New Orleans

[juanruiz13]

I'm heading down to NOLA for a Bachelor party (12 of us) in April. First time for me and I'm insanely excited. It's the weekend of the French Quarter Festival (Th, Fri, Sat nights), so I heard most restaurants have booths/stations where you can get food for cheap. We will not be renting a car, and are staying a block from Canal St. on St. Charles Ave.

 

1. We're looking for a restaurant where we can have a nice meal/drinks/atmosphere, not crazy expensive... close to the Quarter and that can sit a group of 12. And possibly have a family style setup, maybe large servings of gumbo, jambalya, shrimp creole, etc...

 

2. How are the gentlemen's club? Any recommendations?

 

3. Any other suggestions for the trip... could be about food, daytrips, bars...anything.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[twiley]

Palace Cafe isn't ridiculously expensive but it'll still run you some coin, it should also be within walking distance of your hotel.

 

Court of Two sisters has an awesome brunch.

 

 

Take the streetcar up to Igors and get a bloody mary.

 

Igor, the Austrian national who founded this bar, actually has two other combination laundromat-bars in the city, but this is arguably the favorite, and definitely the pick of the college crowd due to its St. Charles Avenue location (conveniently just off the historic streetcar line that runs throughout the neighborhood). It's a fixture in the neighborhood that served as location shooting grounds for several scenes in the Julia Roberts film ''The Pelican Brief.''

 

However, location is still the last thing this hip 24-hour bar has going for it. The bartenders are legendary among mixologists (the house Bloody Mary a particular favorite). The prices are very reasonable, and the crowd is a wild one, an international mix of hardcore partiers who return to this bar as if it were a seasonal home. Sit at the large end of the bar if you're a bachelor on the make; it's a predetermined signal that you're available. The grill serves up ''world-famous'' Igor Burgers, but the bar's sister restaurant, Igor's Garlic Clove, offers local delicacies but a few feet away. And no Igor's bar would be complete without pool, video poker, and the aforementioned laundromat, which really does operate 24 hours and ensures you'll rub elbows with a wide range of locals.

 

Make sure you get a Hand Grenade or 4 at Tropical Isle, go to Pat O's and sit at the piano par with a Hurricane, head to Port of Call for awesome burgers and a monsoon (go in the day).

 

More to come as I remember and have time.

[Clubfoothead]

Toursty or not, coffee and one of those bagette things at Cafe Dumond was awesome. I am so glad Slayer insisted I take the time to do that before I left.

[darin3]

Toursty or not, coffee and one of those bagette things at Cafe Dumond was awesome. I am so glad Slayer insisted I take the time to do that before I left.

Yes, you must do Cafe du Monde. And twiley surely speaks the truth about Hand Grenades. Hit up Bourbon St. for sure, but twiley will instruct you to head Uptown too (wait for tbimm input).

 

I can't think right now. I'll edit/add to this later.

[Sturphy]

Me and a friend of mine had a co-Bachelor Party in N.O. over Jazz Fest several years back. We were both getting married that year and we know most of the same people.

 

It was truly, the most insane and epic time I've ever had. There were 22 of us. About 6 grew up or had spent a LOT of time there. We had red carpet treatment for 4 days and nights. I probably slept a grand total of 8 or so hours the entire trip.

 

I don't remember the name of anywhere we went. At all. Oh wait... we watched the sun come up at the Howlin Wolf on one night. That I vaguely remember. Oooo yeah, Particle was playing. Excellent show. Hey... I remember more than I thought!

 

I definitely remember the names of food dishes that I devoured: crawfish monica, crawfish beignets, steamed crawfish, crawfish etouffee, the list goes on and on and on... the food there will blow your mind.

 

And the women will blow your... WOAH, hey, wow, is that the time?

 

Don't do anything I didn't do!

 

Cheers!

[twiley]

Me and a friend of mine had a co-Bachelor Party in N.O. over Jazz Fest several years back. We were both getting married that year and we know most of the same people.

