Guidebook for New Orleans
Essentials
You want food to make your own mini-meals or cheap alcohol to carry around, these are your spots.
This place has a lot of essential groceries and alcohol, and they also serve meals. Great place!
466 locals recommend
St. Roch Market
2381 St Claude AveThis place has a lot of essential groceries and alcohol, and they also serve meals. Great place!
Not a huge grocery store, but everything is fresh and they have a lot of organic produce. I often do all my shopping for the week here. Filtered water refill for about $0.50/gallon.
195 locals recommend
New Orleans Food Co-Op
2372 St Claude AveNot a huge grocery store, but everything is fresh and they have a lot of organic produce. I often do all my shopping for the week here. Filtered water refill for about $0.50/gallon.
Not the biggest Whole Foods but they have all the essentials, including a salad bar, hot food bar, and excellent coffee. They also have a filtered water refill for $0.45/gallon.
736 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
300 N Broad StNot the biggest Whole Foods but they have all the essentials, including a salad bar, hot food bar, and excellent coffee. They also have a filtered water refill for $0.45/gallon.
Not my favorite grocery store--they don't have my favorites but they do have the essentials, and it's convenient for a stop on the way home from the French Quarter.
95 locals recommend
Circle Food Store
1522 St Bernard AveNot my favorite grocery store--they don't have my favorites but they do have the essentials, and it's convenient for a stop on the way home from the French Quarter.
Huge Walmart with anything you could need, including food and alcohol.
174 locals recommend
Walmart Supercenter
1901 Tchoupitoulas StHuge Walmart with anything you could need, including food and alcohol.
Mardi Gras Zone Supermarket
2706 Royal StOpen 24/7, and they pretty much have everything.
Just four blocks from my house. Great selection of high-end food and booze.
316 locals recommend
Robért Fresh Market
135 Robert E Lee BlvdJust four blocks from my house. Great selection of high-end food and booze.
Food Scene
Staying up late is hard work! Here are my favorite places to eat late at night, and the next morning too.
Melba's is a New Orleans staple. Kind of a crazy place but has good fried foods for those late nights!
116 locals recommend
Melba's Poboys
1525 Elysian Fields AvenueMelba's is a New Orleans staple. Kind of a crazy place but has good fried foods for those late nights!
Great po-boys. Open 24/7. Great for when you've had a late one and want to carb up.
81 locals recommend
Gene's Po-Boys
1040 Elysian Fields AveGreat po-boys. Open 24/7. Great for when you've had a late one and want to carb up.
Absolutely the best place for brunch buffet. The place is beautiful and the food selection is unbelievable--tables and tables of the most amazing food you've ever tasted. Great for celebrating a special occasion.
84 locals recommend
The Court of Two Sisters
613 Royal StAbsolutely the best place for brunch buffet. The place is beautiful and the food selection is unbelievable--tables and tables of the most amazing food you've ever tasted. Great for celebrating a special occasion.
The Deja Vu is a bar but with great food. Open 24/7. Go at 3am to see some local color.
Déjà Vu Restaurant & Bar
400 Dauphine StThe Deja Vu is a bar but with great food. Open 24/7. Go at 3am to see some local color.
Port of Call
838 Esplanade AveGreat burgers that are really an entire meal.
Yo Mama's Bar and Grill
727 Saint PeterGet the peanut butter burger. Best thing ever.
Wonderful place to hang out and have some of the best fair-trade coffee you'll ever taste. Great pastries, decent Wifi, and a nice outdoor patio.
237 locals recommend
Fair Grinds Coffeehouse
3133 Ponce De Leon StWonderful place to hang out and have some of the best fair-trade coffee you'll ever taste. Great pastries, decent Wifi, and a nice outdoor patio.
Nice coffee shop frequented by locals. Great breakfast. Sit outside to take in the local color.
96 locals recommend
Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe
1241 Decatur StNice coffee shop frequented by locals. Great breakfast. Sit outside to take in the local color.
Funky place where the locals gather for coffee and snacks.
53 locals recommend
Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop
2600 Royal StFunky place where the locals gather for coffee and snacks.
The Orange Couch
2339 Royal StA favorite coffee place for locals.
Drinks & Nightlife
Mag's is technically a gay bar but it attracts all kinds. They have some great drag, burlesque, and music shows on weekends.
17 locals recommend
Mag's 940
940 Elysian Fields AveMag's is technically a gay bar but it attracts all kinds. They have some great drag, burlesque, and music shows on weekends.
