The Maison

Maison and Dirty Dozen Brass Band After spending the morning and afternoon at the 2025 New Orleans Jazz festival I headed back to my hotel to rest for a bit before seeing the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, for a 10 p.m. show at Maison. Located in the heart of Frenchmen (508 Frenchmen St.), I stopped by early to learn doors would open at 9:30 p.m., giving me enough time to cross the street for crawfish étouffée at Frenchmen All Day (630 Frenchmen Street). I had wisely paid for access to the balcony ($40 + $10 handling) and because I was first in line at 9:30 I was able to secure a small high-top table not far from the upstairs bar but with a view of the front of the stage. (I think general admission $25, was for standing room only.) The band was amazing! Rich, colorful sound, nicely blended by a group that clearly knew each other’s styles. It reminded me of some of the scenes from HBO’s series “Tremé” – the venue itself appears a couple of times in the series (which aired for four seasons starting in 2011 and currently is available through Amazon Prime Video). The Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s performance captured the swing and feeling of the French Market music scene. Not sure why the balcony lacked a video screen – much of the upstairs seating had great acoustics but no sight line of the stage itself. Drink prices were reasonable given the high quality of the venue, and the bartended was personable and helpful – and there was never more than a five-minute wait to get served. My only concern (and it’s not even a complaint) was the repeated appearance of iPad Man, who presumably had been responsible for the band’s sound engineering. He apparently needed to make many trips during the show to adjust sound values, and while the band didn’t need to stop while these changes were made, his presence at center stage was distracting. Maybe there’s a reason why traditional sound boards served their purpose so well for so many years. Whatever software was being used to run the sound quality, its user needs to up his game and get the job done before the show starts. I came to Maison hoping to experience the vibe that “Tremé” spoke to and was richly rewarded with an outstanding night in New Orleans.

This is really a nice place to listen to good jazz music and get a bit traditional New Orleans food and drink a beer. This part of New Orleans is definitely full of tourists and that also reflects on all the places that you go. And this is no exception. But I really think it is a fantastic experience to listen to good music and take in the vibes of New Orleans. The service is super friendly and really good I can only recommend this 👍

Reading other reviews, maybe we handled it differently or maybe things have changed. Others say that there is no drink minimum and you can just come in. Our experience was that we paid ~$40 to reserve a table for my wife and son and I. The server was very nice, but as we started ordering, we’d planned to order a bit at a time since our reservation was from 5:30-7. But we were informed that we had to order at least 3 food items from the menu, even though we’d paid $40 to reserve the table, ordered drinks, and two food items. I promised we’d order another and things went smoothly from there. But it left a bit of a taste in my mouth. When I saw folks come to the door, they were directed in, but were informed that they needed to order something. It’s not unreasonable of course, but just felt a little money grabby. It’s a tourist town though. Ok. Besides that, we had a lovely time. The server was kind and playful and after our initial conversation we never felt harried or rushed. My son is 8 and he was treated very kindly and he danced and loved it. The band that night was Tuba Skinny and we watched 2 of there sets and we were never rushed or felt pushed out, though this was a Thursday night in the off season and there were always tables. I’m guessing in busier times, you have to stick to your time-slot and go. The front door was wide open and the band blasted live music into the streets and folks walked by dancing. It was pretty cool. The food is good and not overpriced relative to other places we went. The Sazarac was very good, as was the Cabernet. We’ll definitely visit again. But maybe next time we’ll skip the table and have a couple drinks and plan to eat somewhere that $40 isn’t immediately added to the bill.

I had a phenomenal time here! I came early in the afternoon around 2ish? The band playing was amazing. The staff were friendly, and quick with service! You need to order at least one drink. I really enjoyed the band playing and purchased their vinyl. Will definitely come back here on my next visit.

Best jazz bar/restaurant on Frenchmen St! It has no cover charge, no minimum drink order, no minimum age, and no service fees. The jazz music played sounded amazing, but was not so loud to overwhelm. We still enjoyed conversation while the music played. We brought our kids and had a nice family jazz music night. The food menu is limited, but most people come here for drinks and music. It’s a great place.

Came in for the music and wound up ordering dinner too. The chicken fingers were seriously amazing. The dish comes with 4 chicken fingers (my picture shows two). We were seated promptly, and had our order ready in no time.

