I've spent the past four years at Tulane so I figured I would lend a hand to anyone traveling to New Orleans. I'd like to start by saying that
Mardi Gras has been well covered by the G Manifesto and that
Dannyfrom504, along with everyone else in this thread, also has a decent breakdown on daytime spots.
Most of the advice given is for tourists or newcomers, but I'm going to try to help anyone out who wants to stay in New Orleans for a longer period of time and swoop girls while also getting ingrained in local scene.
First things first, summer is HOT. I don't mean 90 degrees hot. I mean it is 100 degrees during the day and the you can taste the humidity in the air. As a southern boy myself, I have grown accustomed to sweating if I'm outside for more than two minutes, but for everyone else, it would be better to go another time. Also, a lot of Tulane kids leave for the summer, so there won't be as many co-eds.
The best area to stay, in my opinion, would be somewhere near the garden district/irish channel. A few minutes off of St. Charles there are some pretty residential neighborhoods that don't have anything but mom and pop shops around them. Staying in the garden district means that you are minutes from downtown, magazine street, and uptown. If you stay downtown, you really are limited due to transportation issues. Streetcar is nice and fun, but is not reliable for frequent transportation. The cab system here is also terrible, but if you tip well you might be able to get a hook-up.
Let's get into some details. I'm not going to talk about downtown too much because a. I don't go down there regularly and b. other guys have discussed it before.
Carousel Bar - This is a great hotel bar, that has a fuckin bar thats a fuckin carousel. Tight! Good place to take a girl, because as we all know, girls love to ride the carousel. Every time I've gone here, there's been a wedding party, so push through the groomsmen to swoop the maids. Lots of out of towners here but still a fun time.
Dos Jefes - definite playboy spot. Huge cigar selection, whiskey on deck, and jazz bands playing on the reg. Great ambience. This is where you bring your boys for a predrink if you're on tchoup. Only about 5 blocks away from…
F&M's/Grits - These are two bars right on Tchoup that a lot of older girls frequent. Every Tulane girl who goes out will be at F&M's on Thursday. Although you'll have to fight through some of the frat guy crowds…there are lots of girls here who will be susceptible to older men. This is away from campus, and girls know they are entering unchartered territory. F&M has a lot of history and it is not "weird" for older guys to go there. Go here one night, see if you like its vibe.
Oak Street - This is one of my favorite spots.
Family Barber shop has three ex-military barbers who for $15 will give you a man's haircut. Go down a little bit more to hit
Jacques Imo's - real new orleans food. No reservations. "Cold food, warm beer." Lastly, don't pay $40 to see Rebirth Brass Band in a concert hall. Go to
Maple Leaf Bar, pay the $5 cover, drink cheap, let loose. Ninja (sushi) and Squeal (BBQ) are further down the street…but don't waste your time. This is not the right town for sushi and BBQ.
Frenchman Street - has been discussed previously. My suggestion is to hit up the Frenchman Art market (every Sunday) and then go down to Maison.
The Boot - This is THE definite Tulane bar. It is practically on campus. This place gets a bad rap for having freshmen girls, and although it's true, all kinds of undergraduate girls will stumble in here looking for dick. That being said…I do not suggest for anyone over 22 to go here to spit game. Everybody knows everyone at this bar, and unless you look like a Tulane student, girls will not gravitate towards you. This is a small school, and girls will not like it if they don't recognize you.
Furthmore, if you know somebody at Tulane….GO TO
HAPPY HOUR! Happy hour at Tulane is our equivalent of tailgating at SEC schools….everyone goes…As long as you know one person, girls will feel instantly comfortable with you. I've had multiple friends come to town and be welcomed by girls here, but if you don't know anyone and cold approach, you will not be received well. Happy hour goes from 4 - 10 PM on Friday and is $5 triple shot drinks (yes) and $5 for 3 beers. What do you have to lose?
The Bulldog - The Bulldog is a good place to meet girls. At Tulane, when girls are all used up by the frat guys and are no longer wanted, they start going to bars off campus in order to try to meet older men. This is one of those places. Weekends are good, but Wednesday is a good day to go because it's pint night - buy a beer, keep the glass.
The glasses always have fun designs or phrases on them, and are a good souvenir to have. Due to its location, no one is getting terribly inebriated, and there is no dancefloor, but there is a great patio area (dogs are allowed). They have two locations in town. I suggest going to the Magazine one - the bar is smaller, but there are more options for food and drink down the street.
Avenue Pub - This is another beer focused bar, but there are less girls and the bar has more of a dive feel. I like going here, especially during Mardi Gras. They have two stories and a full balcony, which is nice during the summer.
Bruno's - Tulane sports bar. Good for sports and beer…bad for swooping.
Cure - GREAT DATE PLACE! This bar is nestled Uptown on Freret street and is known for their cocktail creation. The menu can be a little overwhelming, but if you communicate to your waiter or bartender, they'll make sure you get something enjoyable. Make sure you and your girl order something from the menu - no boring drinks here - then try each others drinks and talk about it. Great ambience, great drinks, gold! Cure has small plates, but there are a few decent places on Freret within walking distance to eat. I suggest Company Burger.
The only other dining recommendations I'm going to give are
Boucherie and
Dante's Kitchen. These are both uptown dining establishments that are BUILDING a reputation and not RESTING on one, unlike other places in the city. Go to these restaurants, you will not be disappointed.
I'm also going to suggest hitting up all the different festivals that are offered. There is always something going on in New Orleans, and these festivals are a great way to dive into culture (for free) while also meeting women. Most of the festivals (seafood fest, poboy fest) will have bands set up and restaurants from all around the city will have tents dishing out a plate or two of food. Go, sample the fare, have a few Abitas. Not only will you be able to meet women at these festivals, but they are a great excuse for coming to town. Instead of, "I'm here to get my nawlins flag," you can say, "I'm here for Seafood Fest! I have a buddy who said this was great, so I came down for the weekend."
If you're here over the summer,
White Linen Night is great. Every first Saturday in August - AKA one of the hottest nights - everyone wears white linen and walks down to the Arts District to drink wine and go to art shows. Great time to meet girls! The quality here is top notch. Bring a bottle of wine (yes, you can drink out of glass in the street) and enjoy yourself.
At the end of the day, New Orleans is a beast of a city that I suggest everyone visits at least once.
If you've got any questions, feel free to PM me. There's a lot more to this city, and I'm sure I'll eventually add some revisions.
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