Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Bywater Neighborhood Bars

While Bourbon Street is a standard destination for most visitors, if you really want a taste of local culture (in a glass), sometimes you need to leave the French Quarter. Visit any of the Bywater bars below for a sneak peek into NOLA nightlife away from the regular tourist spots. None of these bars have a Web site and while most will accept your credit card, cash is appreciated.

Bud Rip’s (900 Piety) – It seems like every time I go to Bud Rip’s, someone is having a birthday. It doesn’t matter if you know the birthday honoree. If you show up, you’ll get cake. During football games, patrons turn the day into a potluck and in addition to your very reasonably priced beer, you can make a plate of beans and rice, potato salad and brownies. But the charm of Bud Rip’s is not in the food. Come for the pressed tin ceiling and stay for the weathered New Orleans political photos and posters. Bud Rip’s is named for the original proprieter, a New Orleans political figure in the 1950s and 1960s. His photo hangs above the bar in tribute. Credit cards and cash are accepted. Bud Rip’s has no sign. Use the photo to the left as your guide.

BJ’s Lounge (4301 Burgundy) – BJ’s has all the attributes of a bar that’s been around for a long time.  You get a bartender who’s worked there for almost 20 years, a room full of people who know each other by name, and a strict cash only policy. When I told them I was making a list of Bywater bars for visitors to the city, BJ’s manager “Teal” noted that if people want to know what real New Orleanians are like,  (and sound like) they should make their way down Burgundy. BJ’s often features live music and every Monday, you can hear King James and the Special Men, another Ninth Ward tradition. BJ’s is cash only.

Markey’s Bar (640 Louisa) – Markey’s opened in 1947 by Joe Markey, passed on to Roy Markey Sr. and then down to Roy Markey Jr. Originally a riverfront bar catering to dock workers (they opened at 6 a.m. and closed at 10 p.m.), Markey’s transitioned into more traditional hours when the nearby wharves closed in the 1970s. Though Roy has seen the neighborhood change from blue collar to hipster, he notes that Markey’s remains a true neighborhood bar. When Markey’s reopened after Katrina,  people would leave notes taped to the building, letting friends know they were okay and seeking out loved ones whom they had not heard from. In the aftermath of disaster, people came to a bar looking for each other. It doesn’t get any more New Orleans than that. Credit cards and cash are both accepted.

All photos by Elizabeth Pearce.

Tagged as: BJ’s Bar, Bud Rips, Bywater, Markey’s Bar, New Orleans Bars, New Orleans neighborhood bars