The 10 Best Historic and Famous Bars in New Orleans
By Cassie Bailey | Published on August 1, 2025
Take a sip in the same jaunts Hemingway, Sinatra and Tenessee Williams circled. Bars in NOLA offer everything from classic cocktails to the downright experimental — none of which you’ll want to miss. Here are the 10 best bars in New Orleans to visit if you’re stopping in at port or heading off on a cruise.
TL;DR: Where To Find the Best Drinks in New Orleans
Hot Tin: Come to this rooftop bar for the views and stay for the incredible cocktails.
Bayou Bar: Experience live music at the same counter Sinatra and Capote drank at.
Toups’ Meatery: The house-cured meats are off the charts, but don’t go past the unique cocktail list.
Compère Lapin: This bar was named the “Best American Hotel Bar” in 2019, featuring an exquisite menu and drinks with an island twist.
Jewel of the South: This local-loved hotspot features drinks with locally sourced ingredients — and an award-winning bartender.
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar: Inspired by France, but profoundly New Orleans, Arnaud’s is the place to go for a classy night out.
Copper Vine: Enjoy a long list of wines in a 19th-century estate.
The Carousel Bar: Experience New Orleans through its only rotating bar.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar: Come for the vibe — Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar looks like something out of a period movie.
Manolito: This tiny little 24-seater serves up ice-cold creations inspired by Havana’s legendary Floridita bar.
Explore our cruises from New Orleans to experience its spectacular culinary and cocktail scene.
1. Hot Tin
If you love a great rooftop bar, Hot Tin is for you. Most folks come here for the sweeping views of the Mississippi River and downtown New Orleans, but they stay for the 1940s vibes and the incredible cocktails.
If you’re a theater buff, you’ll love the history behind this place. It’s located at the historic Pontchartrain Hotel, where Tennessee Williams lived while writing “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Look for subtle nods to the playwright throughout the bar, which was designed to resemble an artist's loft, as you sip a rosé-and-absinthe-infused Pink Panther.
Hot Tin is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue. For more information, visit www.hottinbar.com.
2. Bayou Bar
On the ground floor of the Pontchartrain, you’ll find Bayou Bar, the hotel’s tavern-style answer to the traditional lobby bar. It’s seen its fair share of history; Sinatra and Capote both drank at its counter, and in 1966, the New Orleans Saints football franchise was christened here.
Bayou Bar is known for its extensive list of whiskey and beer, but the cocktails have also generated plenty of buzz. Its live local music Tuesday through Saturday makes it one of the best places to go out in New Orleans if you’re keen for an upbeat vibe. Bring an appetite — you’re going to want to try some of the inventive bites on the bar menu.
Bayou Bar is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue. For more information, visit www.bayoubarneworleans.com
3. Toups’ Meatery
If you’ve researched the New Orleans dining scene, you’ve probably come across Toups’ Meatery. Helmed by acclaimed chef Isaac Toups and his wife, Amanda, this mid-city gem is a mainstay on plenty of lists highlighting NOLA’s best brunches and go-to Southern cooking.
Yes, the cracklins, house-cured meats, boudin balls and buttermilk fried chicken sandwich are out of this world — but so are the cocktails. If you like smoky, try the Poblano Escobar — it uses Poblano tequila and charred pineapple shrub for extra aroma. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Pork Chops & Applesauce, made with pork fat-washed whiskey and apple bitters.
Toups’ Meatery is located at 845 North Carrollton Avenue. For more information, visit www.toupsmeatery.com.
4. Compère Lapin
If you’re cruising to New Orleans, Compère Lapin is a great place to kick off or end your vacation. It was ranked as one of Eater’s “Best Restaurants in America” and received a glowing review in The New York Times. And while Chef Nina Compton’s mouthwatering fusion of Caribbean and Southern flavors definitely lives up to all the hype, we’re just as excited about the cocktails. The Tales of The Cocktail Foundation named Compère Lapin “Best American Hotel Bar” in 2019, making it the first restaurant in New Orleans to receive a Spirited Award.
Like Chef Nina’s food, the cocktails here pay homage to the flavors of the Bayou City — with an island-inspired twist. Try the Port Royal, made with blended Jamaican rums, banana, lime and spices, or the Pineapple Under the Sea, made with Mezcal, Centerbe Liqueur, pineapple and coconut.
