The Bar Scene

You won't have any trouble finding a place to drink in New Orleans. Heck, thanks to "go" (or geaux) cups, you won't have to spend a minute without a drink in your hand. (It's legal to have liquor outside as long as it's in a plastic cup. Actually, given the number of people who take advantage of this law, it almost seems illegal not to have such a cup in your hand.)

Bourbon Street comes off like a blocks-long bar -- and smells like it, too. It's sort of pointless to single out any one drinking establishment there; not only are they ultimately all more or less similar, but their clientele also hardly varies. The crowd is simply moving down the street from one locale to the next. If we sound a bit scornful about drinking in New Orleans, it's because so many seem to treat a visit as nothing more than a license to get blotto, and the streets as one big place to regurgitate. Not only is this obnoxious, but there's also a lot more to this town.

Which is not to entirely dismiss drinking as a recreational activity (or, better still, as a sociological study). Certainly, New Orleans provides some of the most convivial, quaint, or downright eccentric spots to do so; in many cases, the places are worth going to even if you plan to imbibe nothing stronger than a soda.

Note that many of the clubs listed above are terrific spots to hoist a few (or a dozen), while some of the bars below also provide music -- but that is strictly background for their real design. Piano bars, in particular, have begun to pop up in New Orleans like mushrooms after a good rain. They're everywhere; in addition to the ones listed below, you can find a piano bar in almost every large hotel, and plenty of others off by themselves.

Many bars stay open all the time or have varying hours depending upon the night or the season. If you have your heart set on a particular place, it's always best to call and make sure what their hours will be for that day. Unless noted, none of the places listed below has a cover charge.

The French Quarter & The Faubourg Marigny

In addition to the places below, you might consider the clubby bar at Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, 716 Iberville St. (tel. 504/522-2467), a place where manly men go to drink strong drinks, smoke smelly cigars (they have a vast selection for sale), and chat up girlie girls. Or you could enjoy the low-key sophistication found at Beque's at the Royal Sonesta, 300 Bourbon St. (tel. 504/586-0300), where a jazz trio is usually playing.

Pat O'Brien's & the Mighty Hurricane

Pat O'Brien's, 718 St. Peter St. (tel. 504/525-4823; www.patobriens.com), is world-famous for the gigantic, rum-based drink with the big-wind name. The formula (according to legend) was stumbled upon by bar owners Charlie Cantrell and George Oechsner while they were experimenting with Caribbean rum during World War II. The drink is served in signature 29-ounce hurricane lamp-style glasses. The bar now offers a 3-gallon Magnum Hurricane that stands taller than many small children. It's served with a handful of straws and takes a group to finish (we profoundly hope) -- all of whom must drink standing up. Naturally, the offerings and reputation attract the tourists and college yahoos in droves. Some nights the line can stretch out the door and down the street, which seems quite silly given how many other drinking options there are mere feet away.

Which is not to say that Pat's isn't worth a stop -- it's a reliable, rowdy, friendly introduction to New Orleans. Just don't expect to be the only person who thinks so. Fortunately, it's large enough to accommodate nearly everyone -- in three different bars, including a large lounge that usually offers entertainment (an emcee and alternating piano players) -- with the highlight, on nonrainy days at least, being the attractive tropical patio. Don't look there for quiet, though. The party-hearty atmosphere thrives in that section, and on pretty days, tables can be hard to come by.

Even if it is a gimmick, what trip to New Orleans is complete without sampling the famous Hurricane? There's no minimum and no cover, but if you buy a drink and it comes in a glass, you'll be paying for the glass until you turn it in at the register for a $3 refund.

Elsewhere Around the City

In addition to those listed here, hang with the local beautiful people at any of the following (not one of which is particularly New Orleans-like, but that might come as a relief for Los Angeles refugees): Loa, the bar at the International House hotel, 221 Camp St., in the Central Business District is a hip and happening hangout with a very non-New Orleans (and yet, deeply attractive) atmosphere; it's a good place to meet a date. Hot on its heels for hipness and with a slightly higher energy level is the bar at Loft 523, a gorgeous and not particularly crowded space that beautifully shows off the old timbers that hold up this former warehouse. It often features terrific live music.