10 Best Breweries and Beer Places in Bywater

"Founded with a mission not only to craft some of the finest brews in the region but also celebrate the people of the city they serve; Second Line is a can’t miss spot. Grab a seat in their outdoor beer garden and sip on some of their most delicious selections from their blonde ale, West-coast style IPAs to their popular, “Saison Named Desire” brewed with Moro blood orange. Located in Mid-City, Second Line is focused on creating a 100% sustainable and environmentally useful product by working with local farmers to convert their spent grain into nutrient-rich animal feed."

"Second Line Brewing Company is located in the mid-city neighborhood of New Orleans. Its name was derived from the unique tradition of New Orleans called Second Line Parade. The parade is an unbridled expression of fun and celebration for the New Orleans community."

"Courtyard’s doubled its interior space, gussied up the courtyard, and put a damn wine on tap, but don’t worry. It’s still the same laid back dog-friendly joint with plenty of hoppy (and non-hoppy) beers brewed in house as well as guest taps from other breweries. Scott Wood’s brewery has gotten slightly bigger and exponentially better over the past 4 years, and that trend will almost certainly continue."

"New Orleans has long been the stronghold of Dixie and Abita beer, but recently several new breweries have moved in on their territory. The two best options are Urban South and NOLA Brewing, both located on Tchoupitoulas Street. Both offer lively bars and delicious craft beer."

"So with that being said, I’ve listed out a complete guide to New Orleans breweries. You might notice some of the breweries are lacking in details. Unfortunately those are the ones that I did not have time to visit."

"Whether you’re in for a shot of beer or some quality food, Gordon Biersch has you covered. This pub-style restaurant creates their own award-winning beer to compliment their delicious bar snacks for a truly original time. Try their GB Beer Mushroom Chicken served with asparagus and a bit of brew in their stunning location, and then you’ll see what makes Gordon Biersch the winner of “Best Bar Patio” by beer-drinkers as well as the 2nd best place to drink beer in New Orleans."

"Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch’s dream came true when Gordon Biersch Brewing Company opened its doors. The brewery opened in Palo Alto, California, in July 1988. The duo worked together to bridge fresh, handcrafted beer and world class cuisine."

"This nanobrewery has its brewhouse and fermentation tanks crammed in a space the size of a large bathroom but it’s pumping out beer after beer at stunning speed. From hop bombs to imperial saisons to porters to German styles, Robert Bostick and and his team at Brieux Carré have been keeping foot traffic in the Upper Quarter and Frenchmen Street happy. Get a beer to go and wander around, or find a place in the small bar or outside beer garden to enjoy."

"Roux Carre is a true community restaurant dedicating its entire restaurant to the preservation of Central City culture. Various food vendors within it help to represent the African American, Caribbean, and Latin American influences of the city. These community spots include Estralita’s Express, Johnny’s Jamaican Grill,The Pupusa Lady, Splendid Pig, and the Youth Empowerment Project‘s Trafigura Work and Learn Juice Box."

"With a laissez faire approach to brewing, Brieux Carre aims to “embody the New Orleans spirit” in all of their beers. This brewery was tucked in right off of the popular Frenchmen Street, giving imbibers perfect access to craft beer. The interior of Brieux Carre in New Orleans is narrow and tight, but keep heading down the hall to get to the back courtyard for more seating."

"Located in the historic Gem Theater—one of only two remaining African American movie theaters still standing in the city—Zony Mash Beer Project is both a brewery and an entertainment space. Named after the title of an album of rare B-side songs by New Orleans funk band The Meters, Zony Mash offers 21 taps in the tasting room and a robust line of brews using ingredients like coffee from local roaster, Congregation; additions include carrot and dragon fruit juices, coriander and butterfly pea. Year-round brews include Tiny Bubbles (a sparkling ale), Pillow Talk (a “fluffy” IPA) and Run for the Rosé (a wine hybrid ale)."

"Zony Mash is beautiful on the inside, a stunningly re-imagined microbrewery-take on the former Gem Theater. But its outdoor beer garden has been the center of the action lately, showcasing a rotation of popup eateries, as well as Zony Mash brews sold from the brewery’s tricked-out beer bus. As owner Adam Ritter said, “When the weather is nice, and it’s feeling right, it’s great.” Recent eats have included Zee’s Pizzeria and Doughtown’s Detroit-style pies as well as Bub’s Burgers, Southerns (of fried chicken sandwich fame) and the culinary talents of Luncheon."

"Atelier Vie is a craft distillery that produces a hefty lineup of spirits including Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled in Bond; a standard version of Euphrosine; and a nine-month, barrel-aged version called Barrel-Finished Reserve. The Atelier Vie lineup also includes Louisiana Single Malt; Riz, a Louisiana rice whiskey; Calio Rum and Barrel Aged Calio Rum; Orphan Street Brandy and Orphan Street Brandy “El Jefe” Edition; Toulouse Green, a traditional-style absinthe distilled with Louisiana wormwood; and Toulouse Red, an American absinthe colored red with hibiscus. Atelier Vie also bottles Buck 25 Vodka and Orphan Street Bourbon."

"Founded in 2011, Atelier Vie produces vodka, gin, whiskey and even absinthe, from its South Broad Street location in Mid-City New Orleans.Atelier Vie’s two varieties of absinthe include the traditional green absinthe and a red version colored and flavored with hibiscus flowers. Try: Louisiana Single Malt Whiskey, Calio Rum, Orphan Street Brandy, and Euphrosine Gin, which took the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition."

