New Orleans’ nightlife has just what you need for a night out on the town, including cool places to eat and drink and accessible hangout spots.
We’ll show you some of the best things for adults to do after dark in New Orleans.
Does New Orleans Have A Good Night Life?
The Crescent city’s nightlife scene is full of jazz clubs and other musical performances like concerts from pianists, renown saxophonists and even local rappers. There are also quite a few nightclubs, which we’ll get into in a bit.
What Are The Best Things To Do In New Orleans At Night?
Here are some of our favorite places to go in New Orleans after dark.
- Go To A Jazz Club
- Hang Out On Frenchman Street
- Grab A Drink At These Local Bars
- Eat At A Nice Restaurant
- Go Party At A Club
Go To A Jazz Club
New Orleans is full of jazz clubs, which is a testament to the city’s history and the fact that it is the musical artform’s birthplace. Here are some jazz joints you must go to:
Tipitina’s
501 Napoleon Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115 | (504) 895-8477
Tipitana’s has for years been where the neighborhood parties. The tourists have found out about it and the show has just gotten bigger, but just as downhome.
Here is what one visitor says about Tipitina’s. “The drinks are to die for and the space is so open. I come here to see New Orleans greats in the hopes that one day I can perform along side them or have my own spot in this piece of heaven section. This night I saw the great Erica Falls she always gives me great advice on singing and performing and this is one of my fav places to see her shine. Keep up the great work and keep booking amazing talent you guys.”
House of Blues
225 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 310-4999
Here’s what one visitor says about the House of Blues. “Restaurant: Very savory jambalya with a healthy portion of shrimp and sausage, gumbo seemed a little salty, and everything had a good kick.
Venue: always opt for VIP. However, the smaller, intimate venue provides a great experience regardless. Two bars downstairs and one upstairs with food options (which is nice). I would watch any artist in this venue.”
Preservation Hall
726 St Peter, New Orleans, LA 70116
Here’s what one visitor says about Preservation Hall. “Loved it. Definitely recommend the seats vs standing. It was warm in there and the standing crowd didn’t look overly comfortable. Music was great, exactly what I was hoping it would be. Only thing that would have made it better would be an encore at the end.”
Palm Court Jazz Cafe
1204 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116 | (504) 525-0200
Here’s what one reviewer says about Palm Court Jazz Cafe. “This place is wonderful. The music 1st, owned by the darlingest woman on the planet, staff warm and welcoming, food is Delicious. We had crabcake, and steak pie, fried crawfish for app…. in love completely. Dinner and phenomenal Jazz. Like I felt a warm musical hug from NOLA “
Fritzel’s European Jazz Club
733 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116 | (504) 586-4800
Here’s what one visitor says about Fritzel’s. “Live music all day and eve starting at 12:30pm. Middle of the day piano man, takes requests and does traditional Nola jazz. Night time! Lookout. Katie Rogers on trumpet kills it, along with the band. A must. Drinks starting at $5.”
Hang Out On Frenchman Street
Frenchman Street is perhaps the most musically alive street in the Southeast. Known for its penchant for brass music and percussion, the party can literally start at any time.
But that’s not all. Frenchman Street has a solid stable of restaurants and bars that can hold their own with any stretch of town.
Some great places to visit along Frenchman Street include:
The Spotted Cat Music Club
623 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70117
Here’s what one patron says about The Spotted Cat Music Club. “Love this jazz bar! The band (Pat Casey and the new sound) that was playing last night was simply amazing it is a bit small and rather tight. Even if you get a seat, you will be blocked by others standing around. Nonetheless, am glad me and my friends discovered this place as we were looking for a jazz bar. They started charging $10 cover fee at 9:30 p.m. and we got in just before that. Make sure you tip this band if you enjoy their music because that’s how they earn.”
D.B.A.
618 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116 | (504) 942-3731
Here’s what one reviewer says about D.B.A. “Phenomenal jazz music venue! Wonderful bartenders, grateful for this incredible opportunity to listen to such amazing jazz artists! We saw the Palmetto Bug Stompers, wow, just wow!”
Blue Nile
532 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116 | (504) 766-6193
“We loved the vibe and decor of The Blue Nile! The feel was so much better than the insane, frat party vibe on Bourbon Street. After a long day walking around exploring the French Quarter we stopped here for cocktails while listening to the Washboard Chaz Blues Trio. The band was rocking and had great energy and banter with the audience.
“The cocktails are expensive ($15-20), but the fleur de lis cocktail was absolutely divine! (Grey Goose vodka, essence of peach & rosemary, elderflower, and tonic!) This place was the perfect experience to wrap up our first day in New Orleans. We’ll definitely be back again!”
