This classic New Orleans club is a locals bar by day, a poetry hub on Sundays (3pm readings), and a medium-size, tin-ceilinged, twinkle-light-strung club at night. Personal space can become a wistful memory when the crowds pack in (usually be 11), and the drunk frat crowd can be maddening; seek temporary refuge on the back patio, at the back bar’s junky pool table, or on the sidewalk where the overflow party goes. But it’s got that magical, transformative vibe you can’t manufacture, and when Rebirth rips it up on Tuesdays it’s pretty much a must-do (but if you’re only around on Thurs, see the Trio).