Lately, I've been on a mission to find the best bars in lounges in NOLA with amazing wine and cheese plates and the Polo Club Lounge definitely fits the bill in every way! Â I'm so glad my boyfriend stumbled upon this place and told me about it! Â First off, it's located on the 2nd floor of the Windsor Court; we all know how fancy schmancy the Windsor is so naturally, there are high hopes for its lounge!
My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night around 9:30 and it was fairly crowded. Â It's a rather small space so I do suggest you to go early if you have a larger group. Â We sat on the comfortable sofas and ordered a cheese plate, truffle fries (free if you check in on Yelp!), a glass of Riesling, and a French 75. Â Everything came out in a reasonable amount of time and OH MY GOSH, their cheese plate is "spectacular!" Â That's exactly what our cocktail waitress said. Â It included three cheeses and an abundance of dried fruits, pickled beans, prunes, nuts, etc. Â I've never seen a cheese plate with THAT many complimentary sides and I thoroughly loved it! Â I loved my glass of Riesling (three different Rieslings are offered and I got the third one), and my boyfriend loved his French 75. Â I also can attest to how delicious his drink was.
The ambiance was wonderful. Â They offer live jazz on the weekends and I loved the singer's soothing voice. Â It definitely offered a very cozy and intimate vibe to the entire experience. Â I can't wait to be back!
Great ambiance and a bit of relief from the Burbon Street hangouts. Â Good place to feel like and adult and listen to good music in a nice setting. Â Quality of musicians is good as well, as saw the same bassist at both Polo Club Lounge and Preservation Hall. Â Definitely a fan, heading back tonight before dinner.
Review Source:Just to clear up any confusion (ehem John LH) the Polo club lounge is not the hotel lobby, its upstairs. Best kept secret is you get a free drink if you are wearing authentic POLO brand clothing (Lies). I check in on Yelp and score! A free order of truffle fries (Truth). Now we are cooking with fire. The drinks are pricey, but that is to be expected. You will get an excellent cocktail companied with excellent service so go ahead and enjoy yourself. Whoever the girl they have singing is amazing. Lovely voice singing contemporary songs with a bluesy vibe. Goes absolutely perfect with the ambiance.
Review Source:I'm pretty certain the glorious Polo Club Lounge would take away that incredible check-in offer of free truffle fries if they witnessed Yours Truly gauchely scarfing them down on Friday night as I tried (and failed) to sip a French 75 all ladylike. Not only were they incredibly delicious as truffle fries tend to be, but I was rather hungry. I had taken a pretty vigorous yoga class right beforehand and rather than take the time to eat dinner, I took the time to get all done up for John & Larissa's Fancypants Birthday Bar Crawl. Who wouldn't? From bar one (Swizzle Stick), I seemed hellbent on canceling out all yogerific benefits to my body by drinking 4 champagne cocktails followed with a truffle fry chaser at Polo Club Lounge. Go me!
Getting back to the review... the Polo Club Lounge had me worrying that I'd be traveling in a time machine back to 1980s Brett Easton Ellis preppy cocaine horrors. "Oh Blaine, will you fetch me a Sex on the Beach?" Or, at least that I'd be rubbing elbows with the Harvard rowing club (actually, I can't lie, that would be pretty cool). Silly girl. The Polo Club is more old school Fitzgerald Yale Club than anything. And of course they have the classic cocktail menu to go along with the tastefully posh setting.
I could spend hours here and probably will again. Trough of truffle fries not necessary (but oh-so-appreciated).
We stumbled on this place while waiting for our late dinner at Restaurant August because it is just across the street. It received great yelp reviews so we stopped in even though it was in a hotel lobby. The atmosphere was romantic and the they had a live band playing soft jazz with a great female vocalist that I thought sounded a lot like Diana Krall except better because it was live and I was in New Orleans with my girlfriend and I had an incredible glass of wine. The drinks are expensive but when coupled with the location and the entertainment, it feels like a bargain. Please stop in, have a glass of wine and enjoy a quiet moment.
