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Vaughan's — Vaughan’s Lounge

New Orleans’s Favorite Dive Bars

Dim lighting, cheap drinks, and friendly regulars

by Beth D'Addono and Eater Staff Updated Feb 11, 2022, 4:27pm CST

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Vaughan’s Lounge

| Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

by Beth D'Addono and Eater Staff Updated Feb 11, 2022, 4:27pm CST

Not one for the often abysmal Valentine’s Day restaurant scene? While there are certainly plenty of ultra-romantic restaurants around town to choose from, another route is to avoid the nonsense altogether and spend the evening getting lost in one of New Orleans’s best dives.

Here are Eater’s picks for New Orleans’s best dive bars — those personal, intimate spaces that offer a respite from reality and a break from $16 cocktails. While the list could likely climb into the 50s, we’ve narrowed it down to 21 spots, listed by neighborhood.

Think we missed an essential New Orleans dive bar? Leave a comment or Let us know.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Snake & Jake's Christmas Club Lounge

Calling Snake & Jake’s a dive bar is an upgrade — this is basically a shack in a backyard lit up with year-round Christmas lights. There’s a cool outside space, dogs are welcome, and the bar opens late and shuts down in the early hours of the morning so watching the sun rise is always an option.

7612 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Brothers III Lounge

Known for its low ceilings, friendly bartenders, and cheap drinks, Mr. Johnny’s Brothers III Lounge, with its bright yellow exterior, stands out some on trendy Magazine Street. Thank goodness, because when its time for shooting pool and listening to a juke box playing 45s, Brothers III beats swank every time.

Open in Google Maps

4520 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Also featured in:

20 New Orleans Dive Bars to Avoid Valentine’s Day

45 Tchoup

45 Tchoup is a perfect stop before or after a show at Tipitina’s for those seeking a friendly environment and cheap drinks Uptown (not always easy). Fun decor, warm bartenders, and a solid selection of beer on tap make it a go-to, especially if you’re a Boston sports fan.

4529 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Outside 45 Tchoup

Also featured in:

20 New Orleans Dive Bars to Avoid Valentine’s Day

Ms. Mae's The Club

This neighborhood bar at the intersection of Magazine and Napoleon is always open, so stop in for a drink and a game of pool or air hockey any time of day or night. Get too wasted and you might just earn a spot on the Wall Of Shame. Open 24/7.

4336 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Also featured in:

Milan Lounge

Milan is another buzzer-ringer, smaller than a walk in closet and filled with cheap looking tables and chairs. A devoted fan base, strong drinks, and some hardcore Cubs fans and dart players make this dive awesome, but outsiders beware. Ya best know somebody.

Open in Google Maps

1312 Milan St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Mayfair Lounge

Miss Gertie holds court (and spreads the love) at this queen of dives Uptown, dripping with Mardi Gras beads, Barbies and colorful decor craziness. You must ring the buzzer to be let in, as it should be at a decent dive. And they pour a strong drink.

Open in Google Maps

1505 Amelia St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Pal's Lounge

Don’t come to Pal’s expecting a Scene. Instead find locals chilling at this neighborhood bar not far from the Jazz Fest Fairgrounds. The drinks are a step up from most dives, with daily specials (mulled wine? sure!) and a food pop-up to keep the munchies at bay. There’s a buzzer outside, so push it: That’s how to enter the Pal’s portal.

.

949 N Rendon St, New Orleans, LA 70119

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Rendezvous Tavern

A perfect divey stop while perusing tony Magazine Street, the Rendezvous is known for a massive beer program (24 revolving taps, 50-plus bottled beers) and enthusiastic crowds during Saints games. There are plenty of flat screens, upstairs, and down, to watch the action.

Open in Google Maps

3101 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Pete’s Out In the Cold

Despite the disappointing addition of an outside sign, Pete’s is still a hidden gem that’s off the beaten path for most. Get buzzed in by the bartender and slurp cheap drinks at the surprisingly handsome circa-1930s bar. There’s a good jukebox, the game is usually on, and the crowd is friendly, the trifecta for a good neighborhood joint.

Open in Google Maps

701 Sixth St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Also featured in:

20 New Orleans Dive Bars to Avoid Valentine’s Day

Parasol's

This long-time divey hang also has one of the best roast beef po’ boys in the city. Located in the heart of the Irish Channel on the corner of Constance and Third, it also serves as the unofficial epicenter of St. Patrick’s Day revelry, if you can make it through the sea of partiers.

2533 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Also featured in:

The Saint Bar & Lounge

An awesome dive in the LGD with fantastic bartenders, a full bar, daiquiris, a photo booth, and a free jukebox on Sundays. Expect a sweaty dance floor and debauchery on weekends, when it’s open until...very late.

Open in Google Maps

961 St Mary St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Chart Room

This dingy spot on the corner of Chartres and Bienville has regulars that date back to the 70s, the days when the French Quarter was a real neighborhood and residents were proud to be called Quarter rats. The drinks are cheap, the bar grungy, the crowd mostly talkative. An ideal place to find solace away from the masses.

.

