Tony Bacino’s Lounge at 201 Bourbon St. in 1964. Tony Bacino owned bars in the French Quarter from 1946-1968. He died in 1999 at the age of 91. People described him as a colorful and legendary French Quarter character.
Native New Orleanian Anthony “Tony” Bacino opened his first bar in the French Quarter in May of 1940. Bacino’s Cocktail Lounge was located at 600 Bourbon St. (at Toulouse) and featured live musical entertainment and a “cool and refreshing” drink called the “Zobbie.” The community sing nights became a big hit, with crowds singing along to their favorite hits played on the piano. Bacino sold the business in October of 1942.
Four years later in June 1946, Tony Bacino’s Bar opened at 738 Toulouse St. Live music and community singing carried over from his first bar, and it soon became a popular nightspot. Its reputation as being fun but rowdy grew just as quickly. In 1947, Tony was arrested for allowing loud music after midnight and all 86 patrons were arrested for disturbing the peace.
Tony’s partner Joe Joseph bought him out in 1949. Tony took a break from bars and went into the real estate business for 3 years. Following that, he was back hosting at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, which Joseph also owned.
Meanwhile, Tony Bacino’s on Toulouse was making a name for itself. It opened up a back bar in the courtyard and installed bartender Candy Lee (aka Amos McFarland), described variously as: unpredictable, madcap, and a “master mixologist and raconteur.” The bar became a welcoming gathering spot for gay patrons.
Joseph sold the bar in 1954, just missing the years of relentless police harassment and arrests of staff and patrons of gay bars under the new vice laws instituted by Police Superintendent Jim Garrison. In 1958, Candy Lee and fellow bartender Louis (“Louise”) Robichaux filed a civil suit after being arrested eight times in two weeks for violating an ordinance against “employment of persons of lewd character.” They lost their suit, and Tony Bacino’s Bar gave up the fight and quietly closed. (Candy Lee was said to go on to be the inspiration for Tennessee Williams’ one-act play “And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens…”.)
In 1963, Bacino decided to open another namesake bar: Tony Bacino’s Lounge on Bourbon St. Like his previous bar, it had its share of brawls and arrests. By 1968, it was closed.
