Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

A famous bar with a famous past
Talk of the town: This bar is said to have once been owned by pirate Jean Lafitte.

How Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop tavern was founded is something regularly debated, but the lack of any proof to corroborate such tall tales does not affect the regulars' affection for the place. At the calmer end of Bourbon Street towards Esplanade, the tiny cottage is one of the oldest buildings in New Orleans, and is claimed to be one of America's oldest bars.
With low ceilings, exposed wooden beams and an interior almost entirely lit by candles, it's quite a different beast to the bars that offer blasting R&B and toxic shooters further down the street, and a good place for starting or ending a romantic evening.