New Orleans

[Guest timgetrum]

Recommendations on where to stay (in or near the Quarter), where to eat, what to do? Know there are many choices, but would appreciate a few suggestions from recent good experiences. :-)

[bigguyinpasadena]

Could you give us a little more info please?Budget,class of hotel desired-how close to the qurter you really wish to be?

Please note that while staying"close to the action"might seem like a good idea it really is not that great in this instance as parts of "the quarter"are really loud and or dirty.

[ErikMcAlister]

Yeah.... give a few more details & we can help.

[OneFinger]

I stayed at the W and liked the location. Right across from the Casino and just a short walk to the French Quarter. Lots of good eating around both at the casino, the mall, and the river front area.

 

I didn't need a car the entire time I was there because everything was so close.

 

But, the decorating was not exactly my taste. The room was done in black and white with bright red accents. I truly felt like I was in a #### house.

[Guest Conway]

My favorite new Orleans Restaurant is Brigsten's which serves upscale cajun cuisine in a rehabbed turn of the century New Orleans cottage. It's located uptown a good cable car or taxi ride from the quarter. It has won lots of awards fot its authentic cuisine featuring local ingredients. It is a place that I always make my way to when visiting New Orleans.

 

You can check out their menu at:

 

http://www.brigtsens.com/menu.html

 

For great eating recommendations in general, read the chowhound.com New Orleans message board.

 

http://www.chowhound.com/south/boards/neworleans/neworleans.html

 

For hotels, I tend to like to stay outside of the French Quarter. There are several goood options in the business district within walking distance of the quarter.

 

For high end, the Ritz Carlton and La Pavillion can't be touched.

 

If you're looking for something simple and a little quieter, there is a guest house called the Queen Anne located on St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District. No concierge, no staff. But, it is inexpensive and pretty nice.

 

You're a street car ride away from the quarter at the Queen Anne. You're within walking distance of the Magzine Street Antique District.

 

For escorts, you may want to check out Dirk, a hot little dude with a great big dick. He's reviewed on this site.

[Guest timgetrum]

I appreciate the responses.

 

Basically I'm interested in safe, clean accommodations. Do not have to be upscale. Have used Priceline in the past, other cities, asking for 3 or 4-star and bidding at $60-$70 with good luck. I think the higher rated can be had for about the same as the lesser rated hotels.

 

The links to restaurant advice are very helpful.

 

Will be there Fri, Sat and Sun nights. Any of the Quarter or other bars to recommend or avoid? Will have a car. Places with good music? Years ago when I went to school in NO enjoyed a bar on Magazine. I lived on St. Charles, and took the streetcar into the city. Has been a while!

[Epigonos]

I always stay at the:

Place d'Armes Hotel

625 St Ann Street (between Chartres and Royhal Sts.)

800-366-2743

http://www.placedarms.com

Be certain to state that you want a room with a window on the

courtyard.

It may be a little more expensive than you are looking for but

the location if great

 

I especially ike the following restaurants:

Mr. B's Bistro

201 Royal Street (at Iberville St.)

523-2078

http://www.mrbsbistro.com

 

Ireme's Cuisine

539 St. Philip Street (at Chartres St.)

529-8811

 

Old Coffee Pot

714 St. Peter. (between Royal and Bourbon Sts)

524-3500

Breakfast ONLY

 

Central Grocery Co.

923 Decatur St. (between Dumaine and St. Philip Sts.)

523-1620

A real Italian grocery store which makes the best Muffulettas in

New Orleans. Take out.

 

Gay bars:

Corner Pocket

940 St Louis Street (at Burgundy St.)

568-9829

"Boys on the Bar" dance starting about 8 or 9. Kind of funky

but fun. The bartenders are friendly and so is the clientele.

Safe.

Oz

800 Bourbon St. (at St. Ann St.)

593-9491

http://www.ozneworleans.com

Famour Bar/Dance renue used by Jeff Stryker in his Mardis Gras

video

[Steven_Draker]

>Any of the Quarter or other bars to recommend or avoid?

 

Tim,

Don't miss the Bourbon Pub, Parade Bar and Oz (located all three on Bourbon street).

