The 13 Best Dive Bars in New Orleans

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The 13 Best Dive Bars in New Orleans

Whether you want to embrace the Big Easy's craziness or escape it, there's something cheap, boozy, and cool for everyone in New Orleans.

There's no doubt about it: New Orleans has a reputation as a town where the drinks flow around the clock—and usually at wallet-friendly prices, too. Sometimes, in between styrofoam cups filled to the brim with the city's beloved frozen daiquiris, you've gotta chill out with cheap beer instead. Or do the opposite, and take shots with your new friends that you met at the pinball table until you find yourself face-deep in a po' boy on the curb while someone plays saxophone next to your head.

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New Orleans is also full of characters, so each of its dive bars is a world of its own. Maybe you'll grab a "setup," sip whiskey and learn to juggle, or black out on rum and Cokes and wake up wearing loads of beads in the French Quarter. But no matter how your evening ends (or begins), rest assured: New Orleans knows how to dive.

For tips on where to get cocktails, coffee, or po' boys, or where to drink fancy cocktails or dine to the nines, check out the complete MUNCHIES Guide to New Orleans.

The John: Take the joy of drinking a beer on the shitter outside your home. Upon arrival, you'll realize this place is named for the toilets strategically placed around the main room to function as chairs. It's that dive bar you never knew you needed that's close and far enough away from the French Quarter and Frenchmen Street. Plus, the music tends to be good and they have a ping pong table.

Saturn Bar: Check the schedule—or call them—before you head to this bar, as it's always good to know what's on the docket. They oftentimes have events here. One of the best is MOD night, an all-night, all-vinyl dance party of Soul, British Invasion, R&B, the sounds of Detroit and Memphis. and Euro pop. When nothing is going on, bring some crackers and watch TV with the bartender.

Candlelight Lounge: Another joint to grab a "setup," Candlelight Lounge is a place you stumble upon, and there's that stereotypical record scratch when you trip through the door. But before you know it, the bartender is likely to give you a high-five and recommend you order a half pint of J&B and pineapple juice for your next setup. You'll realize he's right when you take that first sip.

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Markey's Bar: When it's hot out or bitingly cold when you're wandering around the Bywater, Markey's is always a comfortable stop. It's the bar to go to if you want to watch a sport you don't care about because you're still trying to pull last night's mistakes together. They have ample beer options and decent tacos if you start to get hungry. It's simple, the folks are nice, and there's outdoor seating for when the weather is decent.

Snake & Jake's Christmas Club Lounge: You might think Snake & Jake's is an abandoned shack when you walk up to it, but you'd be wrong. When the door opens behind you, you'll realize the place is lit only by Christmas lights. Once the door closes, you're on a whole different plane of existence. It's a dive bar, but it doesn't have the distractions of anywhere else. This place is strictly for drinking, so don't fuck around.

Bullet's Sports Bar: Named for the bartender who earned the nickname after being shot, Bullet's is an integral member of the Seventh Ward neighborhood—a spot where some of the best New Orleans musicians can be caught playing while you're sipping on beers and "setups" (a drink order that gets you a half pint of liquor, a mixer, and ice). Bullet's is a joint for those who are wanting to explore and meet some charismatic locals.

Lost Love Lounge: Lost Love Lounge combines some of the best things on earth: cheap beer, live entertainment, 50-cent pool, television, and well-priced Vietnamese food. In the back there's a stage that hosts everything from comedy (Hannibal Buress has been known to stop by) to poorly-attended karaoke. Next to the stage is a kitchen that serves up pho, bahn mi, and spring rolls. This is a bar you never have to leave.

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St Roch Tavern: Want to drink on the cheap, meet locals, and listen to music? Most bars in New Orleans offer all three, but St Roch Tavern is special. The pours are heavy, the beer is a bargain, the bands are decent, and everyone's going to be friendly or fascinating or possibly both. This is the dive bar you've always been searching for: you just had to go deep into a New Orleans neighborhood to find it.

Kajun's Pub: Most cities have a dedicated karaoke bar, and this is that for New Orleans. But at Kajun's, people take singing in front of strangers really fucking seriously, so don't be a jerk. Put a little gusto into it and don't bogart the mic, and the respect will rain down. You're sure to meet a wide swath of New Orleans regulars here who will spill PBR on your shoes while you attempt to belt the only Gin Blossoms song you kind of know. You know the one.

B J's Lounge: Cash-only dive bar that's deep in the Bywater. You're going to find cheap drinks, a pool table, and live music here. And when the latter's not there, they've got a badass jukebox with New Orleans deep cuts to pick up the slack. This is the neighborhood bar that most closely resembles Cheers, except no one's a stereotype and everyone is actually happy to see you.

Mimi's In The Marigny: This is a service industry favorite. Drinks are relatively cheap, it's spacious with two floors, it's got a pool table, and you might even get a dance party going at some point inside. It's a bar that most closely resembles home. And, since you can order food, you never really have to leave. But if you decide to, you're within walking distance of some of the best bars in the city, as well as the French Quarter.

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Chart Room: Esquire once called this bar "an oasis of sanity," and there really isn't a better description. It still is, as it's a safe space amongst the anxiety that is the French Quarter. A cash-only bar where you can have a no frills, no-nonsense drink in the company of good folks.

The Saint Bar & Lounge: If you're staying in the Garden District or the Irish Channel, consider The Saint Bar & Lounge your headquarters. It's the dive bar of which dreams are made. They have a covered outdoor area where smokers hang, a dance floor serviced by some of the best ne'er-do-well DJs, and bartenders who look like dive bar stereotypes but are actually some of the best mixologists in the city. Sure, you might watch multiple people puke on their table, then shrug and sit with the former content of their stomachs in front of them, but that's just part of it. Be sure to grab one of the daiquiris. The cucumber-watermelon one made with fresh fruit is particularly good.

For more places to eat, drink, and get weird in the Big Easy, don't miss the complete MUNCHIES Guide to New Orleans.