As the season changes and the days are longer, New Orleans’ restaurants and bars are unveiling new Happy Hour offerings, certain to keep your palates whet and your wallets full.
The Bower Bar
Recently opened at 1320 Magazine Street in the former Claret Wine Bar space, The Bower Bar has already become the perfect perch to gather for cocktails, conversation, and bites. The reimagined space has the same lush look and feel of The Bower, along with a killer field-to-glass cocktail program from Beverage Director Mickey Mullins. Wind down the workday at Happy Hour, available every Monday – Saturday from 4 PM – 6 PM. Guests can enjoy $8 signature cocktails and daily House Punch; $7 house wine-by-the-glass; and $4 beer. Food offerings include discounted ($6-12) charcuterie plates, cheese plates, cacio e pepe, crispy cauliflower, whipped feta, and warm Castelvetrano olives.
📍 The Bower Bar is located in the Framework building at 1320 Magazine Street.
Tujague’s
In its new home at 429 Decatur, New Orleans’ second oldest restaurant, Tujague’s just launched a new Weekend Happy Hour. Available every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 2:30 PM – 5 PM at the bar, parlor room, courtyard, and the expansive French Quarter balcony, guests can enjoy a variety of beverage and food specials. Signature Cocktails, priced at only $7, include the Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Paloma, French 75, and a Seasonal Frozen concoction. Guests can also enjoy $5 local craft beers; $7 glasses of rosé; and $7 glasses of Tujague’s Private Label red, white, and sparkling wines. Additionally, guests can enjoy specialty discounted Happy Hour bites by Executive Chef Gus Martin. Tasty temptations include Boudin Balls served with pepper jelly; Truffle Fries; Crispy Pork Belly served with parmesan polenta and pepper jelly gastrique; Tuna Poke – yellowfin tuna, red onion, orange, avocado, black sesame seeds, and a spicy hoisin soy sauce served over rice; and Crawfish Au Gratin – Louisiana crawfish tails with a decadent mornay sauce served with French bread crostini.
📍 Tujague’s is located at 429 Decatur Street in the French Quarter.
Bayou Bar
Nestled on the ground floor of New Orleans’ charming Pontchartrain Hotel, the Bayou Bar is a convivial gathering place featuring an extensive whiskey collection, creative craft cocktails, and inventive bites. The casual tavern-style bar offers an incredible Happy Hour every Monday through Thursday from 3 PM – 6 PM. Creative snacks from Chef/Owner Brian Landry and Executive Chef David Whitmore, all priced at only $5, include sticky rib tips with jalapeño pepper jelly; duck wings – smoked, fried, and served with white BBQ sauce; crawfish eggroll with pit house sauce; and wild mushroom grilled cheese with manchego and truffle. Cocktail specials, also priced at $5, include classics such as the Old Fashioned; Sazerac; Brooklyn; Manhattan; Whiskey Sour; Penicillin; and a specialty Cocktail of the Day. Guests can stick around and enjoy Bayou Bar’s newly expanded live music program, featuring a rotating roster of local artists every Tuesday through Sunday (performance times vary).
📍 Bayou Bar is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue on the ground floor of the Pontchartrain Hotel in the Lower Garden District.
Toups Meatery
Mid-City New Orleans’ go-to spot for Cajun rustic cookery and killer cocktails, Toups Meatery offers Happy Hour Monday – Friday, from 3 PM – 5 PM. The menu features $7 Rosé Spritz and Pekoe Tea Rum Punch; $4 off all whiskeys; $5 draft beers; and $6 select wines-by-the-glass. Small plates created by Toups include $4 cracklins and cucumber salad; $6 boudin balls and daily sausage; $7 deviled eggs; and a rotating selection of Covey Rise veggies.
📍 Toups’ Meatery is located at 845 North Carrollton Avenue in New Orleans.
Featured image from Bayou Bar by Christian Horan