Great spot for live music in Frenchman. Full service bar with solid drinks and food menu but we did not eat. Such great entertainment over several hours

Food, service, atmosphere, music and the fried pickles were amazing! Highly recommend it!

Great music. Good vibe. Good customer service. Unfortunately, they stop serving food at 9pm.

Excellent spot to hear live music. No cover. One drink minimum. We had a great time and everyone was extra nice to us. When the 4 of us arrived, there weren't any seats, except the huge booth by the door where the photographer and a few of his friends were sitting. They made room for us. That was awesome and kind of them. The band was amazing.

We went on a Sunday night for the live music. There wasn't a cover but there was a sign that required a 1 drink minimum per person which they really didn't enforce. We walked by the night before on a Saturday and it was packed and I believe they had a cover charge that night. Nonetheless on Sunday, we were able to grab a table, nothing fancy with the drinks but we did enjoy great live music. The band (Higher Heights) was awesome, loved the energy and they played a mixture of reggae and old school RnB. Had such an awesome time singing and enjoying a great show. Location is not walkable from French Quarter or Bourbon Street but love the vibe much better in this area.

The Maison is a nice & chill spot that provides live music and good vibes. Our waitress was super friendly and very helpful. The restaurant was clean and provided a lot of seating. The band was good and played some nice tunes. The jambalaya fritters were a bit dry but the sauce on top was really good! Needed just a bit more of that on top. The shrimp were fried perfect and seasoned good! I would return just for those shrimps! I look forward to coming back.

Great music, patio, and bar service. Unexpectedly yummy cheese fries and cocktails. The only point of critique is that when my back was in need of a backed chair (we were sitting at the bar), we asked the hostess if we could switch to one of the many empty tables. We were told no twice - something about having already ordered at the bar? We would have happily closed out our tab and continued to order drinks at a new table, but had to leave instead due to discomfort after being told no.

OMG some of the music here is phenomenal! Open late, great vibes, no cover (at least when we went). But tip your musicians!!

We were told that we had to listen to live bands in New Orleans and this place had great talent on Sunday night. There was no cover charge but they do encourage tipping the band. The MC was very interactive and kept the crowd engaged. They did plenty of line dancing.

This bar caught our eye because of the live music. The door attendant was very nice and warm, so we decided to have a drink and listen to the band. It was pretty packed, and you can only sit at a table if you order food. There's a requirement of one drink per person per set. The drinks were good, as was the music! Will have to try the food next time!

Apparently you have to reserve a table in advance to guarantee seating to watch the jazz set. It's worth the $25 + tax for 4 pax. I was a bit hesitant about eating there as there were mixed reviews. It's definitely elevated pub food but we had some favorites. The chicken wings are a must. They were light and crispy. We also added a side of ranch. The trilogy with jumbalaya, gumbo, and red beans and rice was just okay. Great selection of drinks and cocktails as they have a full bar. The music was great the night we went. The going around trying to collect tips is a bit much but I get it, it's the only way to get people to pay attention and give some love.

Cool spot for live music on Frenchmen Street. First band wasn't great but the second one we heard was better. No cover charge which is always a plus. Pretty extensive drink menu which even included a local brand of nonalcoholic cocktails.

Brunch Sunday morning is delicious! They also had a great jazz band playing there Sunday morning, Highly recommend!

Absolutely loved this place! The food, the service, the atmosphere were all amazing! We sat at the bar and ordered the jambalaya fritters, Cajun Mac n cheese, wings and the Alligator sausage with fries. Everything was super delicious! I would absolutely go back again. We really enjoyed the live music as well! Definitely check this place out if you haven't been!

Good music and good vibes. Street parking was east to find on a Tuesday night. They have a great cocktail menu available. Tip is already included in every order.

Great jazz, good service, good drinks, and great Mac-n-cheese. I mean it...great Mac-n-cheese. We also ordered wings and enjoyed them. A bit pricey. 19 dollars for fried shrimp basket and 9 dollars for a cup of Mac-n-cheese. No regrets, but not an everyday thing to eat and drink here.

