Broke? Me too! And dang am I sad about it. Perhaps I should go someplace where the whiskey chases the blues away. Yeah, that sounds OK.
But where can a nice lady get shnockered for $2 a beer? Heaven bless our delightfully soggy town, because this question can be answered with gusto! Follow along with this bar calendar and soon you’ll have plenty of spare dough – with which to buy more beer.
Monday, Sudsy Monday…
Finn McCool’s (3701 Banks St., 486-9080) Finn McCool’s is a little Irish pub in Mid-City run by a staff full of real-life ex-pats. Every Monday night, Finn’s hosts a pub quiz at 8 p.m. where festive bar-goers, playing alone or in teams, compete for prizes like glasses, caps, $20 bar tabs, VHS copies of Dynasty, and more. (The losing team is presented with a “Sack of Suds” and a dunce’s cap is awarded for the worst answer in each round.) During pub quiz, domestic longnecks are five for $8 and imported beers are five for $12
Chase the Tues. away…
45 Tchoup (4529 Tchoupitoulas St., 891-9066) 45 Tchoup (formerly Shiloh) is a small bar, across the street from Rouses, at the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Jena streets. A nifty fact: the bar – the actual wooden structure you sit your drinks on – was built by co-owner Debbi Shatz’s husband out of salvaged cypress. There is a jukebox and dartboards and on Tuesday nights, 45 Tchoup offers $2.50 imported Mexican beers from 9 p.m. until close. There’s also Happy Hour, 2 to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, during which time customers can get $2.50 well drinks and a $.50 discount on draft beer.
Hump Day HappinesS …
The Bulldog (3236 Magazine St., 891-1516; 5135 Canal Blvd., 488-4191) Wednesday nights, the Bulldog will give ya a free glass for each pint you drink. If a new collection of glassware isn’t enough temptation, The Bulldog also offers two-for-one mixed drinks during Happy Hour, which is Monday through Friday, 2 until 7 p.m. Also, the Canal Street Bulldog, damaged badly by a fire earlier this year, is once again up and operational. If the bar’s name doesn’t give it away, puppies (and grown-up doggies too) are welcome.
Thursday Night Drinking Club …
Carrollton Station (8140 Willow St., 865-9190) Carrollton Station features a lot of great live music acts, as well as $3 Abita, draft and bottle, on Thursdays. Mondays offer $4 pitchers of domestic beer, and Happy Hour is from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Phillips Bar and Restaurant (733 Cherokee St., 865-1155) Phillips is a dimly lit (make that barely lit) lounge in the Tulane/Loyola part of town. It is small, but Phillips’ patio is surprisingly sprawling; definitely grab a seat in the courtyard if you can. If you noticed the “and Restaurant” bit of the title, Phillips now serves food. Menu items include pizza, dip and other appetizers, even pasta.
Thursday nights starting at 9 p.m. Phillips has “Girls Night Out” where ladies can drink free all night. Daily, Happy Hour starts at 4 p.m. and offers $1 discounts on all drinks. Phillips’ Tuesday night special is pretty cool, too: a $5 “Wine Flight,” which includes a taste of three wines and a full glass of whichever you like best.
Fried Day Friday …
Felipe’s Taqueria (Uptown, 6215 S. Miro St., 309-2776; French Quarter, 301 N. Peters St., 267-4406) In addition to serving up tasty Mexican grub, Felipe’s Taqueria makes a mean margarita (fresh key lime juice, homemade simple syrup, Patron Citronage and tequila). At Felipe’s Uptown location, Fridays offer two-for-one drinks during Happy Hour, 4 to 6 p.m. At Felipe’s French Quarter location, Friday Happy Hour is from 4 to 7 p.m., offering free chips and salsa and $3 frozen margaritas. The weekend specials are good too: Uptown, draft beers are $1, and in the French Quarter, Miller Lite pitchers are $5.