 

It was truly, the most insane and epic time I've ever had. There were 22 of us. About 6 grew up or had spent a LOT of time there. We had red carpet treatment for 4 days and nights. I probably slept a grand total of 8 or so hours the entire trip.

 

I don't remember the name of anywhere we went. At all. Oh wait... we watched the sun come up at the Howlin Wolf on one night. That I vaguely remember. Oooo yeah, Particle was playing. Excellent show. Hey... I remember more than I thought!

 

I definitely remember the names of food dishes that I devoured: crawfish monica, crawfish beignets, steamed crawfish, crawfish etouffee, the list goes on and on and on... the food there will blow your mind.

 

And the women will blow your... WOAH, hey, wow, is that the time?

 

Don't do anything I didn't do!

 

Cheers!

You did that for 4 days, I did that for 4 years, tbimm is still doing that.

[Kid Cid]

Court of Two sisters has an awesome brunch.

 

I cannot express in words how good this place is. An absolute godsend after a night of debauchery.

[Sturphy]

You did that for 4 days, I did that for 4 years, tbimm is still doing that.

[Atlanta Cracker]

I have heard that Rick's Cabaret is a pretty good spot for adult entertainment.

[twiley]

Some more things off the top of my head:

 

Cafe Du Monde is cool to check out in the morning or afternoon. No real reason to go there at night with a bachelor party.

 

Anywhere on Bourbon is going to be fun, just avoid the tranny strip club and halt once you get to the flags that are just past tropical isle (ghey bars abound, unless that's your sort of thing )

 

Ton of cool bars in the uptown area but it'll be a pain to get everyone up there.

 

Desire Oyster bar is cool if you like raw oysters but Cooter Brown's Uptown is the place - cheap oysters and literally hundreds of beers to choose from. It's right off the streetcar if you head up there along with Madigans (my college hangout and part -time employer).

 

Cat's Meow on Bourbon has an awesome happy hour. 3 for 1 beers or mixed drinks. The deal is to get the beers. We use to get wicked drunk at these happy hours. It's also a karoke bar and is usually pretty crowded.

 

Razoo's is another fun place and there should be a ton of chicks there. I'm not going to lie but I was thrown out of there a few times in college.

 

More to come.

[tbimm]

Twiley is pretty much nailing this down. One suggestion I will make is since it is a music weekend try to sneak in a show at Tipitina's Uptown. A fantastic place to see live music.

Rick's cabaret is the Class of the gentlemens clubs. If you happen to get upstairs to the VIP lounge check out the bar. My Dad built it.

The food is all so good that you can hardly go wrong. A place called Tuckers in the Warehouse district has some pretty crazy stuffed and then deep fried burgers. I am partial to Port O Call myself but they will be insanely busy with French Quarter fest.

The list goes on an on. Just don't be surprised when you do almost none of what you planned as I can promise you something else will come up!

[justin]

I helped organize a BP a few years back. I reserved a private room at Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse and highly recommend it. The room is nice for a variety of reasons, most notably is not offending other patrons with the vulgarities that often occur at such an event. Brennan’s is in the Quarter. I’ve also attended another BP in NO and had a similar private room set-up at Ruth Chris’s.

 

Other notable food excursions included Mother’s, where you have to order the “John G” samich and the Camilla Grille. The Camilla trip was excellent. You have to take a street trolley through the Garden District to get there. Once there, it’s a tiny diner with great comfort food. I had a fantastic omelet with chili.

[Big F'n Dave]

Port of Call for burgers.

Acme or Cooter Brown's for ersters.

Cafe du Monde for breakfast (unless you want to drop 50 bucks a head for brunch at Court of Two Sisters or Brennan's).

Tommy's or Irene's for a fantastic Italian dinner.

Igor's for Bloody Marys.

Rick's for tig ole bitties.

And since you said it's your first trip, grab a Hurricane at Pat O's and a Hand Grenade on Bourbon.