Open in Google Maps

300 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Also featured in:

First and Last Stop Bar

Miss Carol runs a tight ship at this no-frills 7th Ward bar on the corner of Pauger and Marais. And that’s a good thing in a neighborhood that continues to straddle tradition and see an influx of newcomers and AirBnBers. The bartenders welcome all, the juke box is loaded with soul and R&B tunes, and there’s always some kind of party going on.

Open in Google Maps

1843 Pauger St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

The Abbey

A true night of debauchery in the Quarter wouldn’t be complete without a stop in the Abbey, especially given its Lower Decatur location (aka where dreams go to die). Claim to fame is that they got Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt drunk.

Open in Google Maps

1123 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Also featured in:

The John

There are gold toilet “seats” at The John, a 24/7 watering hole that is dark, cavernous, and blessedly cool in the summer. Close to Frenchmen Street, there’s a ping pong table, old school video games, a good juke box, and oh yeah, that toilet theme is the best.

Open in Google Maps

2040 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Also featured in:

20 New Orleans Dive Bars to Avoid Valentine’s Day

The Friendly Bar

The Friendly Bar, set on the corner of a gorgeous street in the Marigny, lives up to its name with welcoming bartenders and an always lively crowd of local neighbors, and — on most Wednesdays — there’s meat night. Yes, as in meat, not meet.

Open in Google Maps

2301 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Marie's Bar

This longtime cash-only neighborhood bar is rife with colorful regulars. It’s the kind of place to throw back $2 beers, shoot some pool, and — if opportunity knocks — grab a condom from the fishbowl near the bar. You can add good grub to that list as well, in the form of the Slap Burger, hot sausage po’ boys, and chicken tenders.

Open in Google Maps

2483 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Also featured in:

20 New Orleans Dive Bars to Avoid Valentine’s Day

Saturn Bar

Before St. Claude Avenue became a happening entertainment scene, Saturn Bar was a thing. This quintessential Bywater dive always looks closed, but don’t let the ratty exterior scare you off. Inside you’ll find feisty bartenders, signed pictures of the Rolling Stones (they partied here back in the day), piano nights, and DJ-led dance parties.

Open in Google Maps

3067 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Also featured in:

20 New Orleans Dive Bars to Avoid Valentine’s Day

Markey's Bar

Markey’s Bar is a classic Bywater spot, unchanged in a rapidly changing neighborhood. Bartenders are quick and no-nonsense but friendly, the regulars are lively and warm, and you’re bound to make friends with neighboring patrons if you sit at an outside table.

Open in Google Maps

640 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70117

The exterior of Markey’s bar, a deep red building with a shabby white sign. — Markey’s Bar

Also featured in:

Vaughan's Lounge

Vaughan’s is a joy, guaranteed to deliver cheap drinks, good music, and the kind of conviviality that you hope for when stumbling into a dive bar. If you’re lucky there will be a pot of delicious red beans and rice in the back, which customers are welcome to scoop for free.

4229 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Bar Redux

This Bywater dive bar boasts ample seating on the outside patio, where anything from blues to burlesque holds sway. The drinks are strong and cheap and the pub grub surprisingly good. Try the chicken sausage gumbo.

801 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Snake & Jake's Christmas Club Lounge

7612 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Calling Snake & Jake’s a dive bar is an upgrade — this is basically a shack in a backyard lit up with year-round Christmas lights. There’s a cool outside space, dogs are welcome, and the bar opens late and shuts down in the early hours of the morning so watching the sun rise is always an option.

7612 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Visit Website

Brothers III Lounge

4520 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Known for its low ceilings, friendly bartenders, and cheap drinks, Mr. Johnny’s Brothers III Lounge, with its bright yellow exterior, stands out some on trendy Magazine Street. Thank goodness, because when its time for shooting pool and listening to a juke box playing 45s, Brothers III beats swank every time.

Open in Google Maps

4520 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

45 Tchoup

4529 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

45 Tchoup is a perfect stop before or after a show at Tipitina’s for those seeking a friendly environment and cheap drinks Uptown (not always easy). Fun decor, warm bartenders, and a solid selection of beer on tap make it a go-to, especially if you’re a Boston sports fan.

4529 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Outside 45 Tchoup

Ms. Mae's The Club

4336 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

This neighborhood bar at the intersection of Magazine and Napoleon is always open, so stop in for a drink and a game of pool or air hockey any time of day or night. Get too wasted and you might just earn a spot on the Wall Of Shame. Open 24/7.

4336 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Milan Lounge

1312 Milan St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Milan is another buzzer-ringer, smaller than a walk in closet and filled with cheap looking tables and chairs. A devoted fan base, strong drinks, and some hardcore Cubs fans and dart players make this dive awesome, but outsiders beware. Ya best know somebody.

Open in Google Maps

1312 Milan St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Mayfair Lounge

1505 Amelia St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Miss Gertie holds court (and spreads the love) at this queen of dives Uptown, dripping with Mardi Gras beads, Barbies and colorful decor craziness. You must ring the buzzer to be let in, as it should be at a decent dive. And they pour a strong drink.

