8 Best Nightlife in New Orleans, Louisiana

For a real taste of New Orleans, drop by on a Thursday night, when Kermit Ruffins is playing. Not just the soul of the city, but the soul food, too, emerges as Kermit and friends serve up their famous barbecue and fixin's in between sets. Featured in the HBO series Treme, Bullet's has become something of a New Orleans hot spot, but remember that if the neighborhood around the bar looks a little scary, that's because it is a little scary. Use caution when traveling here, but be prepared for a warm and welcoming musical experience when you arrive.

This small, old-school joint draws a crowd on Monday for jazz by Corey Henry and Friends (and free red beans and rice), and local brass bands most other nights of the week. Uncle Lionel Batiste, a club fixture of legendary proportions, has sadly passed away, but the lively music and local atmosphere are still the same. We recommend taking a cab out here.

These swanky digs in the Ritz-Carlton are home to their namesake, Jeremy Davenport, an old-school crooner in the mold of Sinatra and Crosby. With a hot trumpet, Davenport plays Wednesday through Saturday and draws a mixed crowd of visitors and locals to the swinging dance floor.

An old-school gem in the midst of Bourbon Street's many venues with bad cover bands, this Dixieland music club, built in the style of the old jazz halls, has tight rows of seating close to the stage and floating barmaids. Drinks cost a little more, but there's never a cover charge. Shows nightly.

Despite its name, blues rarely makes the bill at this Decatur Street link in the national chain. The midsize venue embraces rock, country, soul, funk, and world music, and it's one of the city's most reliable destinations for national touring acts. The adjoining restaurant hosts a popular gospel brunch. The Parish, a more intimate offshoot upstairs from the main house, books edgier, up-and-coming groups.

This former Toulouse Street theater hosts rock bands, as well as local up-and-comers, '80s nights, and even the occasional female arm-wrestling competition. The 19th-century saloon interior provides an appropriately decadent backdrop for Fleur de Tease, the resident burlesque troupe.

Banjo player Danny Barker immortalized this restaurant in his song "Palm Court Strut." Traditional New Orleans jazz is presented in a timeless setting with tile floors, exposed-brick walls, and a handsome mahogany bar. There are decent creature comforts here; regional cuisine is served, and you can sit at the bar and rub elbows with local musicians. A wide selection of records and CDs are available for sale.

Serious music lovers converge on this intimate lounge with a modern aesthetic. Top-notch local jazz and brass acts like the Glen David Andrews Band and the Brass-A-Holics are a refreshing change from the loud rock and blues cover bands that have become the Bourbon Street norm. There are multiple sets of local talent daily between 5 pm and midnight. There's no cover, but you can pay $20 in advance for guaranteed preferred seating.