Good Friends Bar

I’ve been coming to Good Friends for years, and it’s always been my favorite bar in New Orleans. The draw wasn’t just the atmosphere or the drink, it was the music and videos. This was the place where you could count on hearing a perfect blend of current hits alongside timeless classics, paired with fun and nostalgic videos that made every visit feel like a true New Orleans experience. Sadly, that has all changed. On recent visits, the heart of the bar has been replaced by nothing but relentless techno music. Instead of the joyful, diverse soundtrack that once defined the space, we’re now subjected to an endless stream of generic beats that feel completely disconnected from the bar’s spirit. The screens that once lit up the night with iconic videos now feel irrelevant, and with them, the energy and cultural vibrancy that made Good Friends so special has slipped away. This shift feels like a cultural oversight that robs patrons of what made this place unique. Countless loyal guests—myself included—are left disappointed and hopeless, wondering why management abandoned a formula that worked so well. In a city known for its music, where culture and community thrive on variety and connection, it’s disheartening to see Good Friends turn away from what made it beloved. Unless this changes, I fear many longtime supporters will start looking elsewhere for the kind of experience that Good Friends used to provide so effortlessly. The bartenders are perfect, but management is the worst. Booooo, tomato, tomato, tomato!

The Good Friends Bar is a great French Quarter drinking spot where almost anyone will feel comfortable. The drinks are reasonable and the service is prompt and friendly. The upstairs can be a bit loud for our taste but a lot of folks really like it that way. I have never seen food served in the but who knows.

Fun bar. Will always gets the Seperator. Milkshake with liquor..... yum.

Cute bar we happen to stop in. Very nice bartender that told us a bit about the area. Had a round of drinks and talked about the babies... lol

Had a lovely time at good friends! Happened to pop in for karaoke night. Brian was a most welcoming presence, grateful to have wandered in on this evening. Happened to pop in on karaoke night, lucky to meet KJ Ziggy, a supremely cool person with clearly sweet vibes and a keen voice and rhythm. Sweet spot, will return. Thanks for the kindness!

Had an amazing time here! The pool tables and karaoke were a lovely addition. Shout out to the amazing staff like Brian, Ernie, and the lady (forgot her name, so sorry!), they created such a safe space, atmosphere, and lasting memory!

This was a stunning little gem in the middle of a busy area. Steven was serving & did an incredible job of entertaining, serving & also had some great food recs. A/C was on full blast. Great music. Plenty of space.

Traveling here from Australia, was very nice. Pub drinks were reasonably priced and the bartenders were lovely. It was quiet when we attended but that could be expected in the middle of the week.

When we go on vacation, we have an unintentional tendency to stake out a base camp gay bar that kind of serves as home base for the weekend as we determine what to do and where to go. This time in New Orleans, Good Friends solidly served that purpose. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, near everything, but not TOO near anything, it's busy, but not uncomfortable. The facility is large for a NOLA gay bar and there is a plethora of seating options. The staff is extremely friendly and fun to interact with. It's a very diverse crowd here which makes it that much more fun. The staff alone runs the gamut of age, gay/straight, local/transplant, etc. It's fun to get to know everyone. They are essentially always open, so when the hankering comes for a beverage, this is your spot. Their pricing is very consistent with the area and the atmosphere is comfortable.

Drinking with Good Friends! A comfortable, cool, LGBTQ and ALL neighborhood bar. Welcoming, friendly, fun service. Full bar with great pours if you know what I mean. Great stop whilst walking the French Quarter.

Was looking forward to visiting this bar since it's classified as a low key casual neighborhood gay bar til we paid for drinks. 8.00 for a plastic cup single? I feel like some of the bars out here just gouge customers who visiting from out of town. This is also a "card only" bar so no cash allowed other than to tip. Ridiculous! Bartender was friendly enough but did seem like he could be full of himself.

Love this place !! Best kept secret !! Dustin is awesome !! Get a separator on a hot day !!

