Best Nightlife in New Orleans

The main Uptown music joint besides Tipitina's, Maple Leaf Bar focuses on local musicians, with many taking up residency at the bar. Some of the best funk acts of the city play here, from Jon Cleary to George Porter and Johnny Sketch. Maple Leaf is on Oak Street, which is a prime location for doing dinner and a show. Patrons can enjoy New Orleans best music here seven nights a week. The fame of the Maple Leaf once lured Beyonce Knowles to shoot a promotional video for one of her singles, and the stage occasionally has a special guest jump in to jam (Bruce Springsteen and Bonnie Raitt have in the past).

If you want to make a night out of listening to jazz in a comfortable atmosphere while sipping a drink, Snug Harbor, located on Frenchmen Street is the place for you. With its classy grown-up vibe, Snug allows you to enjoy yourself without having to worry about seating or the lack of drink options. A few of the city's famous Neville family are regulars here, and the crowd is usually focused solely on the music and the experience. There is a dining room with a casual menu of steaks and chops and lots of wine options. Snug really is the place to go for a jazzy evening.

High ceilings, rich brown paneling, and a long, sleek bar adorn this attractive space, housed in an old Marigny building. The bar menu is extensive and the assortment of single malt whiskey will delight even the most discriminating connoisseur. A TV, pool table and pinball machine keep everyone entertained, and a hot lineup of live blues and jazz bands performs nightly. With a massive rotating selection of draft beers on tap and plenty more in the bottles, this Faubourg Marigny club is a popular haunt with beer drinkers. Cover charges are kept to a minimum for later shows, making this a great place to duck in for a good time.

Everyone "old and young, from far and near" feels welcome at this cozy German-style beer hall. Patrons, seated near the fireplace or on the patio, puff cigars, down their favorite imported beers or sip cocktails made with European schnapps. The club's live Dixieland jazz never disappoints with local luminaries onstage nightly, thanks to music director Kevin Clark, who is also a busy trumpet player around town. Fritzel's claims to be the city's oldest operating jazz club, a fixture on Bourbon Street since the 60s in a 19th-century building with great architectural bones. Although the atmosphere is lively, the audience comes to hear the music, not something too common along this stretch of Bourbon Street.

Preservation Hall is a historical jazz venue located on St. Peter Street steps away from Bourbon in the French Quarter. Admission is $25 for standing room, or reserve in advance ($40-$50) to assure a seat close to the action. Folks line up early to get one of the limited bench seats in the intimate room, after that it's standing room or floor seating, but nobody seems to mind. Top notch jazz performers are regulars here and the vibe is old school magic. This place is one for the bucket list. A band CD or a vintage looking t-shirt are great souvenir options.

The House of Blues in New Orleans is unlike any other venue that shares its name. Opened in 1994 in the French Quarter, this historic blues house offers standing room viewing of a stage that gets concert-goes right on top of the performers. Each stage contains a box welded to the bottom containing original Mississippi mud, ensuring "that every artist has the roots and the spirit of the South planted beneath their feet". The New Orleans location has more than 298 pieces of folk art that line the walls and hallways of the interior. The calendar is always packed with not only blues artists, but top names from every genre.

The Carousel Bar is an infamous stopping point in the revered Monteleone Hotel on Royal Street in the French Quarter. Built in 1949 and renovated in 2011, the 25 seat bar gently spins its patrons around as they sip a drink from the endless cocktail menu. Non-revolving seating is available for those drinkers who'd rather stay stationary when they take down libations. The Carousel Bar has a vintage feel, taking its guests back to a more formal time. Live music is featured every night, with spotlights on local entertainers like Robin Barnes, Lena Prima and Antoine Diehl. The cocktail list includes drinks favored by past famous guests including Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams. Light bites are available.

Tipitina's began as a neighborhood juke joint in 1977, opened by a group of young music fans (The Fabulous Fo'teen) to provide a place for Professor Longhair to perform in his final years. Named for one of Longhair's most enigmatic recordings "Tipitina," the club has survived multiple owners and a brief closing in 1984, only to come back stronger than ever. The venue can hold up to 1000 or so fans standing room only, making this an intimate, sweaty, exhilarating place to hear the likes of Dumpstaphunk, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas and Galactic - the group that purchased the club last year. Follow Tips on Twitter for last minute news and specials.

This chill venue situated on the Canal Street streetcar line is a locals' fave thanks to its eclectic line up and grown-up vibe. Not too many tourists find their way to this friendly club, even though it's not hard to find. Closed during the pandemic, and still mourning the untimely death of owner Dale Triguero in July 2021, the club was reopened in October 2021 by his longtime friend and collaborator, Jacques Ferland, and bandleader/vocalist Meschiya Lake. Check the website for the schedule - for now there's usually music on the weekends. There's nothing to munch so eat before or after the show.

While local musicians entertain, patrons chill on comfy couches and sip cocktails at this popular Marigny lounge. The relaxed setting appeals to a mature clientele, and the music ranges from New Orleans jazz to swing to klezmer and blues. Early shows appeal to an older crowd, and there's usually no cover, just a one-drink minimum. Although food isn't served there are plenty of places on Frenchmen to nibble if you feel the need. The expanded club now offers more elbow room, although finding a seat is still tricky. Spotted Cat was featured frequently on the HBO show Treme, and you might hear The Davis Rogan Band perform - Rogan is the real-life person that the DJ character of Davis was based.