I have been coming here for the great cocktails and bar scene for many years, way before the "craft cocktail" scene got soooooo hip. I went again recently and was reminded why this is not a typical hotel bar. It's a place where locals who like a fun bar scene come. The clueless out of towners are a bonus sideshow. My drinking companion and I both had a Swizzle Stick cocktail (so refreshing in the mid summer heat) and then a $5.50 glass of Sauvignon Blanc. So good. We also split a small plate of fried oysters with citrus and fennel salad. It was awesome. Throw in free valet parking and this NOLA boy is coming back soon!
Review Source:UPDATE: SERIOUSLY... Lu.... I never thought I could love another bartender on the same level as Chris Hannah (I'm mildly obsessed with him) but Lu...has done it... The reason I say this is because she has brought me to a point in my life that I actually like GIN!!! Yes... Me... Gin... Never thought it would happen, but she definitely brought this change on with one of the most refreshing cocktails I ever had. Â All her cocktails leave you thinking that this is a wonderful world...Makes me want to dance around in the field as if I was a fairy on True Blood. You can't go wrong with her serious knowledge of perfecting cocktails. She alone is worth going visit ASAP.
Review Source:Seriously, Lu makes the best old fashioned ever. It was perfectly balanced. The atmosphere is lovely; you can sit at the bar (the bar chairs are comfy) or lounge about on the sofas or at the tables adjacent.
We had great service and though I was last there with a large group. They were able to keep our tabs straight and amazingly all our bills came out correctly.
Bartender is not the word for the person behind the bar, more like an artist with bottles of liquor in their hand instead of brushes! Â I didn't know what I wanted to drink, so Charlie asked me a few questions and before you know it he had read my drinking profile and decided a French 75 was perfect for me, and it was!! Â They can't make a bad drink here or even a mediocore one at that. Â We came here 3 times during our trip that's how much we loved it. Â We also got some dessert which words can't describe were mind blowing. Â Swizzle Stick bar is also owners of Commanders Palace, which I went to also, another must while in NOLA
Review Source:This is an awesome place to go to get a perfectly crafted cocktail. I came here to keep the party going and was pleasantly surprised by the offerings. I usually stick to wine but when in Rome...I had the Lucy Broussard and thought it was great!
The bar is dimly lit and has a good bit of seating around the bar plus additional seating away from the bar.
Normally we don't hang out in hotel bars, but we made an exception for the Swizzle Stick. Â We were on the early side for the extended family Mother's Day brunch at Cafe Adelaide. Â It made a pleasant place to wait for rest of the group to arrive, car by car. Â Nice and airy, contemporary in feel. Â I had a Bloody Mary and my wife ordered the Red Hat Cosmos special of the day. Â There were a few tables scattered around and we claimed one for the group. Â It was great to sit back and watch the ladies, both ours and others, show up in their Mother's Day finery. Â And the hats were in full exhibit mode. Â (The fact the ladies received a free drink for wearing a hat probably helped.) Â Free valet parking, both for the bar and the restaurant helps with the relaxed feel of the place.
Review Source:Terrible service. My husband and I went here after walking back from a saints game. I felt greatly discriminated against because we were in our black and gold and a little on the sweaty side from the walk. We finally got a drink and a table. Went to order food but the waiter said the kitchen was closed. Hmmmm, that's odd because about three other tables ordered after he told us that. Never again will I darken the doors of that establishment.
Review Source:Superbly crafted cocktails. You're going to get these here and there's something to satisfy every kind of drinker, from the girly girl drinker (though please do yourself a favor and do not order a Cosmo here. There are far better choices!) to the hardcore bourbon-swiggin' sorts. I fall in between. If I'm not in a cocktail lounge, I tend to stick with vodka sodas. If I am in a cocktail lounge, I'll go for something refreshing and if it includes ginger or St. Germaine, I'm sold.
After the Yelp Super Supper Club at Cafe Adelaide, Lindsay A and I enjoyed cocktails at Swizzle Stick Bar. In fact, it was almost impossible to leave. I'm so going to add this to my must-stops when in the Warehouse District/CBD area.
Besides the cocktail menu that has drinks like the Zen Garden (with Prairie Organic vocka, Canton ginger liqueur, citrus, bitters) and my other favorite, the Adelaide Swizzle (Old New Orleans Amber Rum, Peychaud's bitters, lime, soda, and a secret ingredient that if you guess correctly, they will reveal it. I didn't guess correctly but even if I did, I'd be kind and not reveal it!) there's something that sets Swizzle Stick apart from other top notch hotel bars like the Loa Bar. That, of course, is the Brennan's signature Southern hospitality at play, making you feel more like you're in a neighborhood bar than a swank cocktail lounge. Yes, there are regulars sitting at the bar. Yes, people are greeted by their name. Swizzle Stick has all of my favorite elements in place-- atmosphere, customer service, incredible cocktails and...
bar snacks.
Seriously, I do not for the life of me understand why more bars don't put out little bowls of bar snacks to keep you drinking (individual, of course. No one else's hands should be touching your bar snacks!)