"Good Friends," only if you are a gay male. I've gone there twice as a lesbian (femme) & one time while ordering a drink I was told to, "Go somewhere else." by Eli who was bartending. I understand some gay males don't want a bunch of straight girls at "their" bar but I am a GAY female. The other time I was upstairs & watched the bartender serve males over & over again & skip me. Unfortunately, this has been how I've been treated at a couple gay New Orleans bars. If you are a gay female or don't think gay females should be treated this way then don't support "Good Friends."

Friendly, comfortable atmosphere. Bartender was great, as was the music. Outdoor balcony was my favorite feature as I could sit at a table and watch passersby.

I thoroughly enjoy coming to Good Friends for a night out. The drinks are super reasonable but what I enjoy most is the upstairs and balcony area. The music is always on point and there's always a decent crowd upstairs. As I've had the chance to live in the city this year, I've noticed the upstairs area out of habit is where the locals tend to go to immediately. All the bartenders are super friendly though. Jeremy is seriously the gatekeeper of the upstairs bar and does a great job of remembering regulars' names and preferred drink orders. It's like he's already pouring my double ruby red soda upon arrival. Such a great spot for tourists and friends alike. Best part... no cover charge and the balcony is everything. A nice change in pace from the Bourbon Street chaos since it's right around the corner.

Great French Quarter bar in a great location for the many events that take place in the quarter. Their signature drink is the separator, one of the great drinks in New Orleans, its like a boozy ice cream. The bar has an upper level where on a nice day you can sit up on the balcony. Great bar regardless of your sexual orientation, all are welcomed here.

We were visiting from out of town and worried we wouldn't be able to find something to do on Christmas Day. We found an ad for the "Christmas Dinner" at Good Friends Bar in the local queer newspaper, and decided to swing around at 1PM for it. It had the great dive bar feel without being anything that it wasn't, and had its doors open for anyone to come in, no discrimination. The place was very cute with two floors. a lower space with billiards and arcade games and a bar, with the top being another bar and outdoor balcony seating. The bartender's drinks were solid and cheap, and he went out of his way to learn different cocktails that we wanted to try (like a Washington Apple). Moreover, they were all very friendly and gave off a very homey feeling - they organised the Christmas Dinner, pot-luck style, with each relating to us the pride in their dish. The food was great and plentiful, and gave us a good taste of local cuisine in the area from home-cooking, and no complaints, it was free! The music was very eclectic as well, ranging from pop Lizzo, to old Britney, to 2011 K-Pop. Really, this place was a gem, and we'll be sure to hit it up again when we're back in town.

This place is fantastic! Great service and the drinks are amazing! Sean was the bartender and we absolutely adored him! We recommend Sean for sure!

One of my favorite places to go when I'm in town! A very chill bar that you can simply hang at with some *good friends*. There is never any hoopla drama going on here which I love! It's close to bourbon st but a breath of fresh air coming in here since it's around the corner from the madness. Cheap drinks too!

This is a must stop every time we are in New Orleans!! A chill bar right off of bourbon, good drinks & good company! :)

Bartenders are great, the music is always popping, the restroom is clean, drinks are the truth and a good price. The whole vibe is always on point. I love coming here. They also do karaoke here too. It's on Tuesdays. Definitely check this spot on.

Went to this bar for decadence weekend! My friends and I had a blast! It was early in the day, Jeff was our bartender. He was the sweetest! Can't wait to come back in a few months, we're definitely coming back. Great music and good prices for drinks.

I LOVED This place. We ended up going twice during our 4 days in NOLA. Would definitely come back should I be in the city again!

Love coming by this bar when it's a beautiful day outside. We typically will stop in and split a separator. The patio is nice and provides a great back drop to chit chat.

