The Great Outdoors
There are about three weeks in the spring and three weeks in the fall when a strong urge comes over me to drink outside. The rest of the year I’m content to get drunk inside bars, living rooms, movie theaters, restaurants, cars, airports, airplanes, offices, abandoned houses, subway tunnels, cardboard boxes, treehouses, etc. But right about now all I want to do is sit outside at a patio table and do some real no-nonsense beer swallowing.
The problem is that New Orleans is severly limited when it comes to places where one can do this. I suppose this is because the outdoor drinking season is fairly short here. Granted, I could just get a 12 pack and go to a picnic table in City Park, but I want a little more atmosphere. I want someone to open the beercans for me. A bathroom would be nice too. At the same time, places like the Columns Hotel veranda or the Napoleon House courtyard seem a little too rich for my blood. I’m craving something like this or this. I’m stumped for a place to go. I’d like to solicit recommendations from the public in the comments section below. Thanks.
Related posts:
Looks like you missed out on FQF, huh?
Try that new place in Pirate’s Alley off of Royal, F&M’s or St. Joe’s Uptown which both have outdoor areas, and if you’re super desperate - Pat O’s.
That’s all from off the top of my head for now.
Ahhh, this was the problem we encountered last night, except we wanted fruity frozen crap and food too, and we wanted to walk there.
Needless to say, we didn’t get anything we wanted.
I’d love to hear suggestions for outside drinking and/or dining in the LGD specifically.
there is outside seating at Moonlight Cafe (and also $1 well drinks after midnight). Also outside seats at Igor’s on St Charles and the Porterhouse has a great deck with a St Charles view… if you can just overlook the TU kids and frat trash.
Lafitte’s has an outdoor area … and Goodfriends has a great upstairs area to hang out–a porch overlooking the street. And the Bourbon Pub. And even (cough) Oz.
Because New Orleans is an open container city EVERYWHERE can be your drinking place of choice. Try the riverfront at dusk, Lakefront anytime or just walk around town with your libation of choice. Also if you must drink at a bar with a patio/courtyard there are some lovely ones uptown as well including Dos Jefes and St. Joe’s.
The Balcony Bar on Magazine has…a giant balcony. Yes, shocker though it is, it has quite a large outdoor seating area on…a balcony. Also, Nick’s Bar on Tulane Ave. (if you are not uptight in seedy neighborhoods) just renovated their bar and now have quite a large outdoor seating area with benches and lights a la a beer hall. And there is no place in New Orleans which serves cheaper drinks than Nicks. The PBR is cheaper at Nick’s than it is at Snake ‘n Jakes or even (if you’re REALLY in the N.O. know) the Basin bar in Lakeview, which is the epitome of a seedy bar.
There are seedy bars in Lakeview?
I’m really kind of “eh” about the Balcony and isn’t Nick’s a college/high school bar? I haven’t been there since the summer after I graduated.
dont forget about the sidewalk seating at Fat Harry’s, the front patio at TJ Quills, the sidewalk seating and patio’s available at both the uptown and midcity Bulldog’s, There are benches in front of Cooter Brown’s as well as the Daiquiri place across the street from it. Jazz Fest, Mo Fest, or sitting Indian style on the sidewalk in front of any damn bar in town. Problem finding a place to drink outside in New Orleans? Laughable man!
I guess I wasn’t clear. There’s no shortage of places to drink outside if you are a Tulane student or a die-hard yuppie. For the rest of us, there isn’t much.
Amen to that. I think I’d rather quit drinking than go to most of these places.
tulane or not, a bar is a bar people. it’s not like anybody is telling you to go to the Boot. learn to make your own fun. that is what the beer is for. ;o)
I’m going to have to disagree with you on that one Clay. Atmosphere is a huge factor in going out.
You know those stupid web quizzes people put on their online proflies that explain “What type of [blank] are you?” We could make one that would be “What type of New Orleans bar are you?”
The outcomes could be:
The Boot
Miss Mae’s
Bridge Lounge
Monkey Hill
DBA
Molly’s
The Saint
St. Joes
Balcony Bar
Bulldog
The Dungeon
Whirling Dervish
ad nauseum…
If anyone knows how to code those online quizzes and actually wants to do it, let me know.
“all I want to do is sit outside at a patio table and do some real no-nonsense beer swallowing.”
this statement does not seek atmosphere, but I agree, some of the bars listed, including some in my own post, would be way down on my list as well.