New Orleans French Quarter

If you want to have fun while in New Orleans, then visiting the French Quarter is a must.  You are allowed to walk down the street with an open drink in your hand as long it is not in a glass or glass bottle.  Beer can be cheap or oppressively expensive in the French Quarter.  I am a Heineken drinker and I have paid anywhere from $4.00 to 6.50 a bottle in the French Quarter, but during happy hour, which is 4:00 PM until 8 or 9 depending on the bar, you can find places that will sell 3 for the price of 1.  Suddenly $6.50 for 3 makes it a more reasonable place to drink. If you like cheaper beer such as Budweiser or Coors, you can find folks hawking “Huge Ass Beers” for two or three bucks. All of the bars will pour your beer or drink in a cup, if you decide to leave.  I like drinking beer and seeing the sights on Bourbon Street.  I also like wandering down from souvenir shop to souvenir shop looking at the wild tee-shirts and drinking my beer as I laugh at the clever sayings on the shirts.  There are all kinds on Bourbon Street too - tourists, mimes, panhandlers, addicts and freaks abound.  The French Quarter, particularly Bourbon Street, is a place of tolerance, and generally the only folks that cause problems are the kids from out of town that get to deep into their cups and forget how to act.  Do beware of Pick Pockets though.  Pick Pockets are generally a problem during times of big crowds such as Mardi Gras, so be aware of your surroundings.

There are many restaurants in the French Quarter.  Most restaurants display their menu outside of the establishment so that you can peruse it before going in.  Be prepared for high pressure from the maitre d' trying to get you in the door.  If you want a steak or seafood, expect to pay a hefty price.  I ate at Sammy’s Seafood Restaurant on Bourbon Street.  I got a small steak and a bowl of Seafood Gumbo.  The gratuity was automatically added into the check.  The steak was a rib eye that was full of gristle and fat. The shrimp in the Seafood Gumbo was over cooked.  This food was way over priced, and not very good at all.  The price for the meal cost me over $38.00 with the forced tip.  I do not recommend this restaurant.  When dining in New Orleans, I recommend getting out of the French Quarter where you can find cheaper prices and better portions.

There is more information on the French Quarter in the Article Links on this page.