I seriously would not have known about this place if not for my friends telling me about it. As stated by one of the reviews, every single bartender is friendly and just makes you feel as if you are a long lost friend. So, this is another one of my late reviews (02.22.20) but I couldn't NOT write one because I loved this place so much. Try the coffee drink. Seriously, I don't know what is in it but I think it's coffee. Whatever it is, it is AMAZING. I was craving it the entire visit to NOLA. I had a friend show up and I grabbed her through the crowded streets (Mardi Gras) and made her get a drink. Yes, made her! The second time that I was there, the bartenders were just as nice to me as the first time. FYI: Someone mentioned that the place only accepts credit cards. I vaguely remember hearing this. I personally pay everything with debit card so this was not an issue. Just know this for the future. Keep up the amazing job, Good Friends! I hope to see you soon.

We were out for karaoke and Good Friends didn't disappoint! I had a blast, and the service was solid! Cocktails were super cheap so you can't go wrong with that.

Bartender was wasted off her mind- gave us a check and would not explain what the charges were. Would not give em back my card! Had to get the manager envolved to sort it out! Unbelievable!

We came here for some afternoon margaritas on a beautiful sunny day in the French quarter. The bartenders are really friendly and offered us great hospitality and service. Would definitely revisit. We loved the large open windows that made us feel like we were sitting outside. Sean was the best bartender! Also affordable! Yippee.

OMG I really enjoy this bar now. I can remember when I was much younger we never came here cause the Queen's were older , well bitches I'm that age now..lol. Great bar and fun guys that work here....

I love this bar , they have good music , itscomfy To sit at the bar and drink . I usually go here after I go out and wait For my ride bc it's right off the back of bourbon , just tried this separator drink today and it was amazing ! It's their signature drink ! It was nice on a hot spring day ! And nice and sweet ! Deff try it

Such a fun place! Didn't meet a stranger. Sat at the bar and chatted up people so easily. The drinks were great. Try their famous "Separator." Ryan was my bartender and I enjoyed him immensely. The music was banging and my friend and I got up sporadically and danced.

Downright rude and catty staff and patrons. It was our last night visiting the city and we decided to go to this bar for a friend's birthday. Our female friends who were doing nothing but dancing and having a good time were insulted and called "practice lesbians" while we were there. We were also told to "get the f*ck out and "go back to our Airbnb" because we were tourists. The staff was rude and dismissive to us the entire time while we were there for no apparent reason, even though we were doing them a favor by bringing our business to this bar even thought it was absolutely dead. If you are a tourist and are thinking of visit ing a local gay bar for a good experience, AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS! They are misogynistic and prejudiced to tourists.

Best night we had in NOLA. My friend and I came here for my bachelorette and we learned very quickly that the French Quarter was not our scene especially at night. We're just not partiers or drinkers. However the one night we decided to dedicate a night of drinking to, we ended up here and it was the best decision. Every other bar we went to was just meh. I don't know if there's karaoke every night here, but the night we went there was and it was the best time. The bartender was the best! Friendly, fun, and a great singer!! If I came back to NOLA, it would be here.

Was in town for a couple days. Found Good Friends just walking around. Was very chill for a Monday night. The music was great and Ernie the bartender was super friendly, nice and adorable! Definitely coming back before I leave town

Friendly staff. This is a bar and cannot let your child use the restroom because they will lose their liquor license. Inform yourself before you post negative reviews. We enjoyed the upstairs porch on a cool breezy evening and had a great time with the dance music.

I would definitely come back for a visit at this bar. Very friendly bartender and patrons. Decent drink special. Nice place to relax and have a drink off Bourbon Street.

The bartender Michael was a sweetheart and great host. You've got to try the Swedish Fish! Excellent spot to enjoy good beverages and relax.

Fox was our bartender before 1pm and she was absolutely delightful. She talked to us about anything and everything we wanted to know about being new to the city. We tipped her well and were sad to see her go. Some short ugly guy replaced her as the bartender and was an absolute douche. Short with his answers and rolls his eyes regarding anything you want or need. If you wanna have fun, come before 1pm or after he leaves. He's the worst bartender ever. You'll regret spending your money on him.