Review Source:This is a fancy little bar located in the Windsor Court. A friend and I stopped in here to get a drink before heading out to dinner. I really like the nice upscale decor. It feels as if you are in someone's really nice home. They have a whole array of fancy cocktails, but instead of a cocktail, I just decided to get a beer. I really liked that there was a pianist playing "background music" as we chatted on one of the many sofas.
I would definitely love to go back here on a date, as I think it would be the perfect spot to start a romantic evening.
The perfect place to retire for a drink after a classy day of hunting big game, supervising your staff of hundreds, or, of course, playing polo. The decor is all rich leather and velvet curtains, yet avoids pretension with friendly service and delicious drinks. Although the Sazerac runs a jaw-dropping $25, other cocktails are reasonably priced at around $12.
The staff graciously accommodated our large group on two nights. On the first, we were a raucous crowd immediately post-wedding; the second was a more mellow affair, consisting of quiet conversation. Both times, the staff kept the drinks flowing and the guests comfortable.
Although we did not get to hear live jazz, I would like to thank the staff for not ejecting my husband after he attempted to play jazz drums.
Recently had two great experiences here on a recent trip to NOLA. The room was totally packed on Saturday night, with a pretty rowdy vibe and a loud, friendly crowd. The waitstaff were patient and gracious with our party, even as the mood progressed from festive to sloppy. It was a huge contrast to the next Sunday night, when the place was almost empty, making it a cozy spot for mellow drinks and conversation.
I'll echo what another reviewer already said: it's sophisticated without being pretentious. The Polo Club Lounge has a more grown-up feel than most hotel bars, and that's certainly reflected in the prices (the Sazerac is $25. What?!). But the cocktails are top-notch and the selection of local craft beers is impressive. The decor seems very Old New Orleans. Masculine but elegant.
I wasn't lucky enough to make it for jazz either night, but after reading some other reviews, the jazz definitely seems like a highlight!
I recently had a very pleasant experience at the Polo Lounge. Â Roger, the bartender, shared New Orleans stories and served my drink with friendliness and discretion. Â My favorite spot is at the bar where I can watch Roger make drinks; it's better than TV. Â I decided to write this review mostly to mention Roger as it was a treat to be served by such an elegant man. Â I love the overall ambiance of this room.
It was an added surprise to learn that the price of single malt scotch is 44% of the same at another bar we went to the night before. Â The complimentary bar snacks are excellent. Â The truffle popcorn is addictive.
This is a really nice upscale bar in the Windsor Court Hotel and I've had many great times and attended some fantastic parties here. Â This is an old school sophisticated New Orleans establishment where you should dress to impress. Â They sometimes have music and there is a lot of comfortable seating. Â This bar draws a good mix of locals and tourists and it definitely is an oasis of civility away from the madness that can overtake the Quarter.
Review Source:HIGH END jazz lounge.
Sorry kiddos this isn't your average jazz lounge for amateur hour. Â Packed by 11pm with not a seat in sight. Â The band was whaling, drinks were flowing, and the crowd was older but living it up. Â It kind of felt like I was having an uptown night out with the parentals, which I never mind, but is definitely not a young man's game.
Bring your amex. Â You're going to need it.
+++stars+++
fantastic bathrooms with floor to ceiling stalls, and two little sit down vanity areas in a lounge for the ladies. Â LOVED IT.
Great upscale lounge off the beaten path of the tourists- the perfect classy jazz lounge I was searching for- can be easily missed as it is a hidden gem overshadowed by Harrah's....if you're a fan of garlic, go for the truffle fries. Â The gumbo was definitely chunky and rich with flavor. Margarita pizza probably could be thinner- especially since it is supposed to be a flatbread pizza, but I'm not going to knock a star off for that. Â Love the atmosphere of this place....
Review Source:This is a great place to entertain clients or to relax in a sophisticated, upscale environment. Â There are many large, comfy chairs and couches to provide the lounge's customers with a place to mingle and meet those sitting nearby. Â You'll find all types of folks in here, ranging from those on business trips to tourists to honeymooners. Â This is an upper crust joint so please dress appropriately. Â No jeans, shorts or t-shirts as you'll ruin the vibe.
