Pat O' Brien's
718 St. Peter St. , New Orleans, LA
(504) 525.4823

As New Orleans as it gets. Be sure to check out both the piano bar and the patio bar. No visit is complete without a signature Hurricane.

Bacco
310 Charlres Street , New Orleans, LA
(504) 522-2426

Mingle with some after-work business types at this charmingly hip upscale restaurant.

Bourbon Blues Company
441 Bourbon , New Orleans, LA
(504) 566-1507

Don't let the lack of blues coming from inside fool you; you've come to the right place. The BBC is full of twenty-somethings getting their groove on to loud dance music or fun cover bands.

Club Decatur
240 Decatur , New Orleans, LA
(504) 581-6969

Don't be scared of the seediness. This cousin of the Balcony Bar offers cheap drinks and plenty of people watching opportunities.

French Quarter Bar at The Ritz-Carlton
921 Canal St. , New Orleans, LA
(504) 524-1331

Very upscale. Weekend nights offer the additional treat of seeing Jeremy Davenport sing his sexy little heart out.

The crowd is full of margarita-lovers and Parrot Heads. Try to stop by on a night when a local musician is performing to avoid wanting to shoot yourself in the head after multiple non-stop spinnings of Buffet's "Songs You Know by Heart." One can only listen to "Margaritaville" so many times.

Kerry Irish Pub
331 Decatur St. , New Orleans, LA
(504) 527-5954

A fun little pub with an eclectic crowd and juke box selections. You can sip pints of Guinness and catch a local band.

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
941 Bourbon St. , New Orleans, LA
504) 523-0066

The dark atmosphere and occasional piano player make this bar the perfect place to get cozy. Waiters take drink orders and make table deliveries at Lafitte's, the oldest bar in New Orleans.

Molly's at the Market
1107 Decatur St. , New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 525-5169

Not the friendliest crowd in the world. The regulars are super protective of their bar and the crowd is leaning toward punk rock. Walk in with confidence and tip the bartenders and you'll be fine.

O'Flaherty's Irish Channel Centre & Pub
508 Toulouse St. , New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 529-1317

Perhaps New Orleans' most popular Irish Pub, O'Flaherty's is definitely the largest and most charming. Most nights you can drink Bushmills and listen to a quaint Irish band, usually headed by an O'Flaherty family member, and watch the ongoing countdown clock to St. Patty's Day above the bar.

Shim Sham Club
615 Toulouse St. , New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 565-5400

Don't be scared off by the unfriendly-looking punks in the outer goth bar. Make your way confidently to the inner bar for such fun treats at 80's night or Punk and Porno night.

The Abbey
1123 Decatur St. , New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 523-7150

Lots of service industry people and wierdos. A fun place to go late night when you just don't care.

The Dungeon
738 Toulouse St , New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-5530

The hours of the Dungeon are midnight till dawn. This should tell you something. A pretty tough crowd, but nothing too scary.

Tropical Isle
738 Toulouse Street (corner of Bourbon St.)
(504) 523-1927

One of the Famous tourist bars. The upstairs Balcony has a great view of all the madness that is Bourbon St. The "hand grenades" are a viscous green alcohol mix for getting loaded.

Ryan's Irish Pub
241 Decatur St. , New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-3500

A sign strung high inside the door boasts that Ryan's is the "Best Fucking Irish Pub." Perhaps not New Orleans's best, but definitely fun, attracting an eclectic crowd and containing a cool jukebox and booth seating.