Cafe Lafitte in Exile

The daddy of 'em all. Lafitte's is the oldest gay bar in the country and has a long and interesting history. During his years in New Orleans, Tennessee Williams used to frequent Lafitte's. New Orleans most celebrated Carnival event the Bourbon Street Awards were hosted by Lafitte's until the early 80's when massive crowds forced them to move from Bourbon Street to St. Ann and Burgundy.

Wood Enterprises continues to host the awards at Rawhide 2010. Lafitte's features two floors of music and video. Downstairs you'll find the main bar. Upstairs you'll find a pool table and the balcony! During Carnival, because the gay crowd dominates this part of Bourbon Street, people tend to be a little more "adventurous" in their pursuit of beads and the balcony at Lafitte's can be quite "entertaining." Lafitte's is popular all year round and is open 24 hours a day.

The Scene
It's claim to being first may be questionable, but Lafitte's status as one of the French Quarter's premier gay and lesbian nightspots is beyond dispute. It's also a popular spot for straight locals and the adventurous tourist, as the ceaseless crowds will attest. Legend has it that Tennessee Williams was a patron of this establishment; he followed his friend Tom Caplinger, who opened it after leaving Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. Lafitte In Exile was the original home of the Bourbon Street Awards, one of the most celebrated Carnival events in the gay community until massive crowds forced the relocation of the ceremony.

The Draw
Both floors feature music and videos, with the main bar situated downstairs. Upstairs, there's a pool table and the club's infamous balcony, where rowdy patrons look out over this particular stretch of the Quarter and can be quite, er, flashy