Jigger’s Grill (1645 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 828-3555) From 2 to 4 p.m. daily, Jigger’s has Happy Hour specials. On Fridays, Jigger’s has two-for-one drinks from 4 to 11 p.m., including all bottled beer and most liquors. There are also plasma television sets around the bar for you sports fans, as well as pool tables, darts and video games. Jigger’s has stellar fried pickles, too.
The Savvy Gourmet (4519 Magazine St., 895-2665) The Savvy Gourmet is an upscale home and cookware store, caterer and cooking school on Magazine Street. The multi-purpose facility even hosts Friday night Happy Hours, during which time guests can enjoy five pours of wine for $15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Also, the purchase of an additional glass of wine during Happy Hour entitles guests to a 10 percent discount on wine by the bottle – or case!
Saturday Stumbles …
Cajun Mike’s Pub ‘n Grub (116 Barrone St., 566-0055) Cajun Mike’s in the Central Business District serves up some good drink specials and lots of tasty, casual food such as French fries and onion rings, poor boy sandwiches, chicken wings and mini muffulettas. Every Saturday, Cajun Mike’s offers $2 domestic beers and $5 pitchers of Pabst Blue Ribbon all day. During Happy Hour, 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, Cajun Mike’s serves $2 domestic beers, $2 well drinks and $2.50 imported beer.
Sin day Sunday…
Bruno’s Tavern (7538 Maple St., 861-7615) Sunday nights, from 9 to 11 p.m., pints are just $2. Other drink specials at this bar include $3 16-ounce Long Island Iced Teas on Saturday nights, 2$ domestic longnecks on Wednesdays and $1 Bud and Bud Lite drafts on Mondays starting at 5 p.m.
All Week Wonders
The Columns Hotel (3811 St. Charles Ave., 899-9308) The Columns Hotel – the classiest joint I wasn’t afraid to patronize in college. Young, happenin’ singles frequent this New Orleans staple, especially during Happy Hour, which is 5 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. During those magic hours, Columns offers half-price domestic beers, well drinks and house wine. That is a savings of about $3 a glass. Dress code here is Garden Party casual – OK, I made that genre up – but seersucker/sundress/Southern-humidity-friendly attire is what you’ll be most comfortable wearing. There is ambiance, a beautiful open-air patio and a generic air of Walker Percy-era naughtiness.
Handsome Willy’s (218 S. Robertson St., 525-0377) Happy Hour is from 1 to 6 p.m. On Mondays, Handsome Willy’s has free red beans and at 7:30 p.m. a movie is shown. Each movie has a corresponding drink special (i.e. a showing of the film Ground Hog’s Day might feature a special on Pennsylvania-brewed Rolling Rock beer). Tuesdays and Wednesdays Handsome Willy’s has two-for-one hot dogs and $2 Red Stripe beers. Thursdays offer $1 tacos, $3 margaritas and $3 Corona beers.
Pal’s Lounge (949 N. Rendon St., 488-7257) In Mid-City, Pal’s Lounge is a neighborhood joint akin to a laid-back house party in which all are welcome. With an air-hockey table, board games and delicious specialty drinks (the blueberry lemonade is a particularly refreshing summer treat), Pal’s has bartenders who “know your name” and will usually take the time to chat with customers, many of whom are regulars.
Daily from 3 to 7 p.m., Pal’s has a Happy Hour where drinks are $.50 off (they’re pretty cheap to begin with so it’s quite a bargain). On Mondays the bar serves free red beans and rice; Tuesday is “Taco Day” where you can get two for $2, either chicken or vegetarian; and on Wednesdays, bartender Beth Ann bakes teriyaki chicken wings for customers. (They’re free!) Thursdays, the bar offers a $10 manicure special and Sundays there’s free curry, usually vegetarian or with seafood. Though the bar is relatively small, there’s plenty of seating. Arrive with some buddies and you’ll certainly feel at home in this friendly, casual atmosphere in the otherwise quiet residential neighborhood.
