Hi Everyone!
I will be traveling to New Orleans for the first time for New Year's Eve. I will be arriving on Dec 29th and leaving Jan. 1st. I will be going with my boyfriend...we are 28 and 30. We both still like to go out drinking and partyig but not club scene. We like laid-back bars where you can pull up to the bar and enjoy your drinks. I prefer old-school music (dean martin, frank sinatra) and top 40s (so I can dance). So the questions I am posing are:
1. Where to do recommend to party on New Year's Eve? Are they pre-pay parties where you pay a certain amount for the whole night? Or is it better to bar hop?
2. I've also heard they do a countdown in Jackson Square. Is it worth going to?
3. As far as dinner for that night, we will dress up to go for the evening, but I do not want to be "formal" because I do want to party and I do not want to be overdressed for the bars. I am hoping to wear nice jeans and fun, party, dressy top. What would you recommend for a good dinner for that evening? Should I make reservations? I like all types of food, my boyfriend is not a fan of seafood (so as long as they serve something other than seafood...it's fine).

By the way, I would like to stay in the FQ that night.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Hello there! I did New Year's in New Orleans last year. It is VERY crowded, I thought as crowded as Mardi Gras. We go to this place on Bourbon (it is on top of a bar/restaurant on Bourbon) that is great. We have been for New Year's and Mardi Gras. They have a balcony you can be out on all night, open bar and all the food you can eat (the food is so good). They are super nice and the room is very nice and large. Best part, you can come and go as you please, if you want to. HOwever we did try to go down to the street and it was chaos and they were charging cover to get into the places that are always free! So back up I went for great food, all I could drink and very nice, clean bathrooms Here is a link to the place:
http://www.bourbonvieux.com/events.html#newyears

Have a great time.

Thank you for the tip. I am going to look into it right now!!

I am thinking of booking my hotel at the Sheraton on Canal. Anyone have any input on that place? We are going from Dec 28-Jan. 1

Sheraton is a big boxy generic convention hotel. Absolutely fine and not a thing wrong with it other than the fact that it has zero New Orleans "charm."

Book now, New Year's Eve is very popular and very celebrated in New Orleans. I'd prefer to be where the party is myself, and would avoid staying in that area of Canal unless I couldn't afford something else. BTW, lots of locals love Jackson Square for the countdown, but it is VERY crowded.

Good luck with the planning.

Thank you for your suggestions!