Fulton Alley, Gravier Street Social's 'Boutique' Openings

Fulton Alley, the "boutique bowling" experience developed by super team including Kyle Brechtel, who helped open Merchant, and the Cure Co. guys Neal Bodenheimer and Kirk Estopinal, is now open on the ground floor of Harrah's Casino parking garage. Bodenheimer and Estopinal have developed the craft cocktail program, and chef Michael Nirenberg, formerly of Tivoli & Lee, is turning out modern Southern cuisine (small plates, y'all), so obviously, this isn't your average scary uncle hangout. Needless to say, the prices reflect that. The space is 18,000-square feet of swankiness, with black leather couches and fancy touchscreens for all 12-lanes, which cost $15 per half hour ($25 per 1/2 hour on Friday and Saturday) to use. Granted, there won't be any boogery kids getting Fun Dip residue all over the ball return because it's 21 & over after 6p.m.

There's a happy hour with half-off selected small plates and $6 cocktails from 3 to 6 p.m. on Monday-Friday. You can head over to the official website for a look at Niremberg's menu, and the cocktail list while you're at it.

Fulton Alley
600 Fulton Street, New Orleans, LA 701130
Phone: (504) 208-5569
Hours: Unknown, though it appears they'll be open until midnight on weekends

Gravier Street Social [Photo: Facebook]

A new membership-only bar/social club, Gravier Street Social, is now open on the bottom floor of the boutique hotel Loft 523 (523 Gravier) in the CBD. Where Yat's booze whisperer Anne Berry reports that New Orleans bartender Amy Bissell (who most recently has created specialty drinks for Ryan Hughes' pop-up Purloo) has created the cocktails and is managing the bar and events. Bissell's cocktail list "showcases British beers, ciders and spirits like Jensen's dry gin, and tea is threaded through several drinks."

Gravier Street Social has a British theme, and membership will set you back $175 to $275 a year, but that includes almost "24/7 access to the lounge, and to private arts and entertainment events." From their website:

Designed and operated in an edgy and unapologetically British style, the Social provides a day time sanctuary to its Members where they can all day, every day, come and relax, work, read or meet and greet.

Gravier Street Social
523 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 (inside Loft 523)
Phone: (504) 941-7629
Hours: Mon-Wed: 10 a.m. to midnight. Thu-Sat: 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sun: 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. (membership only)

· Fulton Alley [Official Website]
· Gravier Street Social [Official Website]
· "Pukka" drinks, stories at The Social [WhereYat]
· All Opening Reports [-ENOLA-]