Description

Yes, the room is spinning, and no, it's not because of bartender Marvin Allen's excellent renditions of classic New Orleans cocktails. The ornate stools pegged around the namesake bar turn at a rate of one full revolution every 15 minutes -- just slow enough to fully savor half a drink and take in the lively cocktail-hour scene that often unfolds at this New Orleans institution.

At 60 years and counting, the Carousel Bar is the place where good cocktails and a convivial atmosphere never went out of style. To wit: literary greats and legendary booze-men like Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams frequented and wrote about the Carousel Bar, and the old-school bar has come full circle again as ground zero for Tales of the Cocktail, a week-long summer camp for cocktail enthusiasts from around the world. The Carousel Bar is home of the original Vieux Carre cocktail, but local favorites like the Sazerac and a meal-worthy Bloody Mary are also well-advised. --CR

Details

Hours: Open daily 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Clientele/Age Group: 21 and older

Attire: Proper attire required.

Parking: Street and hotel parking.

Seating: Yes.

Handicapped accessible: Yes.

ATM:Yes.

Events: Live entertainment nightly.