Cure
Cocktail bar · Freret ·
Stylish cocktail lounge in former firehouse with creative drinks
Stylish cocktail lounge in former firehouse with creative drinks
"Find happy hour here on Sunday to Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to close; plus from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. That means a bunch of $8 drinks (champagne cocktails, sherry and coke, etc.), plus $8 wines and beer/shot combos." - Missy Frederick
"Opened in 2009 on Freret Street after founders Neal Bodenheimer and Matthew Kohnke converted a turn-of-the-century firehouse in the post‑Katrina rebuild, this bar helped introduce modern craft cocktail culture to New Orleans beyond the French Quarter. The spacious, upscale interior—original brick walls and arched windows that flood the room with natural light at happy hour, and candlelit tables after dark—centers on a long, front-row bar where a rotating roster of notable bartenders has developed both classics and originals. The program, which won a 2018 James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program, balances top-tier takes on standards (the house Sazerac made with Herbsaint, Sazerac rye, Demerara syrup and precisely 23 drops of Peychaud’s as a nod to Michael Jordan) with modern signatures such as the Gunshop Fizz (by Maks Pazuniak and Kirk Estopinal) — a rosy Pimm’s Cup–style highball featuring Sanbittèr, generous Peychaud’s, and garnishes of strawberry, cucumber, and citrus. Menus evolve with trends—Manhattan variations and amari-forward bitters from the early days (also captured in Rogue Cocktails), seasonal offerings like the beet-forward Champagne “Girl Dinner,” and a growing zero-proof section—while each cocktail is credited to its creator, reflecting the bar’s mission to be both steward and innovator of New Orleans’s cocktail legacy." - Kara Newman
"A longtime New Orleans favorite since 2009, this bar is known for serving some of the city’s best cocktails and for incubating top drink talent who have gone on to open other notable spots. The menu balances idiosyncratic, inventive creations with well-executed iconic drinks, making it a reliable destination for both adventurous and classic cocktail lovers." - Kara Newman
"This Freret Street trailblazer has been at the forefront of New Orleans’s new school of craft cocktail bars since opening in a beautifully renovated former fire station in 2009. A good spot for those placing a premium on ambiance, Cure still turns out some of the most innovative drinks in town. No wonder it earned the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2018." - Eater Staff
"Cure opened in 2009 before the town became overrun with fancy places serving cocktails with lots of ingredients and elaborate garnishes. It’s a must-visit for anyone who wants to enjoy fabulous drinks, outstanding food, and top-notch service. The seasonal menu is a fun way to try spins on classic cocktails, like the tomatillo sour that they call I’m So Green, while the reserve menu gives you the chance to try small batch and limited-release spirits without having to buy the whole bottle. Beyond cocktails, the food is good enough to stand alone—if you won’t take our word for it, somebody thought it was worthwhile to publish a cookbook of Cure’s recipes. Go for the simple yet sensational deviled eggs, pimento cheese, house pickles, and burrata." - megan braden perry, zella palmer
