Marigny / Bywater Bar Crawl: 4 Stops, One Evening

This is a working bar crawl through Marigny / Bywater, New Orleans's most concentrated drinking neighbourhood. Music-led, locals-only. Four stops, one evening, mapped by editors who actually drink here on Friday nights.

The order matters. Start polished, peak in the middle, end somewhere quieter. Every room listed below is within a 10-minute walk of the next one — that's the value of a neighbourhood crawl.

Total time: about five hours. Total spend: depends on you, but plan Â£60-Â£100 per person. Save this page, send it to whoever you're meeting, and let Marigny / Bywater take care of the rest.

The Route

Four stops, ranked

Walking distance: under 1km between stops. Treat the timings as guidance, not gospel.

No. 01

Stop 1 — 18:00 Aperitif

Arnaud's French 75 Bar

French Quarter · $$$$ · Cocktail Bars

Arnaud's French 75 Bar draws a steady local crowd in French Quarter. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening

Start at the most refined cocktail room in the area. One drink. You're warming up.

No. 02

Stop 2 — 19:30 First proper cocktail

Alto Rooftop at Ace Hotel

Warehouse District · $$$ · Rooftop Bars

Alto Rooftop at Ace Hotel draws a steady local crowd in Warehouse District. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the eveni

Move to the room you'd take a first date to. Sit at the bar, talk to the bartender, order a house special.

No. 03

Stop 3 — 21:30 The destination

Bacchanal Wine

Local · $$ · Cocktail Bars

Bacchanal Wine sits on Poland Avenue in Bywater, in a shotgun double that was originally a neighbourhood grocery store. The front room sells wine by the bottle

The bar that defines the neighbourhood. Reservations help. Stay an hour.

No. 04

Stop 4 — 23:30 Last drink

Bar Marilou

Warehouse District · $$$ · Cocktail Bars

Bar Marilou draws a steady local crowd in Warehouse District. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.

End somewhere unhurried — a wine bar, a music room, or a quiet hotel bar. One simple drink.

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