium beer bottles $3.50 and the house special Frozen Irish Coffee $4.50.

3. Tropical Isle: 600 Bourbon St. New Orleans 504.529.1728

Complete with its tropical decor, good munchies, numerous flat screens, reasonable drink prices- for Bourbon Street that is- this Tropical Isle is sure to be brimming with both home and visitors’ team spirit. Papa Joe’s, which is located in the 600 Bourbon location, serves up good cheap food such as burgers, nachos and wings. If you are still in college and want to mingle with your rival school then don’t skip the Tropical Isle. There are a bunch of Tropical Isles on and near Bourbon, which should all be decent but look for the one at 600 Bourbon which has “Papa Joe’s” and thus the food.

4. MRB: 515 Saint Phillip St. New Orleans 504.561.6339

MRB stands for Mississippi River Bottom, however nothing about this bar is like the gunk that lines the Old Man River. Located near Jackson Square this pub offers a large space, plenty of tv screens, a pool table, darts and inexpensive food and drinks.

5. Ugly Dog Saloon and BBQ : 401 Andrew Higgins Blvd. 504.569.8459

Well worn local bar that serves up BBQ and cheap drinks. Nothing on the menu gets over $10 and drink prices are among the lowest that we found (20% below average). Plates of spare ribs are $8.75, premium beers $3.25 / $3.50 and mixed drinks cost a whopping $2.75 for well and $3.25 for call. The Ugly Dog Saloon is located in the Warehouse District so it is out of the way from all the chaos of the French Quarter, which makes this place so appealing to the regulars. However, with this said if you are looking for a local experience then this is your place.

6. Acme Oyster House: 724 Iberville St. New Orleans 504.522.5973

This NOLA classic is mainly a restaurant, which insure that plenty of good food will be available, but it has a pretty lively bar. Don’t count on getting a seat if you get there on time but it may be well worth it to stake out a spot as this is sure to be a hot spot on game day.

Happy Travels and enjoy the game!