The Double Dealer, the subterranean cocktail bar located beneath the Orpheum Theater, has been nominated by the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2021Shortlist Americas for Visual Identity. The Double Dealer joins only three other nominees in North, Central and South America to win the award and represents New Orleans as the city’s only finalist in this year’s competition. Designed by Denver- and Los Angeles-based The Made Shop and New Orleans-based Farouki Farouki, the premier cocktail bar resembles the backstage setting of a 1920s vaudeville theater. 129 Roosevelt Way, 300-0212, doubledealernola.com.
Cocktails Galore
The newly opened tropical roadhouse restaurant, Mister Mao, features a quirky bar with a robust cocktail program. Libations include Cathouse Spritz, a refreshing aperitif featuring Amaro Nonino, Campari and lime; Billion Dollar Betsy, a boozy riff on a piña colada with dark and overproof rum, allspice, pineapple and orgeat tres leches; and John’s Secret Dragon Lady, a tiki-style cocktail with a bit of sweetness and saltiness featuring Malort, Benedictine, velvet falernum, orange and saline. Also on the menu is a selection of virgin cocktails, including the Hibiscus Masala Lemonade and Coffee Science Shrub + Tonic. There’s also a small-production focused wine list and local brews from Zony Mash Beer Project. 4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 345-2056, mistermaonola.com.
Spooky Spirits
Twelve Mile Limit is offering a specialty fall cocktail called Red Bottoms (aka Bloody Shoes), just in time for Halloween. This bright and complex tequila cocktail is presented in the vein of a classic Mexican Firing Squad, but it takes its name from a slang term used for Christian Louboutins popularized by rapper Cardi B in her breakout hit “Bodak Yellow.” Created by bartender Kamari Stevens, it features tequila, Giffard Peche de Vigne (peach liqueur), pomegranate syrup, lime juice and Regan’s orange bitters. 500 S. Telemachus St., 488-8114, twelvemilelimit.com.
Football Season Hangout
Ernst Café, the oldest continually operated bar in the Warehouse District, is offering $1, $2 and $3 beer specials, plus awesome bar food, for football season with multiple TVs and a huge balcony. The beers on offer for the special will rotate, but the food menu will stay the same with options such as debris fries, chicken and sausage gumbo, seafood platters, burgers, po-boys and more. 600 S Peters St., 525-8544, ernstcafe.com.
