The Maple Leaf Bar 8316 Oak St.,(504)866-9359www.mapleleafno.comAll shows start at 10 p.m.
This is the best place Uptown to dance shoulder to shoulder with people you don’t know, in a cramped bar with cheap beer and no ventilation. You’ll think your sweat is sweating.
But the music makes it worthwhile. New Orleans legends Rebirth Brass Band and Papa Grows Funk play weekly, as well as local zydeco, cajun, ragtime and funk bands. There is also a courtyard and a second bar in the back when you need some fresh air.
The place was founded by a few Loyola and Tulane alumni in the 60s and continues to be a local favorite. It looks shady both inside and out, but you’ll know it’s safe by the crowd spilling out onto the sidewalk.
Neutral Ground5110 Danneel Street(504)891-3381www.neutralground.orgTuesday-Thursday 8 p.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday 8 p.m.-1 a.m.
The self-titled “oldest coffee house in New Orleans,” this local hangout is tucked away on a backstreet of Uptown but is close enough to walk to from campus.
This no frills, anti-corporate mentality cafe serves good, cheap coffee and tea and pastries in an ultra comfortable, low key setting.
It’s like going to your grandma’s house, except it’s full of folksy college kids. Neutral Ground features weekly events such as open mic nights on Sundays, free massages on Fridays, tarot card readings on Saturdays and Tao poetry on Wednesdays.
The cafe also has nightly music. It’s a good place to study and socialize. Additionally, it also have several board games like checkers and scrabble to entertain you and your friends.
Funky Monkey3127 Magazine Street, (504)899-5587Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m.
If Dillard’s and The Salvation Army had a love child, its name would be Funky Monkey. This store was made for college kids who need to clothe themselves but don’t have any money.
It’s a selective thrift store, meaning it doesn’t take everything people bring in to donate, only the stuff they think will actually sell. This just means they’ve done the work of shifting through actual vintage stores for you.
Funky Monkey lets you buy new designer clothes for less than usual and you can at least try to sell your old clothes here. There are also some pieces from local designers and an aray of wigs and costume accessories for whomever you want to be.
Jacques-Imo’s8324 Oak Street, (504)861-0886Monday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
One of the best things about returning to New Orleans is the food, so go out and get some. This eclectic neighborhood restaurant serves creole cuisine. It’s incredible southern food without the stuffiness of an upscale eatery. The house special is fried chicken and every entrée comes with two hearty vegetable sides. They’re also well known for their alligator cheesecake, think quiche not dessert.
The place is packed every night and they don’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait. You can always grab a beer and take a seat in the official waiting lobby; a picnic table in the bed of a pickup truck.
The service is friendly, the restaurant is loud and most of the art is made out of Mardi Gras beads. It’s a little pricey on a college student budget, but well worth the time and money.
Molly’s at the Market1107 Decatur Street, (504)525-5169www.mollysatthemarket.netDaily 10 a.m.-2 a.m.
One of the only bars in New Orleans that stayed open though the entirety of Hurricane Katrina, this French Quarter bar draws a slightly older crowd than Tuck’s or TJ’s, but when you’re looking for Duke Ellington instead of Ludacris and a frozen Irish coffee (the house special) instead of warm Bud Lite, Molly’s will welcome you with open arms.
On Thursday, members of local print and broadcast media outlets converge on the Decatur St. bar for the start of an early weekend. Many of these media celebrity regulars, such as Norman Robinson, Andre Cadesco, Ed Bradley even actor John Goodman are memorialized on a mural.
Molly´s on the Market (Victoria Lodi)
Maple Leaf Bar (Jack Craft)
Neutral Ground (Jack Craft)