Where To Grab A Drink In New Orleans
You want to go someplace that doesn’t scream “tourist!’ or have pajamas on the wall. Someplace you can hear yourself think while you drink? We’ve got you.
The Chloe
4125 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115 | (504) 541-5500
The Chloe is known as a historic mansion hotel with a top-notch restaurant and manicured grounds, but its drinks are underrated.
Here is what one drink lover says about The Chloe: The drinks and ambiance were good … Very beautiful vibe! The food was thought out and flavorful. The shrimp scampi dumplings were pretty tasty. Our server was super friendly & amazing! The sweet potato curry was the perfect fall dish to start the season!”
Coquette
2800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115 | (504) 265-0421
Here’s what one customer says about Coquette: “Every dish was a well balanced pairing of local flavor and impressive culinary capacity. The way they put these dishes together is going to stick with me for a while. Everything was wonderfully paired with the other components on the dish. Perfect for a nice dinner on a quiet night. Stick around for dessert and the Amaro list. We will be coming back again!”
Herbsaint
701 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 524-4114
Here’s what one diner says about Herbsaint: “The food deserve 5 stars, but I had to go with 4 because when we ate, almost everything was quite too salty. However we got there at almost 9pm with no reservation, and still they managed to give us a table, which was awesome. For VEGANS don’t be afraid to come eat here, the chef will prepare something at his discretion. And what I go it was Soo Good! My husband asked for 3 portion of short ribs, that’s how much he enjoyed them. My husband actually returned a dish back because it was too salty, and we appreciate that we were not charged for it. Service could have been more personable, but no complaints.”
Some Nice Places To Eat In New Orleans
Sometimes you want to enjoy a meal that deserves its price tag. You want to go where the help is all about the business and the food is to. Check these New Orleans eateries out.
Domenica
123 Baronne St, New Orleans, LA 70112 | (504) 648-6020
Here’s what one diner says about Domenica: “Best food i had in New Orleans !! the bread is to die for and everything me and my family ordered was superb.”
Oceana Grill
739 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 525-6002
Here’s what one diner says about the Oceana Grill: “One of the best meals I ever had. The Cajun food is so good I could die happy after eating it. The delicious bread pudding is warm and drizzled with rum sauce. The crab cakes are so good it’s ridiculous. I highly recommend coming if you carving some Cajun food.”
Gianna Restaurant
700 Magazine St #101, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 399-0816
Customer review: “One of the best pasta with crab i ever had. However had to order 2 portions because of a small portion size. I did ask the waitress the portion size but i guess it is subjective – that’s all i had other than a salad.”
Mona Lisa
1212 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116 | (504) 522-6746
Here’s what one eater says about Mona Lisa: “We have called it our favorite Italian Restaurant for a lot of years but we got take out Chef Salad tonight and it was the BEST I’ve had in a long long time. Still the best of the best.”
Go Party At The Club
If you want to go shake something, there’s always some music somewhere in New Orleans. At the cities many clubs, you get to have a good time in any part of the city.
Masquerade Nightclub
8 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 533-6000
Here’s what one partygoer says about Masquerade. “VIP experience but I didn’t like how other VIP parties could cross ours, but the music was on point and we had an fantastic time.”
Razzoo Bar & Patio
511 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 522-5100
Here’s what one partyer says about Razzoo. “This place is AMAZING! Great live music and live entertainment! There is a dance floor and an outdoor area where you can enjoy your drinks. The band was awesome and we had a lot of fun! One of the best spots in Bourbon street.”
Ohm Lounge
601 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 335-1760
Here’s what one party person says about Ohm Lounge. “OHM Lounge rocks and the drinks are strong. Definitely going back here when I’m in the city again!”
Funky 544
544 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130 | (504) 592-0544
Here’s what one partygoer says about the Funky 544. “I had such a good time. I was a lil skeptical going in at first bc they have people enticing you to come in but I couldn’t resist the band. The band … was amazing. They had me dancing and I have forgotten all about everything that was on my mind.”
Last Word
You can have a crazy fun time in New Orleans. You can walk the streets with open booze and the clubs stay open nearly all night. Then there’s Bourbon Street, which is a whole ‘nother situation.
The city’s entertainment districts are scattered throughout its neighborhoods, which makes for a great, diverse experience. The nightlife is top-notch and the food is amazing. What’s not to love? Check out our guide to Rome, Italy.
Looking for more places to eat in Nola? Here Are Some Top Desserts To Order In New Orleans.
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