Drinking copious amounts of alcohol can take its toll under the best of circumstances.But when you combine hard liquor with ice, sugar, and flavored syrups, as in New Orleans' infamous daiquiris, you are seriously tempting fate. Not only does the sweet stuff mask the harshness of alcohol, but the amount of sugar in a daiquiris also practically guarantees a pancreas-crushing sugar crash. Frozen drinks taste a little too good, and lead to a particular kind of euphoria that your standard dive's whiskey soda just can't bring.
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That being said, when you're in New Orleans, you should definitely drink a bunch of daiquiris. For the MUNCHIES Guide to New Orleans, we handpicked the Big Easy's four finest daiquiri joints where you can get high on sugar and booze—just don't forget to balance it out with a decent slice of pizza or a po' boy.
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: You're going to get a headache, but you ought to stop by here to order their 190 Octane. They have over 20 different flavors and will add an extra shot if you like. Plus, you can grab up to an entire gallon if you're wanting to drink the saccharine stuff all night. But beware of the daiquiri crash—it's fierce and demands a long nap.
Big Easy Daiquiris: The peach bellini is the best order at this joint and the extra shot is worthwhile. There are jello shots served in syringes, but the key here is the pizza they serve. Is it great? No. Is it the best food you can find in the French Quarter? Definitely not. But Big Easy Daiquiris pizza is always there for you when you need it at 3 a.m. after you tried to drink every single weird ass Bourbon Street souvenir.
Tiki Tolteca: Located on the second floor and decorated like by an Easter Island statue come to life, Tiki Tolteca is an establishment that subscribes to the proto-tiki drink movement everyone was raving about a few years back. The thing is, the drinks are really fucking good. There's even one that'll make your mouth go numb, which you can giggle about with your friends. You won't be disappointed by the daiquiris here because they're not the throat-cutting sugary cups of booze you'll find on Bourbon Street; these are engaged, well-crafted daiquiris first produced in a bygone era.
Gene's Po-Boys: The best part of Gene's is that you can pick up a styrofoam cup filled with sugary booze and a massive po' boy any time of day since they're open 24 hours a day. You'll notice it for it's bright pink exterior. Considered the mecca of daiquiris, Gene's can make a recommendations but will also mix and match flavors on your behalf.For more cool shit, cheap eats, po' boys, and dive bars, check out the MUNCHIES Guide to New Orleans.