Open in Google Maps

1505 Amelia St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Pal's Lounge

949 N Rendon St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Don’t come to Pal’s expecting a Scene. Instead find locals chilling at this neighborhood bar not far from the Jazz Fest Fairgrounds. The drinks are a step up from most dives, with daily specials (mulled wine? sure!) and a food pop-up to keep the munchies at bay. There’s a buzzer outside, so push it: That’s how to enter the Pal’s portal.

.

949 N Rendon St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Rendezvous Tavern

3101 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

A perfect divey stop while perusing tony Magazine Street, the Rendezvous is known for a massive beer program (24 revolving taps, 50-plus bottled beers) and enthusiastic crowds during Saints games. There are plenty of flat screens, upstairs, and down, to watch the action.

Open in Google Maps

3101 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Visit Website

Pete’s Out In the Cold

701 Sixth St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Despite the disappointing addition of an outside sign, Pete’s is still a hidden gem that’s off the beaten path for most. Get buzzed in by the bartender and slurp cheap drinks at the surprisingly handsome circa-1930s bar. There’s a good jukebox, the game is usually on, and the crowd is friendly, the trifecta for a good neighborhood joint.

Open in Google Maps

701 Sixth St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Parasol's

2533 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130

This long-time divey hang also has one of the best roast beef po’ boys in the city. Located in the heart of the Irish Channel on the corner of Constance and Third, it also serves as the unofficial epicenter of St. Patrick’s Day revelry, if you can make it through the sea of partiers.

2533 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

The Saint Bar & Lounge

961 St Mary St, New Orleans, LA 70130

An awesome dive in the LGD with fantastic bartenders, a full bar, daiquiris, a photo booth, and a free jukebox on Sundays. Expect a sweaty dance floor and debauchery on weekends, when it’s open until...very late.

Open in Google Maps

961 St Mary St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

Chart Room

300 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

This dingy spot on the corner of Chartres and Bienville has regulars that date back to the 70s, the days when the French Quarter was a real neighborhood and residents were proud to be called Quarter rats. The drinks are cheap, the bar grungy, the crowd mostly talkative. An ideal place to find solace away from the masses.

.

Open in Google Maps

300 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Visit Website

First and Last Stop Bar

1843 Pauger St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Miss Carol runs a tight ship at this no-frills 7th Ward bar on the corner of Pauger and Marais. And that’s a good thing in a neighborhood that continues to straddle tradition and see an influx of newcomers and AirBnBers. The bartenders welcome all, the juke box is loaded with soul and R&B tunes, and there’s always some kind of party going on.

Open in Google Maps

1843 Pauger St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Visit Website

The Abbey

1123 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

A true night of debauchery in the Quarter wouldn’t be complete without a stop in the Abbey, especially given its Lower Decatur location (aka where dreams go to die). Claim to fame is that they got Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt drunk.

Open in Google Maps

1123 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

The John

2040 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70116

There are gold toilet “seats” at The John, a 24/7 watering hole that is dark, cavernous, and blessedly cool in the summer. Close to Frenchmen Street, there’s a ping pong table, old school video games, a good juke box, and oh yeah, that toilet theme is the best.

Open in Google Maps

2040 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Related Maps

The Friendly Bar

2301 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117

The Friendly Bar, set on the corner of a gorgeous street in the Marigny, lives up to its name with welcoming bartenders and an always lively crowd of local neighbors, and — on most Wednesdays — there’s meat night. Yes, as in meat, not meet.

Open in Google Maps

2301 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Marie's Bar

2483 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

This longtime cash-only neighborhood bar is rife with colorful regulars. It’s the kind of place to throw back $2 beers, shoot some pool, and — if opportunity knocks — grab a condom from the fishbowl near the bar. You can add good grub to that list as well, in the form of the Slap Burger, hot sausage po’ boys, and chicken tenders.

Open in Google Maps

2483 Burgundy St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Saturn Bar

3067 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Before St. Claude Avenue became a happening entertainment scene, Saturn Bar was a thing. This quintessential Bywater dive always looks closed, but don’t let the ratty exterior scare you off. Inside you’ll find feisty bartenders, signed pictures of the Rolling Stones (they partied here back in the day), piano nights, and DJ-led dance parties.

Open in Google Maps

3067 St Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Markey's Bar

640 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Markey’s Bar is a classic Bywater spot, unchanged in a rapidly changing neighborhood. Bartenders are quick and no-nonsense but friendly, the regulars are lively and warm, and you’re bound to make friends with neighboring patrons if you sit at an outside table.

Open in Google Maps

640 Louisa St, New Orleans, LA 70117

The exterior of Markey’s bar, a deep red building with a shabby white sign. — Markey’s Bar

Vaughan's Lounge

4229 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Vaughan’s is a joy, guaranteed to deliver cheap drinks, good music, and the kind of conviviality that you hope for when stumbling into a dive bar. If you’re lucky there will be a pot of delicious red beans and rice in the back, which customers are welcome to scoop for free.

4229 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Bar Redux

801 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

This Bywater dive bar boasts ample seating on the outside patio, where anything from blues to burlesque holds sway. The drinks are strong and cheap and the pub grub surprisingly good. Try the chicken sausage gumbo.

801 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Visit Website

Related Maps