[Big John]

Port of Call for burgers.

Acme or Cooter Brown's for ersters.

Cafe du Monde for breakfast (unless you want to drop 50 bucks a head for brunch at Court of Two Sisters or Brennan's).

Tommy's or Irene's for a fantastic Italian dinner.

Igor's for Bloody Marys.

Rick's for tig ole bitties.

And since you said it's your first trip, grab a Hurricane at Pat O's and a Hand Grenade on Bourbon.

....and a Monsoon at Port of Call.

[tbimm]

....and a Monsoon at Port of Call.

Yeah and then a nap right John?

[Seattle LawDawg]

Yeah and then a nap right John?

 

Was watching the golf tournament yesterday and during the rain delay they were talking about where they had eaten the night before:

 

Barbequed shrimp at Pascals Manale. Thats some good stuff with good oysters while you wait for a table.

[Seattle LawDawg]

Port of Call for burgers.

Acme or Cooter Brown's for ersters.

Cafe du Monde for breakfast (unless you want to drop 50 bucks a head for brunch at Court of Two Sisters or Brennan's).

Tommy's or Irene's for a fantastic Italian dinner.

Igor's for Bloody Marys.

Rick's for tig ole bitties.

And since you said it's your first trip, grab a Hurricane at Pat O's and a Hand Grenade on Bourbon.

 

My wife was finally cured of her vegetarianism with a Burger at Port o' Call. She immediately wondered what the hell she had been doing for the previous 8 years.

[tbimm]

Was watching the golf tournament yesterday and during the rain delay they were talking about where they had eaten the night before:

 

Barbequed shrimp at Pascals Manale. Thats some good stuff with good oysters while you wait for a table.

I live 6 blocks from Maneles.

[juanruiz13]

Just a quick update... Packed last night, going to the Mets game tonight after work and flight leaves tomorrow morning at 7am.

 

I have studied my map and food/beverage cheatsheet. And hopefully I'm prepared to experience as many things listed above as possible. It will be difficult because there are so many of us, but I will try to pull off day excursions while most of the guys are sleeping in...

 

Other things that have been recommended, that are not listed here:

Muffuletta at Central Grocery, Gumbo Shop, Johnny's Po-Boys, Zephyrs game ($1 beers on Thurs, need a cab), Harrahs, WWII Museum, Aquarium/Riverwalk, Snug Harbor

 

I really appreciate everyone's help, I get excited everytime I read this thread... I will definitely give an update next week and hopefully I can remember everything that I did.

[twiley]

Other things that have been recommended, that are not listed here:

Muffuletta at Central Grocery, Gumbo Shop, Johnny's Po-Boys, Zephyrs game ($1 beers on Thurs, need a cab), Harrahs, WWII Museum, Aquarium/Riverwalk, Snug Harbor

All great suggestions, if you truly want a hidden gem of a Po Boy - go to Domeliese's but I'm not sure if they've reopened yet since that bitch Katrina hit town and ran a few years back.

 

I'd skip the Zephyrs game and spend a short time at Harrahs - plenty more to see in The Big Easy.

[tbimm]

Sooooo?

[justin]

... I will definitely give an update next week and hopefully I can remember everything that I did.

 

Hook it up. I may be going in July.

[tbimm]

Hook it up. I may be going in July.

I should be moved down to the Quarter by then so if you are heading down let me know.

[Charles]

I'll be attending a BP in New Orleans over the weekend, and have been using this topic as a pretty good guide on what to eat and see while there. I think Friday night we'll be getting bloody mary's at Igors, eating dinner at Pat O's (hurricanes too), taking in the sights at Rick's, maybe playing some cards at Harrah's. Saturday brunch at Cafe Du Monde, lunch at Port of Call (with a monsoon). We'll be leaving in the evening, but not sure how late.

 

My reason for bumping this topic is to ask if there might be something more worth doing than what we have tentatively planned? Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Bier Meister]

if i were going, i'd target one of john besh's restaurants.