Compère Lapin is located in The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery at 535 Tchoupitoulas Street. For more information, visit www.comperelapin.com.
5. Jewel Of The South
Jewel of the South is a bar in New Orleans’ French Quarter — and a local-loved cocktail spot. It’s co-owned by Award-winning bartender Chris Hanna, so you know the drinks are going to be mind-blowing. The décor nods to the New Orleans taverns of the mid-1800s — with a modern twist, of course.
The cocktail menu highlights classics and experimental creations made with local ingredients. Our advice: Start with the house’s version of the classic Sazerac, then move on to the Night Tripper, a boozy riff on the Manhattan made with Strega and Amaro Averna.
Jewel of the South is located at 1026 Saint Louis Street. For more information, visit www.jewelnola.com.
6. Arnaud’s French 75 Bar
As far as legends go, Arnaud’s French 75 Bar is a Big Easy institution. Ranked one of the top five bars in the country by Esquire Magazine, its tagline is “Inspired by France, but profoundly New Orleans.” If you’re looking for upscale bars in New Orleans, this is your target. The bartenders here sling all the classics while sporting crisp white jackets and dapper black bow ties.
Herbs are locally sourced, and all the syrups, drams and liqueurs are prepared in-house. Sipping a Basilica here is like falling through a wormhole into New Orleans’ golden years, and you absolutely can’t leave without tasting the restaurant’s namesake drink, the French 75. Pair it with a side of deep-fried, bacon-wrapped oysters, souffle potatoes or grougères — prosciutto-stuffed Gruyère cheese puffs — from the bar menu.
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar is located at 813 Rue Bienville. For more information, visit www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/bars/french-75.
7. Copper Vine
Smack in the center of the business district, this always-buzzing wine bar won Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” in 2019. It’s housed inside a beautiful 19th-century estate that used to be one of New Orleans’ oldest restaurants. You’ll find a long list of wines on tap and by the glass, plus a good happy hour for a slow New Orleans afternoon, where you can sip red and white blends for just $6. Vino is certainly the star of the show here, but Copper Vine also offers a great selection of craft beers, out-of-the-box cocktails and delicious elevated pub fare by Chef Amy Mehrtens.
Copper Vine is located at 1001 Poydras Street. For more information, visit www.coppervine.com.
8. The Carousel Bar
Don’t make the mistake of dismissing this famous spot as a tourist trap. There’s a reason why so many visitors make a beeline for the Carousel Bar as soon as they arrive: It’s one of the best lounges in New Orleans. Not much about the bar has changed since it opened at the historic Hotel Monteleone in 1949 – it’s still New Orleans’ only rotating bar.
You might have to wait for a seat at the revolving counter, but it’s an experience you should definitely check off your list while you’re in the city. After all, it’s a special thing to be able to say you knocked back a couple of Marvin Allen’s perfect Vieux Carres at a bar immortalized by literary giants like Hemingway, Faulkner and Welty.
The Carousel Bar is located at 214 Royal Street, New Orleans. For more information, visit www.hotelmonteleone.com/entertainment/carousel-bar.
9. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar
Lafitte’s is one of the oldest bars in the French Quarter, and it looks the part. The cottage itself dates back to the late 1700s. In the centuries since, it’s served as a butcher shop, a smithy, an ice cream parlour and finally a drinking den.
The interior looks very much like something out of a period movie (just ignore the frozen daiquiri machines), and it’s a cool New Orleans bar to experience Mardi Gras in if you’re visiting for the festival. Stick to beer or simple drinks here — you’re coming for the atmosphere more than anything.
Lafitte’s is located at 941 Bourbon Street. For more information, visit
www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com.
10. Manolito
If you’re craving a taste of the tropics ahead of your Caribbean cruise from New Orleans, stop at Manolito in the French Quarter. This tiny little 24-seater serves up ice-cold creations inspired by Havana’s legendary Floridita bar. The iconic Papa Double is served frozen here, though it’s just as strong as the ones Hemingway used to sip. And the martini is prepared in the traditional style of Spain and Cuba — fuss-free with gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters.
Manolito is located at 508 Dumaine Street. For more information, visit
