Best Bars in New Orleans (2025)

A pioneer of Freret Street’s revival, Cure pairs meticulous classics with originals like the Gunshop Fizz. Winner of a James Beard Award and named among America’s top bars by Food & Wine, it remains a local standard-bearer for hospitality and craft.

Chris Hannah’s French Quarter tavern celebrates the city’s cocktail canon—think Brandy Crusta—delivered with hallmark Southern hospitality. Honored by The World’s 50 Best Bars and a 2024 James Beard Award, it feels both historic and current in a restored Creole cottage.

Rum-forward and Caribbean-minded, this proto‑tiki landmark connects the city’s Gulf roots to island flavors. Recognized by Bon Appétit and praised by national and local critics, its leafy courtyard and smart cocktails make it a quintessential French Quarter escape.

A Garden District favorite with more than 350 whiskeys, friendly bartenders, and strong neighborhood ties. Frequently cited by Condé Nast Traveler and others, it’s equally great for a rare pour, a boilermaker, or the spirited Miracle pop‑up each holiday season.

Part wine shop, part nightly backyard music party, Bacchanal is a Bywater original. Lauded by national editors and beloved by locals, it offers hundreds of bottles, craft cocktails, Mediterranean‑leaning plates, and live jazz under the stars—21+ with first‑come seating.

A Bywater time capsule where artists, DJs, and neighborhood regulars converge. Featured in Eater’s dive bar roundups, it keeps late hours and a defiantly New Orleans spirit—graffiti, old photos, and the occasional dance party included.

Open nightly from 7 p.m., this legendary Uptown shack glows in red lights and pure late‑night camaraderie. Celebrated by PUNCH and countless critics, it’s where service‑industry folks, students, musicians, and night owls find cheap drinks and stories until near‑sunrise.

A serene courtyard bar just off Bourbon Street honoring the apothecary behind the city’s iconic bitters. Highlighted by the World’s 50 Best Discovery, it specializes in impeccably made classics—Sazerac, Vieux Carré, Ramos Gin Fizz—in a historic home setting.

A craft‑beer institution with balcony views of St. Charles Avenue. Praised by Condé Nast Traveler for its deep draft and bottle list, it’s also expanded its whiskey offerings and solid pub menu—now with reliable daytime and late‑night hours.

Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s tiki temple revives historic tropical recipes with precision and flair. Regularly featured by Eater and Condé Nast Traveler, it’s the city’s destination for Zombies, Pearl Divers, and shareable bowls in a transportive, Polynesian‑leaning lounge.

This tiny Cuban‑inspired bar channels El Floridita with thrown and frozen daiquiris, Cuban snacks, and warm hospitality. Regularly recommended by Eater and local critics, it’s an intimate Quarter stop where craft meets carefree.