French Quarter · Dive with good drinks

Old Absinthe House

One of the oldest bars running in the city, with a real 19th-century story behind the Bourbon Street shell.

Late nightPeople-watchingGroups
Neighbourhood
French Quarter
Style
Dive with good drinks
Known for
Birthplace of the Absinthe House Frappe (1874) · A regular stop for Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman · The original bar was moved intact to survive Prohibition
Prices
$ · cocktails under $14
Getting in
Walk-ins only
Food
Snacks and small plates
Hours
Mon-Wed 9am-2am; Thu 9am-3am; Fri-Sat 9am-4am; Sun 9am-3am
Address
240 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

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Checked: Confirmed via ruebourbon.com (the real operator site) and listing updated November 2026.

Photo: an illustration of the mood, not this bar.

Part of these nights

French Quarter, by the old bar

Same neighbourhood

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