"This combination wine shop/bar is housed in the American Can Company building, a historic structure along the Bayou St. John built in 1929. It was once the largest aluminum can factory in the country. Proprietor Leora Madden takes pride in how the wine scene has evolved since she opened in 2013."

"Owner Leora Madden has been fascinated with wine since her first visit to a Sonoma winery at the age of 14. She lived in wine country for seven years before bringing her informed palate to New Orleans. Besides wines Pearl offers a smart selection of IPAs, a solid array for a place of this size."

"– On Thursday and Fridays from 5 to 7 pm, Peal Wine Co offers free wine tastings and a 10% discount on featured wines."

"Established in the French Quarter as an “atmospheric” movie theatre in 1927, the Saenger Theatre fell on hard times by the 1960s and was renovated as a performing arts venue in the late-1970s. Katrina hit the Saenger Theatre hard, but fortunately the building was in the middle of restoration so many of its fittings had been removed as the waterline was above stage level. This brought on another phase of restoration that continued right up until Jerry Seinfeld took the stage for three nights in September 2013."

"With decorative moldings and ornate archways, the interior of the Saenger Theatre replicates that of a grand Italian courtyard, complete with a starry sky ceiling. Having been devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the theatre underwent a huge restoration project and reopened in 2013 to offer a bustling schedule of live music, lectures, comedy, and more."

"The historic Saenger Theatre in New Orleans is one of the Gulf Coast’s premier live entertainment venues. Heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina, the ‘Grand Dame of the South’ reopened its doors in September 2013 after an extensive restoration. The 1927 design lives on in this iconic live performance venue."

"You might be wondering why I haven’t mentioned the iconic French Quarter jazz venue, Preservation Hall. It’s absolutely possible to see a show here (40ish minutes) and then head to Frenchmen Street. Depending on the night of the week, prepare to wait in line for up to an hour and remember with no food, drink (BYOB), or AC and the likelihood of standing during the performance, this venue isn’t right for everyone."

"If you’re a fan of live jazz performances, then you must make plans to attend an upcoming show at Preservation Hall. Situated in the heart of the French Quarter on St. Peter Street, the venue presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans Jazz concerts featuring ensembles from a collective of more than 50 local master practitioners."

"After dinner is sure to check out live jazz at Preservation Hall. This ended up being our favorite thing we did in New Orleans and strongly suggest you don’t miss out on this during your 3 days in New Orleans."

"The Orpheum is an immaculately renovated historic theater with just over 1,400 seats to accommodate concerts, films, and private events. Originally built in 1918, the performance art theatre recently celebrated “100 Years on Stage” (1921-2021)."

"The acoustically-pure Beaux-Arts theater has been fully restored following damage from Hurricane Katrina. Location: 129 Roosevelt WayArchitect: G. Albert Lansburgh (restored by Eskew+Dumez+Ripple)Date: 1921Contact: https://orpheumnola.com/"

"Another Broken Egg Café’s meals are made with New Orleans’ finest ingredients, and the dishes are fun and creative. The restaurant offers American cuisine with modern twists on classic favorites and new creations. The restaurant provides American breakfast, brunch, and burgers."

"This chain has two New Orleans locations, and the menu offers a wide variety of options from omelettes to benedicts. The spot also offers a kids menu and vegetarian dishes. Prices top out at around $12."

"It was awful- the crab meat Benedict was greasy and smelled the eggs floated in grease - I loved the coffee cups More reviews"

"Opened in 2017 in the Garden District, Lula is New Orleans’ only Creole/Southern restaurant with an in-house distillery. Partner Jess Bourgeois, formerly of Commander’s Palace, handles the restaurant while co-owner Bear Caffrey, a Baton Rouge ER doctor with a penchant for chemistry, oversees the distillery. To open a combined full service restaurant with a micro-distillery, Bourgeois and Caffrey had to seek approval through House Bill 233, which passed in the summer of 2015, paving the way for future restaurant-distillery concepts in Louisiana."

"This stylish yet rustic micro-distillery produces small-batch, handcrafted vodka made from Louisiana sugar cane. The smooth and clean spirit has the soft finish of a cane vodka. Also available is a molasses- and raw-sugar-based rum that is batch fermented and distilled, and gin steeped with botanicals like juniper, coriander, angelica root and citrus peel."

"Tea-brined, buttermilk battered Cornish hen is served with Creole slaw and fries. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch Sat.-Sun."

"Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré is one of the longest-running local theaters in the United States (founded in 1916). As the name indicates, it’s a more intimate theatre setting with a seating capacity of just over 300 seats. Located just off of Jackson Square, this venue is primarily used for the performing arts, including dramas, musicals, comedies, and children’s productions."

"The theatre was originally built in 1906 and completely renovated in 2011. The venue is now used for concerts, plays, films, corporate events, and private parties."

"Named for the beloved New Orleanean gospel singer, the jewel of Armstrong Park was decimated in Katrina and subsequently refurbished into a state-of-the-art facility. The inaugural performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Messa di Requiem established a roster a of stellar lineups, ranging from Broadway shows and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the New Orleans Ballet Association. Catch programmes such as Shostakovich, La Bohème and comedian Aziz Ansari this spring."

"The Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts is a theater located in Louis Armstrong Park and named after gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who was born in New Orleans. It originally opened in 1973 as the New Orleans Theater of the Performing Arts and then was renamed after Jackson in 1993. The theater was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina but reopened in January 2009."