Won't take cash, no thanks. I'm not ringing up a card for a $4 cocktail when I specifically took out cash to make a bar run.

Went out last night looking for a cool LGBTQ+ bar for me and my girlfriend to go to. Amazing staff and amazing vibe. Karaoke was really fun and the people that go there are awesome!! To top it off the drinks were super cheap. Great place!!

Cute spot for drinks and fun. Pool table inside. They have good music. The bartenders were great friendly and mixed good drinks. They do have a bathroom problem tho they are no doors on the stall .WTH. They need to fix that. Even the women's bathroom has no latch to close the door. Unsafe feeling with that. Other than that I had a good time and made some good friends there haha.

Love, love, love the separator. When I visit from Cali, I always stay at The Inn at St. Ann. I can't wait for this scrumptious adult beverage. Plus, I love my gays. Still trying to convince my hubby to come in with me, but anywho I'll patronize whenever I'm in Nola. Besos!

My girlfriend, Jeannie and I, found this spot after walking around the french quarter all night, including bourbon street. We stopped in for one last drink before heading back to our hotel and ended up staying for a couple hours. The bar tender, Tim, made the experience very special. After he found out it was my 40th birthday he opened a bottle of champagne for me and my girl on the house! Tim was courteous and friendly and made us feel right at home even with all the chaos that exudes from Bourbon street all around. The other patrons at the bar were also extremely friendly and we had some great conversations with the locals. They didn't make us feel like out of towners which made the experience all the better. We came back and brought the rest of our crew to play on the shuffle board and pool table a couple of nights later. Once again we had a great time! If you are looking for a sanity break and a great laid back, safe atmosphere, I highly recommend this place. Of course the drinks were great too, but that's a given in this area!

What a great little neighborhood bar, friendly patrons great staff especially Shaun.

Came here to meet a friend, who suggested it. Afternoon bartender was very nasty and unwelcoming. We thought- maybe not female friendly? But, when our male friend who suggested it saw the bartender, he said, "he's always rude"! He won't even go in when he's bartending. All five of us took our drinks outside, then went elsewhere. Too bad...looked like a cute bar with fun clientele, but many other places to drink in the area.

It's a 24hr bar in the gayborhood of Nola...I love swinging through here and meeting interesting folks and downing delicious drinks. Khrystian..I believe that's how you spelled his cray name was a wonderful mixologist hahah he hates that word, nevertheless the man knows what to do with some dranks! Hope he's around when I return to my beloved city again this year!

I LOVE Good Friends!!! Easily one of my favorite bars in NOLA - easily! Our very first night at the bar was kind of a mixed bag - and probably not so great a first impression. We came here looking to find a place to watch some football for the NFL season opener. Was not meant to be. Saints rule the place. So the classification "Sports Bar" is kind of a misnomer. Suggestion to Yelp - devise a new business category - "Saints Bar". Every bar in NOLA should be put under that :o) So after night 1, we realized this was Not a Sports Bar. And ended up going to an actual Sports bar to watch the game after finishing the first beers that we ordered. But didn't want to not go here because the vibe in the main bar downstairs felt great. AND I am also the kind of person who gives things / people / situations a second chance (ooh thank you Master for the consideration!). Came back the next night and had a blast. Met some fun locals. Made new friends. And the bartenders downstairs - Really make it worth the time spent here. So here are my rankings for the ones I met - starting with the best! Robert - He is a rock star. Makes a kick ass spicy Bloody Mary and a great dude! Michael - a close second - super super super nice guy (and that smile btw?!) Khrystian (so sure I am spelling it wrong but I know it starts with a K) - next best thing after Rob n Mike. Quite fast, works hard, remembers what guests drink, has the needed sass to put people in their place - LOL. Work it K! Joseph - yes, K&J are good trouble at the bar together and they probably know it too Loved the 2nd night so much that we were sure we had to come to the Saints Bar to catch the actual NOLA sports. So was there on time for the Saints kick off last Sunday. And boy does this town know how to celebrate their Saints. I get it. We do the same for our Pats (after all - we are Winners!!). But I have to say NOLA does Saints so much more than any other town I have been to. And clearly this bar takes it to a different level. * On the house Hot Dogs with Chili and all the fixings during the Saints game! * Free Shots for everyone for every Saints TD! I don't think I have ever rooted for any other team other than the Pats the way I was rooting for the Saints last Sunday. Too bad they lost, but for the sake of the locals and tourists alike, I hope the Saints kick some as$ in NFC this season. And anyone and everyone should go to Good Friends to enjoy Saints football. Other side notes. They play good music videos although the DVDs are rotated and if you spend more than a couple of hours here, or come back the next day at around the same time, you may end up seeing the same loop of songs - rewind and replay! But the crowd is fun. And if the management can do something about videos on demand / requests, that would make this place super stellar. Hey, but nobody is perfect. And for what Good Friends is right now - it is pretty damn good!!

