Best Weekend Happy Hours In New Orleans
Who doesn't love a good happy hour? If you're like me, then you are always on the search for a happy hour that gives the most bang for your buck when it comes to both time and money. For those happy hour fanatics stuck in the vicious cycle of the nine-to-five (or later) job, it's often challenging to find a happy hour that is still going strong by the time the first drink is poured. Luckily, there are a handful of establishments that understand the draw of a good happy hour and keep the party running throughout the weekend for those who are unable to participate during the week. In fact, weekend happy hours are my favorite type! There is no need for an excuse to leave work early, you don't have to have your friends order your happy hour priced cocktails for you, and it's not necessary to throw back two martinis in 5 minutes to beat the happy hour clock. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the booze (I mean the views?) at one of our favorite New Orleans weekend happy hour locations.
Kenton's Food and Bourbon
Kenton's has a clear focus on bourbon and the foods that pair well with it, but that doesn't mean that you have to love bourbon to enjoy the Magazine Street restaurant's daily happy hour, or "Early Bourbon," as they call it. The happy hour, daily from 3 to 6 p.m., features $5 cocktails, oyster and snack specials including 75-cent chilled St. Bernard Parish oysters, two-ounce select whiskey pours from $3.50 to $5, $6 select wines, and $2 to $3 select beer. Now that's a little something for everyone!
Emeril's Delmonico
Emeril Lagasse has made a name for himself nationally, but in New Orleans he's even more well-known, especially with four restaurants in the city. Of those, Emeril's Delmonico's happy hour is most impressive. The St. Charles Avenue restaurant offers a daily happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. and features $5 small plates, 99-cent charbroiled oysters, and select half-price wines and both specialty and well cocktails. The swanky establishment often employs a pianist to play sweet melodies making this weekend happy hour one of the happiest of the bunch.
Amici Ristorante & Bar
The traditional Italian eatery Amici Ristorante & Bar has one of our favorite Magazine Street happy hours with half off all coal-fired pizzas, cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. Grab a seat out front and people-watch while chowing down on perfectly crispy and bubbly coal-fired pizza. Now that's amore!
Turkey and the Wolf
It seems as though this quirky and playful mostly-sandwich shop has topped nearly every list of best new restaurants in New Orleans recently and even snagged a James Beard Award nomination. With all of Turkey and the Wolf's success, the eatery still plays it cool by rocking a stellar daily happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. featuring $1 to $3 small plates like a "trashy tostada" or a "real good taco," $5 select wines by the glass, $4 rail mixed drinks, and a $6 daily special cocktail.
Part and Parcel
The self-proclaimed modern delicatessen has one of our favorite and longest daily happy hours of them all. The South Market District restaurant offers food and beverage deals every day from 3 to 7 p.m. and includes $6 select classic cocktails, $3 to $5 beer, $5 wells, $6 wine, and snacks including bruschetta and spicy shrimp dip starting at $5. A four-hour happy hour is a rare find, and it's even harder to find one that runs through the weekend. We consider Part and Parcel a gem!
Salon by Sucre
Sucre may be known for its delectable desserts, and the notoriety is absolutely well deserved; however, what many people may not know is that Salon by Sucre — the sweet and savory French Quarter extension of the popular dessert boutique — holds one of the best weekend happy hours on the second floor of their Conti Street location. Stop by the new brunch haven Thursday through Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. for $6 classic cocktails and small plates that include spiced butter shrimp, frizel flatbread, and fried chicken sliders. Be sure to check out the never-ending selection of sweets on your way out!
Bar Frances
This Freret Street wine bar is fairly new to the scene, but that hasn't stopped Bar Frances from creating a satisfying weekend happy hour. Happy hour runs daily from 4 to 6 p.m. with wines by the glass for $5, beer and cocktails from $5 to $8, and small plates, including pork rillettes, in the $3 to $6 range.
Superior Seafood
The St. Charles Avenue seafood haven knows how to please with a generous daily happy hour special from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and an additional reverse happy hour from 10 p.m. until close on Friday and Saturday nights. At this prime location on the corner of St. Charles and Napoleon avenues, happy hour visitors can snag 50-cent raw oysters, 2-for-1 frozen mojitos, half-prices wine bottles, and $3 draft beer. Superior Seafood is the perfect parade route stop during Carnival season — and any other day, really!