Look Inside Bar Marilou, the Swanky French Salon in the Ace’s New Boutique Hotel

A new boutique hotel in the CBD from Atelier Ace (the team behind the Ace Hotel) features the first-ever U.S. project from Paris-based hospitality group Quixotic Projects, stunning restaurant and cocktail lounge Bar Marilou.

Opening today, Bar Marilou is located in the former law library of the old City Hall Annex and has a separate, adjacent entrance from Maison de la Luz at 544 Carondelet Street (check out Curbed New Orleans’s inside look at the hotel). Marilou is a shortened, nickname version of the name Marie-Louise, and is meant to evoke “70’s French salon and bar culture.”

Outfitted with deep red walls, rich fabrics, dramatic art, and dark wood, the 100-person capacity bar and its private “speakeasy” room achieves a distinct high-design, luxurious vibe; one that feels unusual for New Orleans without being entirely unapproachable. There’s even a door policy: “First come, first served. No guest list, no velvet rope, no bottle service.”

The menu of about ten small plates, created by the Quixotic Projects team (Joshua Fontaine, Adam Tsou and Carina Soto Velasquez) blends influences from the French West Indies, Paris, and New Orleans, with items like foie gras terrine, seared scallops, and salt cod fritters. The drink list emphasizes vermouths, sherries, and amaros, in addition to low-proof drinks, large-format libations for sharing, natural wines, and craft beer.

Bar Marilou is open everyday; from 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, with a food-and-drink specials aperitif hour running everyday from 4 to 6 p.m. Check out the opening menu below.

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• Parisian Restaurant Group Will Import an Aperitif Bar to New Orleans [ENOLA]
• Look inside Maison de la Luz, a 67-room boutique hotel by Ace Atelier [CNOLA]
• Highly-Anticipated Aperitif Bar From Parisian Restaurant Group Opens Next Month [ENOLA]