If you want a swanky cocktail in an upscale setting, this is your place. There is a giant ice block in the center of the bar, which is used for the various handmade cocktails -- what more do you need? It's a great place to stop on the way to the casino or the warehouse district.
The cocktails were all made with quality ingredients and reasonably priced ($8-$12) for a nice hotel lobby. I had a Plymouth martini and a Manhattan, both of which were perfectly balanced. My girlfriend enjoyed the Adelaide Swizzle and the Zen Garden. I also tried the Blood & Sand, which was a bit too sweet and fruity.
I'll dock a stars for the quality of service. Bartenders were quick enough to take your order and make drinks, but they seemed overall distracted even though it was a not-particularly-busy Monday evening. They didn't seem up for venturing off the menu, other than for the standard cocktails and weren't very up for conversation.
A few last notes: They don't have draft beer (why would you need it at a cocktail bar). And don't be that guy that orders a High Life.
The Swizzle Stick Bar resides in the Loews hotel lobby, adjacent to Cafe Adelaide. Â The large bar is centered in an elegantly appointed, high-ceiling space. Â There are a few small tables comfortably laid out around the room, but it is far more worthwhile to take a seat at the bar. Â It is a clean bar with a great lived-in look, fresh ingredients tucked all about and a slow-melting ice block prominently displayed in the center, red tongs clamped over it.
Lu Brow is the bartender associated with Swizzle Stick Bar, and she managed the bar with a sure hand wrapped in a very warm hospitality. Â I've visited a great many wonderful cocktail bars in New Orleans, but only to a handful that seemed like places that could only exist here. Â I believe the bartenders have a lot to do with it; only French 75 with Chris Hannah at the helm left the same feeling of transport back in time as at the Swizzle Stick Bar.
The long cocktail menu spotlights many classics, especially those from New Orleans, along with inventive custom drinks. Â The quality of the drinks is excellent here, balanced and nuanced. Â Clearly a bar of caliber, a great place for a drink, and blessedly quiet.
I had great night, I  just got a few appetizers but my server Shawn was wonderful andhe recomended a  Jameson ginger sour. I have been a bartender for 20 yrs and this drink was amazing. I have been before with server Josh and was also wonderful. You seem to have a great team and Ill be back.
Review Source:Excellent cocktails--I loved the Tequila Mockingbird, despite the punny name. Prices are reasonable for such well-crafted drinks, coming in at between $9-11 for most. The glasses are a bit small, probably the actual correct serving size for a cocktail, which means you can easily damage your wallet despite the modest prices since you may have several drinks. Not that I'm speaking from experience!
Our server was very nice but perhaps overwhelmed; the service was beyond slow. I would opt to sit at the bar next time to be served more quickly.
Wonderful cocktails in an elegant setting, beautiful piano playing in the background. Â The waiter/drink runner was the best, perfectly in tune with all the customers. Â Even though the bar was crowded, he gave me direct friendly service. Â With every drink he arrived just after I tasted the drink to ask me how it was, and just before I finished to ask me about my next order. Â When I was in conversation with someone, he was politely quiet. Â When I was alone, he engaged me in stimulating conversation about their drinks. Â
The drinks I particularly loved:
The Adelaide Swizzle
Zen Garden
Lucy Broussard
The New Fashioned
Some friends and I hung out in the lounge after having dinner at Rum House and it was REALLY REALLY nice. I'd seen the decor, lounge area a few weeks back and made a mental note to return and I'm glad I did. I had the "Halle Berre," a drink recommended by Joshua (who is over the top in a good way) and it was quite yummy with cranberry and pomegranate. My friends and I had a great time talking and laughing. We arrived around 10 ish and didn't leave until midnight last Saturday. It wasn't overcrowded - just the right amount of people and since the AARP convention was in town we saw the CUTEST elderly couples walking through the lobby (probably after gambling at Harrah's) to their room. Great spot to chill and people watch.
Our four drinks came up to $38.00 and I think that's reasonable. Someone across the lounge ordered an ice cream sundae and it looked really good. Must try that next time.
Oh and the best part is parking is validated when you get it stamped in the bar!!!!! Free parking downtown is the bombDOTcom!!!
In the the hotel there is a bar. In the bar there is Lu. When in the bar, see Lu. She will take care of you. She may be one of the great living practitioners of the mixological arts, a.k.a. bar tending. She makes a few concoctions of her own that were pretty good, and a wicked sazerac. Â The other bartenders there are a fine lot, some better than others, but Lu is the star.
Review Source:I have to chuckle...noise level "quiet"? Â Not really, unless no one is in the bar. Â Joshua and Shawn are the best bartenders and servers. Â Manager Lu is (in my opinion) rude, but thinks she is being funny.
Drinks are very affordable. Â They have all of the local fare as well as their own specialties. Â If you're at a loss for what to drink, ask Joshua...he will have the answer.
A small bar in the heart of the CBD/FQ area that is somehow never that crowded. Â Even on a Friday evening they can accomodate a large group (we had 8 people show up on my most recent trip) and they not only had table open right when we got there around 6pm, but we could also all fit around the one table and they brought extra chairs when we needed them.
