Perhaps only in New Orleans could a bar exist that's simultaneously romantic and decadent. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, nestled in the less-touristy environs of lower Bourbon Street, is that bar. Whether or not you believe infamous pirate Jean Lafitte used this former blacksmith shop as a front for more nefarious enterprises, the location is still rich with history. For one thing, it's the oldest structure in the country (circa 1772) still doing service as a bar, and it helps keep that mystique alive with its conspicuous lack of electricity. Candles and a fireplace provide the only light. The bar also numbers playwright Tennessee Williams and more recently Lenny Kravitz among its more famous patrons. Besides these bullet-point features, Lafitte's boasts a friendly staff, a good mix of locals and tourists, and relentlessly casual atmosphere. Keep an eye out for piano standards on the weekends and potent Everclear-laced cherries every night.

The Scene
Legend has it that the pirate brothers Jean and Pierre Lafitte used this location as a blacksmith shop, which served as a front for more lucrative, extra-legal pursuits (including the trafficking of slaves). It's also rumored to be the oldest building still standing in the entire Mississippi Valley. Since the '40s, however, it's served as a watering hole for locals, tourists and celebrities such as Tennessee

The Draw
Sparsely decorated and lit--just barely--by candles, Lafitte's is a small, dark and cozy cavern, a place where many local nightcrawlers like to wind up an evening of bar hopping. Traces of its old identity remain, most notably in the form of the central fireplace. It also has something of a reputation as a place where locals lose their inhibitions; many a late-night hookup has occurred between these historic