Lafitte's
Gay bar · French Quarter
901 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Highlights
Oldest gay bar, ghosts, karaoke, dance parties, balcony
Oldest gay bar, ghosts, karaoke, dance parties, balcony
"A proud anchor of Bourbon Street’s “Fruit Loop,” Café Lafitte in Exile’s claim to fame is that it is the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the country, with the ghosts of past patrons occasionally visiting. Beware of the spectre Mr. Bubbly, who has been known to get grabby and pinch butts. The upstairs bar and balcony hosts weekly events, including karaoke and dance parties, while the downstairs has a welcoming bar with cheap drinks and views of Bourbon Street — ideal for people-watching. The bar hosts the ever-popular “Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans” all Pride weekend; reserve your spot here." - Beth D’Addono
"A proud anchor of Bourbon Street’s “Fruit Loop,” Café Lafitte in Exile’s claim to fame is that it is the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the country, with the ghosts of past patrons occasionally visiting. The upstairs bar and balcony hosts weekly events, including karaoke and dance parties, while the downstairs has a welcoming bar with cheap drinks and views of Bourbon Street — ideal for people-watching." - Eater Staff
"Café Lafitte in Exile’s claim to fame is that it is the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the country — though it likely wouldn’t have been called such in the 1930s when it was first founded. It gets its name because it originally occupied the space home to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, moving to its current location in the ’50s, hence the “exile.” Said to be haunted by luminaries like Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams, downstairs has a welcoming bar with cheap drinks and views of Bourbon Street ideal for people-watching, and the upstairs bar with a wraparound balcony hosts weekly events, including karaoke and dance parties." - Beth D’Addono
"The self-proclaimed oldest gay bar in the U.S., Lafitte’s in Exile is a central point of celebration for the weekend, beginning with an opening ceremony on Thursday, June 10 followed by an Underwear Party beginning upstairs at 6 p.m. $5 admission, or it’s free if you check your pants at the door." - Clair Lorell
"It seems only fitting that a few short blocks away from the oldest Roman Catholic convent in the United States, what now claims to be the country’s oldest continuously-operated gay bar opened in 1933. It’s a comforting balance in a city where you’re likely to lose your footing once or twice. Before its exile, the original Café Lafitte occupied Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the former headquarters of a pirate whose life of crime was pardoned for assisting the Americans in the War of 1812. It’s one of the oldest buildings in New Orleans. While it couldn’t have been fairly termed a “gay bar” in the 1930s, it was as gay-friendly as an establishment could have been at the time. When a new landlord forced the bar owners to vacate the location, they took “Café Lafitte” and its trappings up the street, where in 1953 they reopened as Café Lafitte in Exile. The grand reopening party was a masquerade, where patrons dressed up as their favorite exiles from history, from Oscar Wilde to Dante Alighieri to Napoleon Bonaparte. Over time, the bar’s reputation grew. Notable writers from Truman Capote to Tennessee Williams became frequent customers, and their ghosts are said to make appearances to this day. They’re not the only spirits around: An entity named Mr. Bubbly is known to pinch guests’ bottoms from time to time, though his origins are dubious at best. Know Before You Go The bar is open 24-7." - medusa7111, Fred Cherrygarden, breaingram
