15 Best Nightlife in New Orleans, Louisiana

One of New Orleans's most traditional drinking experiences, enjoy an old-fashioned or a Sazerac here on the expansive front porch, shaded by centuries-old oak trees and overlooking the St. Charles Avenue streetcar route. Built in 1883 as a private home, the Columns has been the scene of TV ads, movies, and plenty of weddings. The interior scenes of Louis Malle's Pretty Baby were filmed here. The Victorian Lounge, with its restored period decor and a fireplace, has a decaying elegance marred only by the television above the bar. There's a great happy hour, too, with live jazz combos playing Monday through Friday.

A long, slender room with plush banquettes in a charming sliver of a building on a busy stretch of St. Charles Avenue looks as if it were air-dropped straight from Paris. Offering a carefully chosen (and reasonably priced) selection of beer, spirits, and wines by the glass, the menu also includes upscale small plates, such as frog legs, frites fried in goose fat, and house-made paté.

The phrase "New Orleans institution" gets thrown around a lot, but this place deserves the title. It's wonderfully atmospheric, with pressed-tin walls and a lush tropical-themed patio, and it's also one of the city's best venues for blues, New Orleans–style R&B, funk, zydeco, and jazz. On Sunday afternoons, the bar hosts the South's longest-running poetry reading. Rebirth Brass Band's standing Tuesday gig is a show everyone should see, and Joe Krown starts his set around 10:30 pm. It's a long haul from the French Quarter, but worth the trip, especially if combined with a visit to one of the restaurants clustered near this commercial stretch of Oak Street.

This cozy neighborhood bar keeps unfolding the farther back you go—from the front bar to the stage to the backyard. The regular schedule of live music emphasizes local roots, rock, and acoustic acts. It's two blocks off the Carrollton streetcar line and close to the Oak Street commercial district.

This rambling tavern across from the Mississippi River levee boasts 400 different bottled beers and 45 on tap. That, along with the excellent cheese fries and an oyster bar, makes it a favorite haunt of students from nearby Tulane and Loyola universities, along with nostalgic alums.

This pioneer of the revitalized Freret Corridor and one of the city's first serious cocktail bars adds a touch of urban chic to a historic neighborhood. A doorman welcomes guests into a converted fire station with 20-foot ceilings and a lovely patio. Knowledgeable bartenders use a breathtaking arsenal of liquor to push the boundaries of what a drink can be. Take note that even in August, men must wear long pants on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and baseball caps are not allowed at any time.

A 20-minute cab ride from downtown, this popular Tchoupitoulas Street hangout for grown-ups is a lively den of blue smoke. The selection of scotches, brandies, ports, and bourbons is outstanding. The nightly live music runs the gamut of New Orleans styles. A full calendar of performances is available online. The low-key patio offers a quiet retreat from the haze.

For college kids and grown-ups reliving their youth, an all-nighter in New Orleans isn't complete until you've danced on top of a pool table at this classic hangout. There's a loud jukebox, a popular photo booth, and a late-night kitchen (it fires up around 7 pm and keeps serving until early morning). The party really gets going around 1 am, but the tropical-themed patio can actually be peaceful at times. You'll need to get here by car or taxi.

Local acts from a wide range of genres—including the Soul Rebels with their standing Thursday-night gig—shake the walls of this ramshackle Magazine Street nightspot. The music normally gets started after 10 pm. Pool tables and a limited bar-food menu keep the crowd, including plenty of students from nearby Tulane and Loyola universities, occupied until the show starts.

This 1960s-style coffeehouse attracts an artsy crowd, including adventurous local high schoolers who want to hear live music, but can't get into the bars yet. Sofas, chessboards, laid-back counter service, and a bulletin board encourage an intimacy unmatched in most other cafés. On Sunday night there's an open mike for aspiring musicians. On other nights, a string of singer-songwriters and contemporary or traditional folk artists perform. It's a 20-minute cab ride from downtown and opens every night at 7 pm.

The dark windows give no hint of the sleek, modern lounge inside. This sophisticated spot for grown-ups to mingle over glasses of wine and gourmet nibbles draws professionals from Uptown and the nearby suburbs. Jazz and folk musicians perform Friday and Saturday.

No need to book a ticket to the United Kingdom when this cozy bar so faithfully re-creates a British pub. Even the daily newspapers come from the other side of the pond. Accordingly, you can count on a well-poured pint and warm company.

A young, Uptown professional crowd packs this narrow bar known for its blueberry mojitos and religious-themed decor. The narrow front bar has more crosses than a Catholic church; the back patio, strung with Chinese lanterns and decorated with statues of Asian deities, is a "Caribbean Zen temple," in the owner's words.

Deep-red walls and a velvet Elvis lend this Uptown spot a touch of kitsch, but the friendly atmosphere, jukebox stocked with vintage soul and modern rock, and young, fun crowd keep people coming back nightly. It's a frequent destination for food trucks and a favorite place to cheer on the city's beloved Saints.