Where the BeyHive Should Eat and Drink in New Orleans Before Beyoncé’s Renaissance Show

The New Orleans stop of Queen Bey’s Renaissance world tour is right around the corner, arriving in the Big Easy for one night only on Wednesday, September 27 at Caesars Superdome. Beyoncé’s love of New Orleans has been thoroughly documented, from spotlighting New Orleans imagery in her various music videos, collaborating with hometown hero and Queen of Bounce Big Freedia, and dining at spots like Dooky Chase, the Munch Factory, and tourist favorite Mother’s.

Several New Orleans restaurants and bars are planning themed drinks and dining specials in anticipation of the show; in addition, Eater New Orleans is rounding up spots we think are BeyHive-approved to help celebrate. Beyond the best restaurants within walking distance of the Superdome, here are some top New Orleans spots to visit in preparation for Wednesday’s show, places to eat and drink as Beyoncé would want.

Drinks and food before the show

Baroness on Baronne

This CBD wunder-bar offers terrific, reasonably-priced cocktails (as well as plenty of zero-proof drinks) and plenty of just-right bites perfect for sharing before the show. A generous happy hour runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and there’s a also a VIP room you can reserve, described as a tantric oasis. It’s also a 15-minute walk to the Superdome.

Barrow’s

The newest location from the family that first served platters of fried catfish in Hollygrove in 1943 is also extremely close to the Superdome. Barrow’s Poydras is celebrating the Renaissance tour in New Orleans with themed cocktails like the Beehive, made with honey sugar, rum patron, lime juice, Triple Sec, and peach pucker.

Commons Club

This buzzy restaurant inside the swank Virgin Hotel New Orleans is a swell stop for pre-show dining and drinking given its proximity to the ‘Dome. On Wednesday, September 27, the hotel is celebrating with Beyoncé-inspired cocktails from 4 to 7 p.m., pre-concert bites, and Bey tunes by DJ Delores Galore.

Front Row Art Lounge

Formerly NOLA Art Bar, the nightlife-oriented version of this chic gathering spot in the Marigny offers creative cocktails, good, music, and a beautiful atmosphere fit for a Queen Bee.

Justini’s

This beautiful new cocktail bar in Bywater is one of the best new spots for drinks, snacks, and brunch. Jessica Robinson’s colorful cocktails also honor icons like civil rights leader Oretha Castle Haley and the late Dooky Chase chef and civil rights activist Leah Chase. On Wednesday, September 27, Justini’s is throwing a Beyoncé happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. serving Renaissance-themed cocktails to the soundtrack of an all-Beyoncé playlist.

Luxe Ice Bar @ Lot 1701

Don’t have a ton of time? You can still luxuriate before the show with a quick stop at Luxe Ice Bar, a new snack bar ducked off in the Oretha Castle Haley area — she seafood nachos and sno-balls are worth it.

Miss River

This restaurant in the Four Seasons New Orleans has quickly become a pillar of elegance for its insanely gorgeous atmosphere. On Wednesday, September 27, it’s hosting a “Slay the Day” lunch beginning at 11 a.m., an afternoon of hits from DJ Jess, specialty cocktails, and of course, Alon Shaya’s stellar food.

Rib Room

Visit the always classy Rib Room in the Omni Royal on Tuesday, September 26 for a Renaissance-themed happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Enjoy Beyoncé-inspired cocktails and music to help get in formation the day before the show.

Sun Chong

The newest restaurant from Larry Morrow is also one of New Orleans’s hottest, a stylish ode to his grandmother that celebrates both hip-hop culture and Morrow’s Korean heritage. The cocktails are bright, extravagant, and invigorating, and the food bursts with flavor, a perfect Beyoncé pre-game combination.

Where to brunch this weekend

Addis NOLA

This Bayou Road destination recently launched Afrobeats brunch on some Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., which is precisely what it sounds like — brunch to the backdrop of Afrobeats, offering bottomless mimosas to go with perhaps the best Ethiopian food in New Orleans. This weekend on Saturday, September 23, the restaurant is also hosting Homefest, a special brunch and block party celebrating 40 years of Community Book Center, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

B Sweet Bistro & Bakery

About a mile and a half from the Superdome, B Sweet’s on North Rampart makes for a great pre-show stop or weekend brunch visit for the best of New Orleans classics. Chef Brittney is famous for her gumbo, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, brunch bowls, catfish Mardi Gras, and Red Fish Rampart over pasta or grits. In preparation for the show, she’s also created a line of treats — cakes, turtles, cookies — decked out in special silver and Renaissance tour-themed. On Wednesdays, it’s open until 7 p.m., and for brunch, it’s open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Chapter IV

Given Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Solange’s dinner at legendary Creole restaurant Dooky Chase’s in 2017, we think she’d want to continue her support with a visit to this new restaurant from the next generation of the Chase family: Chapter IV is from Edgar “Dook” Chase IV, a daytime spot with a celebratory Sunday brunch vibe featuring music, lively cocktails, fried oyster BLTs, fish and grits, fried chicken sandwiches, and shrimp omelets.

Loretta’s Authentic Pralines

If you’re in town for the show, you know a visit to New Orleans isn’t complete without a beignet. We think you should check out Loretta’s, either in the French Market or at the lovely store on North Rampart, for the famed praline beignets, and on the savory side, the crab beignets. Make a full brunch out of it with the fried chicken beignets, seafood beignets, and even cheeseburger beignets. For the purists, the plain powdered sugar version is still one of the best in town.