The drinks are as elegant and pristine as the surroundings they're created in. Â Bear in the mind that the drink menu changes pretty often however, I'm sure if you ask nicely, the bartenders will make something you liked from a previous list. Â My personal favorite is the Hirsch 16 yr Old Fashioned. Â If you decide to order this, do yourself a favor and let it breathe for a few minutes. Â This will give it ample time for the flavors to gel, creating an almost orgiatic feast for the senses LOL
I've also suggested the best time to check out this place are in the evenings of Friday and Saturday. Â Also, from 9-11 on those nights, there is a live jazz trio featuring the beautiful vocals of local talent, Anais St. John. Â This really is a memorable hot spot and a great place to bring a date. Â Dress to impress and have fun!
A temple of good taste and civility. Â I have never yelped anything in my life and not been moved to do so, until our afternoon spent at the Polo Club Lounge. Â Everyone must know of this magical place.
The service here makes you feel like you are the CEO of US Steel. Â The atmosphere is rich with doing things right the right way. Â Even a simple cocktail tastes better within the confines of this place. Â Our bartender saved our vacation with his whit and ability to pour a fine cocktail. Â He was as pleasant as could be, but with just the right amount of prim and proper with a swizzle stick of devil may care. Â Anytime I come back to this city you will find me on a bar stool in this fine establishment.
to me this is one of new orleans best kept secret just steps from canal street. i hear its the perfect place to catch some of the parades if you just wanna see the floats for  like bacchus or orpheus.  i love their bar snacks which include lays potato chips, nuts and pub mix. roger makes an awesome cafe polo i love that it comes with a stick of rock candy sugar and a grasshopper they are not to be missed. the pecan pie is pretty bad ass too.
last time i ate there i saw bobby hebert having dinner.
This is my favorite place in the city to treat myself to drinks and a small plate.
Elegant, timeless and sophisticated atmosphere. It's fancy, but not overtly pretentious.
Comfortable seating of sofas and chairs in semi-private sections.
The cocktail nut mixture upon arrival is a nice touch, too.
Excellent service.
Excellent drinks.
This place just does it, and does it very well.
(Love the smoked salmon plate!)
This is NOT your average hotel bar.
I feel so very grown up when I'm here. I'm not actually sure how old it is, but there is definitely a "lost in time" kind of feel here. It's sophisticated without being pretentious.
The bartenders can make a mean cocktail; and there is nightly jazz. It's a great place to hang out, have a few drinks and just mellow. I've gotten to see Anais St. John a few times, and she is always wonderful. If you like jazz/blues then I'm sure you will love her.
A word of caution, the drinks are not overly expensive, but this is definitely not the place to come if you're looking for $2 drinks. However, they are definitely worth it. One of their bartenders, Roger, is well-known as one of the best bartenders in the world. And I'm not exaggerating. He has actually been covered in magazines.
Also, check out the mixology classes. (They may technically be from their restaurant The Grill Room, but they're connected). You get to sample and learn about different drinks. I've done about 5 so far...you know, for learning purposes. :) I will definitely be attending more when they restart this fall.
Hmmm... I just realized that I have never had a French 75 here yet. Adding that to my to-do list.
WOW! Â This place is awesome! Â It is a very polished bar complete with very comfortable furnishings. Â
The staff is very friendly and a sense of pride is delivered in the drinks they make. Â The bar area is rather small, maybe enough room for eight patrons, but there is usually plenty of sitting in the sofas and chairs in the lounge area.
It is a very nice place to sit, have a drink and have a conversation with a friend. Â Try the blueberry mojito, delicious. Â They have a nice menu selection and the prices are decent for this caliber of a hotel bar.
I will most definitely make a trip back to this bar when I am in New Orleans again. Â Why not have a drink where many Anne Rice characters enjoyed some fine cocktails!
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