Bellocq

I first heard of Bellocq from Esquire magazine's 2013 list of their Best Bars in America annual review.  
This place just screams out sexy! Great place to take a date or to enjoy a craft cocktail. I see it more of a lounge than a bar because you can easily get comfy in their chill area.  If you're looking for a classy NOLA experience you must pay a visit to Bellocq.

I'M IN LOVE WITH BELLOCQ and so is my boyfriend!  I was immediately enamored by Bellocq upon walking in.  It's interior design was inspired by Storyville during the sexual revolution long ago, and it's absolutely stunning!  Dark red walls with velvet chaises and curtains.  And my gosh the sofas are so darn comfy I could easily just go to sleep!  I'm just completely bewitched by their ambiance that I always want to come back.   Not to mention they also play great music.  Everything about this bar  gets you feeling completely relaxed and unarmed.  It also doesn't hurt that the bartenders are so adorable.

I've been here a few times and have tried a few of their special cobblers.  My favorite thus far is their Bonal Cobbler which includes grapefruit; it's completely refreshing and delicious!  I've also had several desserts their and they were all outstanding.  Coming from a dessert fanatic, this is such a big deal!  Their chocolate cake with raspberry sauce it to die for!  I'm not a big chocolate person, but man this cake was DIVINE!  It was incredibly light and fluffy and not at all too sweet.  I've also had the cantaloupe sorbet, which was also light and refreshing, and the blueberry bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and a blueberry sauce.  I must say, that bread pudding was decadent!  Absolutely mouthwateringly good!

I've already been here about three times, and trust me, this won't be the end of it!

For a place that tries to present itself as upscale, it is very downmarket in some aspects. A bar patron knocked my full, $10 cocktail to the floor. I told the bartender about it, and she simply said "We'll send someone over to clean it up."

At other places where they care about customer service, they would have said "What did you have? I'll be happy to re-make that for you." You know that would have been the first words out of their mouths at the Ritz-Carlton, or even Chik Fil A!

When I first ordered the drink, I was not asked how I wanted to pay. The waitress TOLD me, "I need a card." Not "Did you want to start a tab?" I. Need. A. Card. Yikes!

Then, when I closed my tab, the charge was for $10.90. Yes, they added tax! I cannot recall a single bar where they have charged tax, it is usually built into the price of the drink.

The waitresses did not have a crisp and polished look that you would expect in an upscale hotel bar. Instead, they had touseled hair, long flowing dresses and flat shoes. Someone pointed out that their style was probably intended to evoke the Storyville area. But, it was lost on me.

In addition, there were full, overflowing ashtrays everywhere outside.  I sat at two different seating areas throughout the night and there were stinky ashtrays at both spots. No hotel staff bothered to empty them, although they eagerly picked up glasses (be careful they don't snatch your drink, two of my friends had their drinks picked up before they were done).

The crowd was very, very snooty, but they were there for a birthday party so maybe that's not the usual crowd.

And to close on a positive note: the two sips of my drink that I did have (strawberry cobbler) were delicious!