new orleans after hours hi-ho lounge

Big Chief Monk Boudreaux performs at The Hi-Ho Lounge (Photo: Joshua Brasted)

New Orleans

After-Hours: The Best Late-Night Bars and Food in New Orleans

New Orleans is officially off the clock — the city doesn’t mandate a closing time for bars. But that doesn’t mean every bar and restaurant is open all day every day to accommodate the 24-hour party people. Bars close up when crowds thin, and those still standing are sent off to search for places that better understand the merits of being afoot at dawn.

The Hi-Ho Lounge

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Hustle with DJ Soul Sister at The Hi-Ho Lounge (Photo: Joshua Brasted)

Get your hustle on Saturday nights at The Hi-Ho Lounge with D.J. Soul Sister, who hosts the best late night dance party in the city — expect lots of ’70s funk and groove. She hosts a radio show on WWOZ (90.7 FM) from 8 until 10 p.m. on Saturdays to get you warmed up; an hour later you can meet up with her at The Hi-Ho Lounge and keep it moving until it’s time to start thinking about breakfast.

Verti Marte

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Verti Marte (Photo: Joshua Brasted)

Verti Marte is the answer to your prayers. That is if your religion involves a po’ boy sandwich stuffed with roast turkey, ham, two kinds of cheese, sauteed mushrooms, fried shrimp and “Wow Sauce.” You may walk in and think, well, this is just a convenience store, but understand that the chief convenience it serves is ensuring you won’t go to bed hungry. It’s cash only and there’s no place to sit inside (the sidewalk out front is a popular dining spot), so it’s also a inconvenience store. But so, so worth it.

The Alibi

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The Alibi (Photo: Joshua Brasted)

The Alibi is where New Orleans’s professional drinkers drink after hours — it’s a classic dive that serves as the bar industry’s home station when their own bars close up for the night. Tasty hamburgers available until dawn? Check. Memorable bar conversations with strangers? Check. Pretty and attractive? Well… not so much. There’s nothing twee about The Alibi, but it’s the perfect French Quarter destination when it’s too late for further adventures but too early to go to bed.