I was so excited to go here yet the regulars heckled me and my friends calling us " practice lesbians"...super uninviting especially when the bar tender told us to "gtf out" of his club. If you want to be welcomed to a club, please consider any other club. I hate to leave such a harsh review but the way we were treated so horribly, every other club we went to welcomed us so warmly.

Was in town for a few days from South Florida and a friend said we MUST come here and to be sure to order a Seperator. Loved the causal environment, loved the bartender, loved the drink. It was like having an "Adult" Wendy's Frosty. Another Love... How dog friendly they are!

Great place.... We have tried several of the gay bars in the area and service has been horrible. Jonathan has taken great care of us, and we will definitely be back!

My favorite f*g bar probably in the world. Not a single bartender that I don't love(especially jonathon and jeremy). Happy hour specials are 10/10. Always open for music requests. Always a good crowd. And especially good in covid times with their enforcements of local mandates. Can't think of a better place to spend my evenings.

Stopped in here for a drink on our way down the street. Friendly staff! Just had a house Chardonnay so not much to remark on there. You must order a drink to use the bathroom. They key to the bathroom was dangling from a bejeweled toilet seat. A bit cumbersome but I get the point I it!

This bar sits just one block off of Bourbon Street and serves it's community as an amazing neighborhood bar. No matter what is going on in the city, from Mardi Gras to Southern Decadence the amazing staff are there to serve. From Beau to Christian to Joseph these bartenders know how to make your day! I just can't say enough about it!!

Meh- What Gay Scene? This place is no frills, no service, no smiles, just meh.

Came here on a Friday night, I was visiting from LA so I did expect more. I wasn't fan of the "gay scene" at all here. Everything seemed pretty dead and not crowded at all to be a weekend in the summer. But I enjoyed this bar, stopped by to have a few drinks. Price is great $5 vodka soda, okayyy

Bartender Timothy speaks a lot about living in cities with mostly white communities. He speaks a lot about diversity and "coolness" but fails to realize that he literally ignores poc customers. When he does attend to them his attitude is callous and abrasive. Check your own white supremacy Timothy before you come for anyone else. Otherwise the bar is fine.

My friend and I were looking for a good place to start and end our night from the festivities of the parades. Since we are located a few streets from the corner of this bar, we popped in. This is a great bar with large bar space and doors that open to the street along both street sides. It's dog friend too! The people were very friendly and the drinks seemed reasonably priced. We will be going back all week.

After the episode we had I attempted to try to talk to the GM about the "issue" at hand. He told me I threatened people and I was lucky he allowed me back in. I tried to explained the situation and he threatened to call the police on me. I'm a security forces military member and got threatened to get law enforcement called on me. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS BAR TO ANYONE. They're ridiculous in their judgment and be careful when you're there!