You might've heard that Frenchmen Street is the locals' Bourbon, since residents have been tossing this tip around for decades. As a result, the place packs out every night, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great time. Lined with music venues, street jazz and perhaps a piano on wheels, Frenchmen is a chaotic cacophony and loads of fun.
Jazz Party
The first live music venue opened on Frenchmen in 1976 as a way to handle the overflow from the Quarter. Soon, more venues opened up and it quickly became the place to be for local musicians and insiders. Today, Frenchmen St is no longer as underground as it once was, but it's still a lot of fun.
Follow your ears to whatever venue tickles your fancy. There isn't just jazz, but hip-hop, rock, bossa nova and inevitably someone singing Amy Winehouse's "Valerie." A who's who of legendary jazz musicians frequently play here, including Kermit Ruffins, John Boutte and Jon Batiste. Top ticketed events are usually held at Snug Harbor (snugjazz.com), which dates back to the early 1980s, and d.b.a. (dbaneworleans.com), a project co-owned by several venues on the strip. Spotted Cat (spottedcatmusicclub.com), Blue Nile (bluenilelive.com) and Cafe Negril (cafenegrilnola.com) – all of which appeared in HBO's Treme – are also amazing venues and tend to have a cheaper cover charge.
Shopping
Take a break from the music to pick up an unforgettable conversation piece at the Art Garden night market (artgardennola.com). Open from 7pm to midnight from Thursdays to Sundays, the Art Garden has one of the best collections of local art and handicrafts, including psychedelic prints, delicate jewelry and so much more. Frenchmen Art & Books (frenchmenartandbooks.com) opened in 1978 as one of the first queer bookstores in the South. It has a great collection of local history books and stays open to 10 or 11pm if you want to pop in between drinks. Not much happens on Frenchmen earlier in the day, but if you're around check out Louisiana Music Factory (louisianamusicfactory.com). It has an awesome selection of new and used records and CDs from New Orleans greats, as well as some local art.
Food on Frenchmen
Frenchmen is known more for music than food, but you can combine the two with brunch or dinner shows. Maison (maisonfrenchmen.com) has lively jazz brunches that feature swing dancers as well as jazz dinners. Reserve in advance. Three Muses (3musesnola.com) has a small but tasty menu of local favorites like po'boys and Korean bowls, an ode to one of the bar's owners. While you eat, check out female-fronted jazz shows. If you're looking for a greasy snack to absorb the booze, Dat Dog serves loaded hot dogs, including ones made with alligator meat, in addition to drinks. Ayu Bakehouse up the street is a terrific woman-owned bakery that does interesting takes on New Orleans cuisine like muffaletta breadsticks.
There are a couple of 24-hour bars around, including Checkpoint Charlie, which used to be a laundromat and now gives late-night haircuts on Monday nights. Another is the John, a toilet-bowl-seat themed dive bar.
NOLA Culture 101
In a fresh new location as of January 2025, Jamnola (jamnola.com, $30) is a labyrinth of exhibits created by dozens of local artists to showcase everything that comprises New Orleans culture. Reserve a time a slot online and have local storytellers guide you through exhibits, which touch on quintessential Louisiana traditions like Mardi Gras Indians and crawfish boils. If you've been to New Orleans before it won't be anything you haven't heard, but it's still a worthwhile indoor activity.
