From Bourbon St. to Pirate’s Alley PART ONE

Here are five easy-to-find spots for drinking and more in the famous Old Quarter of New Orleans.

1.     TONIQUE located at 820 N. Rampart Street, is open from noon to 2:00 am. This spot is described as “a bartender’s bar” because rumor has it that – on a Sunday night – bartenders go there to unwind.  One patron says, “My favorite bar in New Orleans – it’s a “hipster” fancy cocktail bar. They have a Happy Hour every day that features a specific drink for $5.00. I always have a Pimm’s Cup or a Moscow Mule when I visit New Orleans and both are the best I’ve ever tasted anywhere. It’s right across from the Louis Armstrong Park.

2.     MOLLY’S AT THE MARKET can be found at 1107 Decatur Street. It’s open from 10:00 am to 6:00 am and is an excellent neighborhood bar that is also the home of a fat cat, frozen or hot Irish coffees and an urn that has the ashes of the bar’s founder. A tourist from Iowa City says, “Come for the frozen Irish coffee, stay for the people watching. This is a dive bar through and through – but they make a great drink. It also has a photo booth if you need to capture a few memories.”

3.     COSIMO’S is situated at 1201 Burgundy Street and is open from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am Monday and Tuesday; then to 5:00 am on Wednesday to Friday – followed by 2:00 pm to 5:00 am Saturday. Then 2:00 pm to 2 am on Sunday. How do the bartenders keep all this stuff straight?

This is another “neighborhood bar” that sports dark wood, big windows, gambling machines, a good jukebox, pool tables and bartenders who are described as “tender and tough.” And, of course, they’re all math lovers – they have to be to keep all those hours straight.

4.     BEACHBUM BERRY’S LATITUDE 29 is a 321 N. Peters Street. You’ll find it open from 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm Sunday to Thursday and 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. If a drink has rum it’s served in a faux-Polynesian cup or comes with an umbrella. Full disclosure: I love those little booze umbrellas – I taped one on the outside of a nicely wrapped Xmas gift. The recipient was 10-years-old and his father had to explain. A bit of a faux pas on my part.

One visitor had this to say, “My boyfriend is into “tiki bars” so this bar was our first stop in New Orleans. I ordered a Missionary’s Downfall and he ordered a Puka Punch – both were very strong and refreshing. This is an excellent bar. If and when we’re back in New Orleans, I’m definitely going to order another Pontchartrain Pearl Diver.

5.     ERIN ROSE This bar is only a block from Bourbon Street – you’ll find it at 811 Conti Street. I can’t find their “open” hours. Maybe the staff never goes home. The word on the street is that few tourists go here. Instead it’s a go-to cheap spot for off-shift service folks. It also serves excellent po’boy sandwiches. It gets my vote.

Well, guess what? I finally found “the hours” and this is what it says, “Open 21 hours a day starting at 10:00 am.” Good heavens! I wasn’t too far off when I said, “Maybe they never go home.” The headline for the write-up I finally found says, “Local Prices. Local Chaos. Local Love.” The copy reads: Erin Rose bar is a casual meeting place where locals, artists, musicians and tourists mingle in a relaxed atmosphere. And, best of all, Erin Rose is just a few feet off Bourbon.

Now, I’m reading their prices and I’m in shock (I live in NYC: one of the most expensive cities in the country). Here are Erin Rose’s drink specials, served daily from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (1) Mimosas, $3.00, (2) Screwdrivers, $3.00, (3) House Bloody Marys, $4.00, (4) Frozen Irish Coffee, $3.50 and (5) Hot Irish Coffee, $4.00.

NOTE: Pirate’s Alley is one block long – it extends from Chartres Street at Jackson Square to Royal Street.

NEXT WEEK WE’LL HAV FIVE MORE SPOTS FOR YOU TO REVIEW

Shaun Nelson-Henrick