A little gem of a place off the beaten path of the French Quarter and Frenchmen St. Live bands, burlesque shows, and all kinds of live theater.
264 locals recommend
Allways Lounge and Theater
2240 St Claude AveA little gem of a place off the beaten path of the French Quarter and Frenchmen St. Live bands, burlesque shows, and all kinds of live theater.
This place always has top-notch entertainment and is a favorite among locals. Check out the entertainment schedule during your stay.
169 locals recommend
House Of Blues
225 Decatur StThis place always has top-notch entertainment and is a favorite among locals. Check out the entertainment schedule during your stay.
Great swing and jazz music, usually no cover. Love this place.
521 locals recommend
The Spotted Cat Music Club
623 Frenchmen StGreat swing and jazz music, usually no cover. Love this place.
This little place is an oasis in all the craziness of Bourbon St. The club attracts top-notch jazz and swing bands from around the world, and it's set up like a German beer garden with picnic tables. No cover, but a two-drink minimum. Well worth a visit!
83 locals recommend
Fritzel's European Jazz Bar
733 Bourbon StThis little place is an oasis in all the craziness of Bourbon St. The club attracts top-notch jazz and swing bands from around the world, and it's set up like a German beer garden with picnic tables. No cover, but a two-drink minimum. Well worth a visit!
Don't be fooled by the name. This large center hosts all kinds of events from comedy shows and live music to yoga classes.
108 locals recommend
New Orleans Healing Center
2372 St Claude AveDon't be fooled by the name. This large center hosts all kinds of events from comedy shows and live music to yoga classes.
This entire street has clubs with all kinds of music: swing, jazz, hip-hop, rock 'n' roll. There's usually no cover.
655 locals recommend
Frenchmen Street
This entire street has clubs with all kinds of music: swing, jazz, hip-hop, rock 'n' roll. There's usually no cover.
Nice bar off the beaten path. Shoot pool, enjoy some tapas and an amazing view from the 2nd-floor balcony.
673 locals recommend
Mimi's In the Marigny
2600 Chartres StreetNice bar off the beaten path. Shoot pool, enjoy some tapas and an amazing view from the 2nd-floor balcony.
Sightseeing
Beautiful historical cathedral right in the center of the French Quarter. Gorgeous architecture, and sometimes a wedding or two taking place.
113 locals recommend
Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France
615 Pere Antoine AlleyBeautiful historical cathedral right in the center of the French Quarter. Gorgeous architecture, and sometimes a wedding or two taking place.
Entertainment & Activities
This plaza is the hub for street bands and performers, artists, fortune tellers, and all manner of outdoor entertainment. Also the site of a historic statue and cathedral.
477 locals recommend
Jackson Square
701 Decatur StThis plaza is the hub for street bands and performers, artists, fortune tellers, and all manner of outdoor entertainment. Also the site of a historic statue and cathedral.
The band The Meters wrote a song about it. Great zoo with a wide variety of critters.
893 locals recommend
Audubon Park
6500 Magazine StThe band The Meters wrote a song about it. Great zoo with a wide variety of critters.
If you like bugs, this is the place to be. Regular presentations on cockroaches, termites and whatever else you're in the mood for.
190 locals recommend
Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium
1 Canal StIf you like bugs, this is the place to be. Regular presentations on cockroaches, termites and whatever else you're in the mood for.
Beautiful aquarium on the Mississippi River. Houses an iMax theater, too.
577 locals recommend
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
1 Canal StBeautiful aquarium on the Mississippi River. Houses an iMax theater, too.
Parks & Nature
Nice big park that often has live bands or festivals. Also an all-night coffee/beignet place called Morning Call.
1516 locals recommend
City Park
1 Palm DrNice big park that often has live bands or festivals. Also an all-night coffee/beignet place called Morning Call.
Arts & Culture
Marvelous, beautiful museum with a lot of local works as well as classic art.
782 locals recommend
New Orleans Museum of Art
1 Collins Diboll CirMarvelous, beautiful museum with a lot of local works as well as classic art.
Boasts the largest collection of World War II memorabilia and historical items in the country. Worth a visit for history buffs.
804 locals recommend
The National WWII Museum
945 Magazine StBoasts the largest collection of World War II memorabilia and historical items in the country. Worth a visit for history buffs.
The Great American Alligator Museum
2051 Magazine StIt's an alligator museum. What else can I say?