Marigny and Bywater New Orleans Bachelorette Guide
| Quick Summary | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Music-loving groups who want a Quarter alternative |
| Vibe | Jazz, brass bands, art galleries, no Bourbon Street energy |
| Don''t miss | A Frenchmen Street bar crawl, Pizza Delicious, Buffa''s |
Why Marigny and Bywater
If your group has done a bachelorette in New Orleans before, you know the Quarter at 11pm. If this is your first trip, your second night is the night to leave it.
Marigny sits just east of the French Quarter, separated by Esplanade Avenue. Bywater is one neighborhood further east. Together they form the live music heart of the city, with art galleries, dive bars, neighborhood restaurants, and one of the best pizza spots in the South.
This is the New Orleans you saw on someone''s Instagram and could not place. No frozen daiquiris, no neon. Just real music and real food.
How to Get Here
Walk from the Quarter if you are at the Esplanade end (15 minutes). Otherwise take a 6 minute Uber. Frenchmen Street starts where Esplanade meets Decatur and runs three blocks east. Bywater is another 10 minute walk past Frenchmen.
The Frenchmen Street Bar Crawl
Frenchmen Street is three blocks of live music venues stacked back to back. Every place has a band playing every night, and most do not have cover charges. You can literally hear what is playing from the sidewalk before you commit.
Blue Nile
Start here. Blue Nile has funk, blues, jazz, or brass depending on the night, and the second floor balcony lets you hear the music without being stuck in the dance floor crush.
"Blue Nile is the one with the upstairs balcony. Bring drinks, stay an hour, then go next door." Reddit
d.b.a.
Across the street from Blue Nile. d.b.a. has live bands every night and a back room with dancing. Cover is usually $5 to $10. This is the late night anchor of the street.
The Maison
Three rooms, three different bands at any given time. The front room is more jazz, the back is more brass and dance. No cover until 10pm most nights.
Apple Barrel Bar
The smallest bar on Frenchmen, with a single tiny stage and 30 people packed in. The drinks are cheap and the music is unbelievably good for the size of the room.
Where to Eat in Marigny
Marigny Brasserie
Best for: Sit-down Creole dinner before Frenchmen | Price: $$
Marigny Brasserie does a Cajun and Creole menu with handcrafted cocktails and live big band music. The seafood gumbo is excellent and the room is dressed up enough for a "we got cute" group photo.
Order this: Seafood gumbo ($16), shrimp and grits ($26), bananas Foster ($14)
Buffa''s Bar and Restaurant
Best for: Late night food and live music | Price: $
Buffa''s has been on the Esmerelda Esquire "Best Bars in America" list. The back room has live music until 2am, the front room is open 24 hours, and the boudin balls and shrimp and grits will save your group at 1am.
Order this: Boudin balls ($10), shrimp and grits ($14), the patty melt ($12)
Where to Eat in Bywater
Pizza Delicious
Best for: Day-after pizza dinner | Price: $
Pizza Delicious is in a converted warehouse with a big patio and the best New York style pizza in New Orleans. The lasagna is also legitimately worth ordering, and the salad with the chickpeas is the only vegetable your group will eat all weekend.
Order this: Pepperoni pie ($22), classic Caesar ($11), garlic knots ($7)
"Pizza Delicious is the move when you''re hungover and over Cajun food. Get the lasagna." Reddit
Acamaya
Best for: A real dinner night | Price: $$$
Acamaya is a tiny Mexican spot in Bywater with a heavy seafood focus. The sopes are thick and soft and topped with whatever crab and seafood is in season. This is a 12 person max kind of place, so book three weeks ahead if you want a group table.
Order this: Crab sopes ($18), aguachile ($22), mezcal flight ($24)
An Easy Saturday Night
- 7pm: Dinner at Marigny Brasserie. Order the gumbo, share the bananas Foster, take the group photo
- 9pm: Walk to Frenchmen. Start at Blue Nile upstairs balcony
- 10pm: Move across the street to d.b.a. for the brass band
- 11pm: The Maison for dancing in the back room
- 12:30am: Apple Barrel for one last drink in the tiny room
- 1am: Buffa''s for late night food
Quick Tips
- Carry cash. Most Frenchmen bars take cards, but the small ones are cash only after 11pm
- Wear closed toe shoes. The sidewalks are uneven and you will be dancing
- Tip the band, even if there is no cover. A few dollars in the bucket is the right move
- Sunday brunch in Bywater is quieter and cheaper than the Quarter. The Joint and Elizabeth''s are the go-to spots
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