I went with my friends to the Maison for dinner and the live music. The music was fantastic, the artists were absolutely talented! I tried the Creole Mac n Cheese and it was alright. There were definitely plain pasta at the bottom of the container but still decent overall. The service was wonderful and our server was very helpful. I wasn't able to try the drinks but they looked great.

great spot for free live music - easy place to view the bands too. service is absolutely terrible, and you'll pay at least $10 for a drink. none of the less, still a great spot to come into and check out a jam and have a drink.

Located on Frenchman St The Maison is a great casual spot to hang out and listen to some New Orleans Jazz. The atmosphere here is great with lots of people loving the live bands and their music. Great drinks and food were consumed and we spent a long time in here. The staff were efficient and pleasant ensuring we had everything we needed to enjoy our night. We had a blast.

We hit The Maison for our jazz night on Frenchman street and had a lot of fun. Both bands we saw were great, and it had a pretty relaxed vibe. One of the musicians pulled a couple of my friends down to dance during the beginning of their set, which was actually really fun (we're a pretty reserved group, but I think we had a good time!). The bar service was pretty quick but we were too late for the kitchen, so I can't say anything about the food.

Great food and experience while at the restaurant. We actually picked up a CD from the band that was playing. Jenavieve and the Winding Boys were great. Our server was on top of things and we had a good experience. We did have an issue with rescheduling, but that has been resolved.

We really enjoyed the atmosphere and music. Their margarita is strong! The jambalaya tasted like it had been sitting for awhile. I think you can see that in the picture, hard dried sausage on the top. It did have nice heat though. Our change came back $1.50 short. My husband just let it go, that just irritated me. There is a 20% gratuity off the top.

Good music, balance of food, music atmosphere. Nice location on Frenchman St. Service was amazing, and best Mac and cheese in my life.

Primary band really good. Salad not fresh. Little less drinking and more performing by the band.

5-Stars for the live music. If you like good old-fashioned jazz then this is your place. We caught two wonderful bands (2 visits) and wanted to stay for the drag show upstairs but we had late dinner plans. The music is king here. We did order food during our first visit and it was not good at all. I likened my gumbo to something I could get at an all-you-can hotel buffet. My old-fashioned was not very good. I went to the bar and explained what was wrong with my drink and the bartender had to refer to the menu to make the drink, ouch. The redo was not much better. Lesson learned order simple. On our second visit, we caught another great band. We sat through an entire set and were never offered a drink. Servers walked past us a number of times so after the 3rd walk by we just decided to enjoy the band. C'est la vie. Go here for the music and be sure to tip the band!

Stopped in after dinner because we heard some good sounds coming out the door. They put us at the bar because we weren't ordering food. We couldn't really see the band so we asked to move because there were quite a few empty tables. They let us sit at this church pew bench in the front with a great view of the band. We had to hold our drinks, but other than that, great seats. The music was some of the best we heard on Frenchman's street. I wish I remembered the name of the band, but the woman had the best voice. Cool, traditional New Orleans jazz. We were near the window and it was entertaining to watch the drag queens outside trying to get the people in.

Great place to see some local jazz that is NOT on Bourbon Street! No cover charge but I did Venmo tip the band. I got the Creole baked Mac n cheese, the wife got the chicken sandwich. Both great and sorry no pics! Had a few brews and really really enjoyed the old time jazz with a 4 piece band. Definitely recommend Maison for a night out!

Horrible!! Music was ok, but better at other spots nearby. The manager and host were drinking on the job and smoking out front. The server was trying their best, but we could tell that they needed support... possibly from the lack of management involvement in operations! Food was ok... but nothing great! Mostly bar food.

Wandered into Frenchman St. after some locals recommended we venture outside of Bourbon St. Glad we did because we found this place! Finally. Some real jazz. We got to enjoy 2 bands play while we shared some of their apps: creole baked mac n cheese & gumbo fries. Delicious!

Listen to me: If you are in New Orleans, you must come here for dinner and order the Creole baked mac and cheese and a side of gator sausage. Then, when the food comes out, you will mix the gator sausage INTO the mac and cheese, and it will be one of the best things you've ever put into your mouth. Aside from the food, the live music and atmosphere here are great. It's a fun little place on Frenchmen Street.

Afrobeat upstairs, live jazz downstairs. We had to dump our drinks before walking in so that you can order inside. That was fine. We were carded at the door (which always tickles my grown self). We danced upstairs, then danced some more downstairs until it was time to move to the next spot. It was an enjoyable night overall.

