Le Bon Temps Roule — Restaurant in New Orleans

I go to Le Bon Temps often and they have some good music. They also have FREE oysters on Fridays but they go quick so you need to get there early! They have a kitchen that serves food and they have some good burgers here. The bar is divided into 2 main areas with the front being full of pool tables and the back where the bands play. This is usually a really fun bar to watch music until the point that it gets too crowded, which is way too often, but you always have the front area of the bar to escape to.

The back area, where the bands play, can just get miserably crowded especially on Thursday nights when bands like the Soul Rebels play (it also is a bad "tradition" that the Soul Rebels NEVER start on time so it is like 12:30 or 1am before they start usually so if you have to work the next day that really is a challenge). There are also some people that take their pool games WAY too seriously in here and I've seen a few fights break out over a stupid game so don't get in those folks way. Parking can sometimes be a bit of a challenge but if you get far enough away you can always find a spot.

They usually have pretty quick bar service and I usually prefer the front bar when there is music as it is quicker to get served than fighting the often formidable crowd in the back. There is always an interesting crowd here and there is a special plaque on the bar involving a historical person that I will let you discover yourself (maybe further down in this review even). There always seems to be something going on here when it seems nothing else is anywhere else in the area. Overall this is one of the best classic dive bars and music venues in the entire New Orleans area.

FYI: This is yet another of the bars that claims the notoriety of having had Lee Harvey Oswald as a frequent customer.

My video review of Le Bon Temps Roule is...

I can't believe I have never visited this historic neighborhood dive before. I have driven past this establishment an untold number of times on my way to much worse places. Why someone didn't tell me about this bar is beyond me. Maybe I need better friends.

Le Bon Ton is historic. You can sit at the bar where Lee Harvey Oswald sat when he lived just a few blocks away. Hopefully you don't turn into a communist and become haunted by visions of Carcano Model 91/38 rifles, but you get the point. Bars with crazy history are cool.

The bartenders here are awesome. In particular, Todd was great. He made sure our drinks were never empty, and he was a great conversationalist. In this time of mixolgy being so popular, it is nice to know there are still real bartenders left around. I don't care if you can peel a potato and distill it into vodka. The true test of a bartender is if they can pour me the perfect draft and laugh at my dumb jokes.

There is live music in the rear of this bar, but I suggest staying up front, sitting at the historic marker, and drinking beer. If you do and don't have fun, there is something...

Ridiculous place. Im visiting from Australia, I walked 40 minutes to get here as it was reccomended to me.

I'm 42 years old. They refused to serve me because I didn't have my passport on me.

Obviously I don't carry my passport around with me 🙄 and I don't drive so there is no other type of photo id.

I had all my cards and other documents with my name on and photos of my passport. I understand you need to check, I've ran bars and worked in bars for years. But use your common sense and just be nicer to people.

I clearly am over 21, at 42 I'd be flattered if someone said I looked under 21 but they would be lying

Just ridiculous. So rude and so illogical.

On my 40 minute walk home stopped in 2 bars who weren't so rude and ridiculous and just let this old lady have a drink 😆 and we're so welcoming and nice.

I understand this bar is something of an institution and great that you are a space for the community. Doesn't feel like an excuse to be rude and refuse service to someone for no reason. I guess you just don't want out of...