Gay bars in New Orleans are concentrated on the lower part of Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, more precisely on the corner of Bourbon Street and St. Ann. For years, this area has been nicknamed the Fruit Loop because of several gay venues in a very small area. The focal point is the Bourbon Pub & Parade at 801 Bourbon Street, one of the largest and most famous gay bars in the city, with two floors, a balcony and a dance floor that is open 24 hours a day. Directly across the street is Oz, a club that focuses more on loud beats, go-go dancers and drag shows.
A few steps away is Café Lafitte in Exile, which has been in operation since 1933 and is considered one of the oldest continuously open gay bars in the USA. Among the regulars were Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote. A special feature of New Orleans is that there is no legal curfew: many bars in the neighborhood are theoretically open non-stop, and the evening can flow smoothly into the morning. If you are looking for a quieter pub, you will also find it in the same corner, for example with more classic neighborhood bars. On Labor Day weekend, the scene reaches its absolute climax when the Southern Decadence fills the French Quarter and everything crowds around the Fruit Loop. The following addresses will help you find the right place for your evening.