Had a great time at the Jazz Brunch. The food and service were very good, and the band was excellent. This small, unassuming spot was definitely worth the stop.

Great find on Frenchman Street. We came here looking for live music and was happily surprised to find music, food, and drinks. We were seated right up front, which was great! The band was fantastic. So talented. While listening to the band, we enjoyed cocktails and food. For food, we tried the gumbo with alligator sausage and the Cajun Mac and cheese. We got a cup of each and shared. Since we ate dinner, we wanted to try a little more Cajun food. So good!

Me, and my two new AUSSIE FRENS cruised out of The Spotted Cat Club... and ended up falling into THE MAISON just after 730 pm... We found a spot at the bar, and ordered another round of beers... I got a peek at the Menu, which was smartly sized, and had a lot of interesting items on it.... and decided to order the Jerk Seasoning Chicken Wings.. A fateful decision. These are Flats and Drumsticks that are par fried crisp in Prep I would guess.. and then 2nd Fried just after the order comes in(still naked), and then tossed in a combo of Jerk Seasoning/Tony Chacheres, and a few other seasonings... The first order came in just 5 to 6 minutes, which makes me think they were cooked almost done in Prep, and it doesn't matter what is going on, because they were some of the best wings that any of us had in our lives... The CRISP on the outside, that juxtaposed the tender, and perfectly cooked and moist chicken meat on the inside was really other worldly. 6 chicken wings for $13. 6 palate changing wings. Complete Eater Heaven. The AUSSIES were blown away as much as I was, so I ran another order immediately upon finishing off the first order of 6, because it just seemed like the Best thing to do. And it was. 5 to 6 minutes later, here they come again, and I get the biggest Drumstick just perfectly coated with those Jerk, Chachere,, and other MAISON Seasonings. Credit must be given. These wings, to a few new FRENS with a nice Buzz were the best wings ever. Da BEST EVER. If nothing else they were spectacular little works of edible art, that never stood a chance. I will be going back to The Maison I am sure again and again, but will also take the time to reverse engineer those great wings at home in between visits. We enjoyed our bartenders personality, and she kept the Cold Miller Lites coming my way. If I had it my way, there would have been a 3rd order of wings, but somehow I got distracted late in the game, and those 6 wings will have to wait for a day in the very near future. If you are on Frenchmen Street, Run, do not Walk to the Bar at THE MAISON, and get you a Cold Cold Beverage, but most of all, Get you the Best Jerk Seasoned Wings this CAT has ever gobbled down. ALL CAT PAWS UP. Decadently Flavorful C'est Fantastique Meow Meow

100% fun - we went here 2 nights in a row on a recent trip to NOLA. Amazing music & a great vibe

Make sure to make a reservation to ensure seats in front of the stage! Food we ordered as of 3/2022: - Last Mango in Paris - $16 - Mixed field greens, creole tomatoes, goat cheese, mango salsa and toasted pecans. If any of those ingredients sound good to you then definitely order it! We enjoyed it and the portion size is enough for 2 to share. - Cheeseburger Po Boy - $17 - Not bad but nothing spectacular. The menu here isn't expansive and so you're really here to have dinner and enjoy a show. Make sure to check out the calendar on their website to see who's playing!

worst service ever. our waitress was rude to us and ignored us repeatedly. tip was included in our bill (which was over charging us by $40 - they put we ordered 6 jambalaya which we got 1 of). people were selling jewelry in the bathrooms and controlling the soap dispenser with tip jars out, so you couldn't really say no! live music was good. food was mediocre at best. this review is generous.

Kermit and I ended up going here last Sunday to see Herlin Riley during Nickel-A-Dance. Once I arrived at the bar I wanted to purchase a drink; However, the barmaid acted as if she's not aware of an ID. I presented her w| my passport ID card and she would not allow me to purchase a drink. Clearly she doesn't own a passport or is just ignorant of different forms of ID's. We enjoyed Herlin, Kermit played a song and everything was decent-- except that incident.

