Primeira classificação Vida Nocturna em Nova Orleans

The Spotted Cat is an intimate, slightly formal bar for all those cool cats and kittens who enjoy live jazz with a local flavor. This place, however, is for purists — if you're looking for flamboyant performances and gimmicks, you won't find them here. Jazz outfits such as the New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Jeremy Lyons and the Deltabilly Boys, and Tin Men perform at the Spotted Cat on a regular basis.

If you are down on Bourbon Street and your feet are tired from walking and you have had your fill of raucous mayhem, you need only walk a little further to find this famous bar. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar is (as its name implies) located in a former blacksmith's shop and safe house for smugglers during the 1800s. It boasts of having survived the fire that burned down the French Quarter in the late 1800s and being the oldest building to house a bar in the United States. In the back of the bar, a musician plays a grand piano and croons through drunken sing-a-longs like Piano Man and You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. The bar has reasonably priced drinks compared to many of its Bourbon Street counterparts.

While the clubs in the French Quarter usually get most of the attention, they are not the only ones that hold good times with even better music. This hot spot in the Carrollton District does require a cab ride, but is well worth the fare. A funky but fun atmosphere characterizes this club that is popular mainly for dancing. Club goers pick their spots then move and groove to the sounds of blues, zydeco and R&B.

Loud and boisterous are two good words to describe this less than discreet club. If you have never experienced a leather and Levi's bar, you may want to see this one. Chosen as one of the top 10 leather bars in the country, Rawhide has developed quite the reputation. Should you be in town during Mardi Gras, this is the place to go for a unique drag show.

Rusty Nail is one of those unpretentious places where one can actually unwind after a long day at work or simply come here to enjoy the music and ambiance. Rusty Nail is an off-track bar that boasts a wide selection of cocktails and a well-stocked bar. Blues and jazz are the order of the day, as this is a stage for many upcoming New Orleans musicians. Sit outside and try their signature Rusty Nail cocktail or something from their vast scotch collection.

Since its 1979 opening, Le Bon Temps has been welcoming laid-back New Orleanians to enjoy quiet afternoons at the bar and late nights drinking and dancing. A fully stocked bar and cozy, ultra-casual atmosphere encourage patrons to stop by during daylight hours for better than average bar eats including sandwiches, quesadillas, and burgers. And come back after dark for a full night of drinking and dancing. The Soul Rebels Brass Band, Joe Krown Organ Combo, and a variety of other brass, rock, and jam bands pack the Uptown neighborhood bar nearly every night. Stop by on Friday for the free oysters.