In spite of how things look, the street is not named after the whisky

 

Useful link

http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/nightlife/gaybars.html

[bigguyinpasadena]

Tim,if you are not going to use priceline then check out the "pkg"rates at marriott.com.You will be pleasntly suprised!

Marriott has a great Property called the Pere Marquette-I have stayed ther twice no and I loved it!

Not in the quarter but close enough that you can easily walk-and much quieter than hotels in the quarter.

I have stayed at a nice whyndham(the whitney)as well-but you have a little more of a walk.

Fav places to eat-(budget)Mothers on Canal and Deanies(forget where this is located)

splurge-the Palace cafe,comanders palace,and----someplace in the quarter tht is a converted shotgun....Bayona(?)that had a great lunch special.

[ErikMcAlister]

Even if you stay somewhere outside the Quarter, I'd recommend doing as you used to do & taking the streetcar into the Quarter. The Ritz, at the edge of the Quarter, is fairly nice & seems to have decent rates during Hell--I mean Summer.

The bars depend on what kind of establishment you're looking for. If you seek a younger crowd, Oz & the Pub are your best bets. For hustlers, check out the Corner Pocket. For a mixture, but less intense than Oz/the Pub, try Good Friends.

[ErikMcAlister]

Bayona does have a great lunch. It is on Dauphine in the Quarter.

[uptownmike]

THere are a number of small wondefuls hotels in the quieter portions of the Quarter if that's your thing. Alonf the higher numbers of Royal Street and on the back street of the quarter ( can't remember its name)

[ErikMcAlister]

"the back street of the Quarter"???

PLEASE tell me you're not suggesting Rampart!

There are smaller hotels along many (most) of the streets in the Quarter. Burgundy (ber-GUN-dy, NOT BER-gun-dy!!!) has a number. I think the gentleman indicated an interest in staying outside the Quarter.

Oh, and I'm not being bitchy (well, not intentionally!), but, "the higher numbers" would be called the Lower Quarter. The Quarter gets progressively less loud & commercial (and correspondingly more quiet & residential) as one travels away from Canal Street.

I'd avoid the Marigny (the faubourg just downriver from the Quarter (on the other side of Esplanade)); I know a few people who've been mugged in the triangle in the past month or so.

[bigguyinpasadena]

Now Erik-don't be a snob;) I have had a lot of fun in certain bars on Rampart.

I will tell you about it over lunch at Bayona next time I am down your way(Labor Day if the weather is not tooooo nastyAfriend who Looooovvvveeesss the Corner pocket stays at a place called the Ville Marie(or something like that)on St.Anne I belive.Very convenient to the strip clubs.

But again-I like to sleep at night so I avoid the quarter.

[ErikMcAlister]

Which bars on Rampart?

I don't think I'd walk that street alone at night.

[bigguyinpasadena]

Both the 7th and 9th circle and ther is a great bar that has wonderful music between the two.Not for the squemish or the judgemental and both have a mix of class and race.Walked it alone with no problems-once on Holloween wearing my infamous "Size Queen of Size" costume!

[+ Cock Eyed Optimist]

I agree! The 7th Circle and 9th Circle bars are my favorites in NOLA. (One of the used to be TT's, but I forget which one.) If you walk straight down St. Anne and turn right on Rampart you are there, and the light coming from the huge Louie Armstrong Park sign illuminates the area quite nicely.

[ErikMcAlister]

You guys are going to get the man shot or mugged.

By the way, one of my little pet peeves involves the bizarre mixture of French & English that happens here. It is either St. Ann Street, or Rue Ste. Anne. Do, for my sake, note the proper use of the vowel E. }(

Big Guy, I think on a holiday weekend, your words about Rampart are likely largely true. I'm not sure I'd really recommend that people who aren't terribly familiar with the city & the street take leisurely strolls down Rampart after visiting bars, though. There's been a disturbing (even for New Orleans) spike in violent crime recently. The Quarter's been less effected than other nearby neighborhoods, but who knows how long that will last?

[bigguyinpasadena]

Erik,the french for the most part have no problem with franglais where appropriate.And Nola is all about creole/cajun french-which is painful to most frenchmens ears(Why do I feel a Lerner and Lowe song coming on?)but if it upsets you I will try to be more careful.

Vous me pardon s'il vous plait?