Worst place I've been to in NOLA. The bartenders are cool but everyone else who works here is such a jerk. They refuse to let anyone sit down. I got out of my barstool for one second to scoot over and the waitress rips it out of my hand. And then in front of the stage there's this huge table that at least 5 people are sitting on / leaning against (with no sign on it that's bolted into the floor) and the security guard comes over and yells at everyone that he's going to kick them out if they sit there. So then I go to the back table to sit down and 20 mins later the waitress comes over and says no one can sit there because they're selling merch THE NEXT DAY Don't come here if you want any hospitality. And the drinks are tiny for $15 and taste bad. Would not recommend. Last place I would ever go to if I wanted to have fun

Best Vieux Carre I've had on my quick weekend in NO. Better than Carousel Bar 100%. Go to Juan's bar in the back. Fire drinks.

Very nice place to listen to some Jazz. Great atmosphere and friendly service. I would stop again when I'm in town.

Door Greeter-2 Stars Waited until she was off her phone. Waitress-1 Star Not attentive. At all. Food for price-2 Stars Between paying $50 to reserve a table and the quality of good. Nope! No band on stage the entire 1.5 hours we sat. Friday evening.-0 Stars We are typically easy to please but this was not a pleasant experience.

Such a good time!!!!!!! Made several stops in here throughout the night. Music off the chain

The Maison is usually a great spot to drop into on Frenchman street. I've never made it for food, and my visits have only been for nighttime fun, listening to great music, or grabbing a few drinks. Staff has always been friendly, and the bartenders make some great drinks. Recently, we heading to The Maison after a wedding, and we stumbled on a great band allowing lots of the group to dance while also still having some seating available in the back for those of us who hit the wedding dance floor a bit too vigorously. I would say you'll almost always have a great late night time at The Maison. Hopefully I'll remember to try the good out sometime.

So, Frenchman Street is a must visit for music while in NOLA. We had a couple of drinks and some appetizers while there, but our main reason for going was to hear the Jason Neville Funky Soul Band! Sooooo, I want to say that this is an excellent place to listen to music, have drinks and food, and spend a whole evening on Frenchman Street!

Cool environment and good music. Ordered the Mac n cheese with a side of alligator sausage (thanks to another reviewer) and the gumbo. It was good!

We loved the ambience. The jazz was exactly what we hoped it would be. Not to loud with a great mix of instruments plus solos in every song. The food was good. I had a burger (taking a break from all the Creole food) and it was fantastic. All reasonably priced. Make a reservation to ensure you get a table!!

I was really hopeful for a good experience here due the to prime location and solid reputation, but I was sadly disappointed. I was part of a large group that rented out the second and third floor, and it was common consensus that we will never be returning. The only music that was being played was from Pandora and they would not let us change the music and play the playlist that was created for this event. Also it was not working at times, so we were stuck in silence for many moments. The bouncers were also extremely unpleasant and yelling at us for having 5 people sitting on a 4 person couch or sitting on the arm of the couch. There are very few working bathroom stalls which makes this a poor venue for a lot of people, and one girl was kicked out for trying to go to the bathroom on the first floor of the venue. I would never recommend this place to anyone.

Love this club. Great vibe. Lots of seating- which you can't always find. Drinks are fab. Try the southern peach. Light, refreshing and not too sweet. Saw Amber and the Sweet potatoes. What a great swing band. Had so much fun we came here two days in a row. Once in the afternoon and once at night. Had a great time both times we were here. If you're looking to hear some authentic local New Orleans live music, Maison is a must.

The ambience was great! It was a good size establishment with plenty of seating. The live music was wonderful! The service was ok. Just to warn you, the fountain drinks do not have free refills, but the waitress will ask if you want another glass of soda--not telling you this, so make sure to read the fine print or ask. Tips are included in your bill--regardless of the size of your party. We were a party of two. So tacky! The Creole macaroni and cheese was delicious.

R&B hip hop dance club with live entertainment for all to enjoy. College crowd, free entry and reasonably priced food and beverages.

I never write reviews but need to about this establishment. Went and had a good time, asked if they sold there t shirts, they said they do and the are 25 dollars. Got my check and they added the gradudity and included the shirts on the bill for the gratuity. I told the lady at the bar that there must be a mistake because you included the cost of the shirts to my bill and there should be no tax or graduty for buying tshirts and she said yes that is our policy. They are the worst of the worst. So I bought three tshirts for 25 dollars each and paid a 20 gradtuity on the tshirts. It's to bad because the bar was nice but that is criminal! Stay clear.