This NOLA bar is making a big change ahead of Southern Decadence
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are coming to gay New Orleans.
Mark
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes are coming to gay New Orleans.
This week, Phoenix Bar, which prides itself as being NOLA’s only “leather, bear, and fetish bar,” announced that it will officially start accepting credit cards.
It’s a pretty big deal, considering the Marigny spot, which is open 24/7, has famously been cash-only since its 1983 opening. Fittingly, its owners joked that they’re finally “entering the modern era.”
“Now, don’t get it twisted… CASH IS STILL KING and we will always love you for bringing it,” the bar wrote on its Instagram page. “But [now], if all you’ve got is plastic, we’ve finally got you covered.”
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The shift happens in anticipation of Southern Decadence, which takes over the city from August 31 to September 7, with 24/7 gay parties, drag brunches, costumes, and performances.
While the festival crowd tend to concentrate at the intersection of St. Ann and Bourbon Streets, you won’t be hard pressed to find a good spot to grab a drink with some gays anywhere in NOLA, all weekend long.
The best part? Now you don’t have to make an ATM spot before cruising at Phoenix.
Below, more of our favorite NOLA spots to add to your Southern Decadence itinerary.
Cafe Lafitte in Exile
Oldest gay bar in the US 901 Bourbon St · New Orleans, LA 70116+1 504-522-8397
Website
Located in the French quarter, Cafe Lafitte in Exile holds the title of the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the South. With a history like that, it’s no surprise that the quaint spot, which is open 24 hours a day, has hosted LGBTQ+ icons like Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote.
Bourbon Pub Parade
Center of NOLA’s gay world 801 Bourbon St · New Orleans, LA 70116+1 504-529-2107
Website
It’s a nonstop party throughout the multiple floors of Bourbon Pub Parade, which hosts events like show tunes singalongs on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays, and the iconic drag show Lipstixx “Ladies on Parade” on Sundays.
Tap your heels three times and end up at Oz, which has been voted the Best Gay Dance Club in NOLA and hosts the most-awarded and longest-running drag cast in the city.
Rawhide Lounge
Laid back cocktail bar 740 Burgundy St · New Orleans, LA 70116+1 504-525-8106
Website
This French Quarter dive bar prides itself on being a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and allies alike. With a cozy vibe, pool table, and a playlist as eclectic as its crowd, it’s one of our favorite spots to grab a cheap drink — or meet a hot date.
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