As you might have gathered, the staff is friendly and helpful.  The drinks are delicious and use real juices and quality ingredients.  Many of the cocktails are also in the old or traditional style (or new trendy style depending upon how you view it) with bitters and ingredients that highlight the alcohol rather than mask it.  The clientele is a mix of hotel guests, professionals from the area, and often local célébrité--casual and well dressed guests are all welcome.
Oh, and take advantage of the valet parking. I believe it's tip only if you make a bar purchase, but I've only ever walked or taken the streetcar so you might want to verify that by phone.
The Swizzle Stick Bar is a must when in New Orleans!
Lu Brow's hospitality and skills as a mixologist are simply off the ratings scale!
My wife and I heard about the place on "Eat This Drink That", and on our recent trip to NOLA, went for lunch at Cafe Adelaide (which we loved!!!). Â We then vowed that later on our trip, we'd return in the evening to enjoy the bar. Â We met up with another couple on the same trip and checked out he Swizzle Stick Bar on our last evening. Â I can't honestly tell you how much fun it was! We all soaked up Lu's personality and knowledge like rain to a dry desert! Â She even made us some personalized cocktails not on her long list of libations. Â We simply felt so well treated!
Please check this place out if you are in NOLA...it is beyond worth it! Â I cannot recommend the Swizzle Stick Bar enough! Â Especially if you are lucky enough to have Lu as your bartender!
Solid 4.5 stars
I seen Cafe Adelaide on Eat This, Drink That since it was later we went to the bar.
I checked the website so I was going in with a game plan. Â
I had the Shrimp Courtbouillon, best grits ever so silky smooth and creamy. Â The saffron shrimp was great. Â I've never had any flavors like them. Â I'm not even a grits person, but I'll be looking for a good recipe now.
My husband (shellfish allergy) had their burger. Â He didn't think it would be good, he is a believer in bar burgers, since this was an upscale place he had his reservations. Â He really liked it. Â It's seasoned with a BBQ blend that was unique.
I had to try the casserole drink, thinking it would be like sweet potato casserole, it was heavy on the bourbon. Â Good but not what I was expecting. I also had another pink drink served in a champagne flute with dinner it was better.
There's so many places to eat in New Orleans, but this was well worth the cost.
Side note Guy Fieri joined a group while we were there. No, I didn't bother asking for a picture.
Lu Brow is worth her weight on gold, and she runs a very good ship. The seasonal cocktail menu often holds creative and exciting cocktails. With Cafe Adelaide right next door, this place has the best bites to sop up the booze.
It's on the our NOLA bar tour for friends who come in from out of town.
Very nice place to have a "fancy" drink. Cute decor and an adorable and descriptive drink menu. We had a fab server who helped my husband (who is a whiskey enthusiast) find the perfect drink. I can't remember what I ordered.. but it was something girly and delicious off the menu. Plus our drinks were very pretty!
A classy start to a fun night! Plus.. it's very close to the casino!
For a guy who doesn't drink fancy cocktails, I was surprised to learn that I really like this bar.
After a great dinner, I was searching for a nice bar where one could actually carry on a conversation. Swizzle Stick fit that role very well.
There are several tables located along the outside wall of the bar. There are servers for these tables which means you can chat with your companion instead of waiting at the bar for a drink.
Neither my friend or I were into the fancy drinks, but they did go out of their way to make our unfancy drinks a little more fancy. A perfect example was the blocks of ice behind the bar. My friend wanted a large hunk of ice in her drink so I asked if they could. I was quite pleased to see the bartender furiously stabbing the block with an ice pick. While the drink was just vodka and cranberry, the hunk of ice made it significantly more fancy.
I wish I had read the reviews before coming here. Then I would have known that the bar offers free valet parking. I paid $13 to park around the corner which I could have spent on more booze.
This was a fun place and would be an excellent place to take a date, or a great place to just hang out with friends.
There are many, many good things about the Swizzle Stick Bar. In no particular order, I shall present them.
1. Free valet parking, downtown, with a drink. Absolutely worth it, as parking most nights can run you as much as twenty dollars. Here, you get parking for the cost of a delicious drink.
2. The drinks are really freaking good. I've never had a drink here I didn't want to get every time I came back, but were I to suggest a particular cocktail, I'd have to put forth the Old Fashioned they make here. It's delicious, and there are few better ways to feel like a sir.
3. The staff is great. Everyone there is friendly, and after only three or four trips, will start recognizing you and having more involved conversations than your typical bar talk. Lou and David are a great pair of bartenders.
4. The place is rather classy. It's currently the top on my list of classy bars in the city, where I can wear a bowler hat without feeling horribly awkward while sipping brandy, gin, whiskey, etc.
All told, the Swizzle Stick is the perfect place to start a night in downtown New Orleans, and the perfect place to end it.
With a comfortable environment and tasty cocktails, the Swizzle Stick Bar "sticks" out above the rest.
Determined to try a number of highly recommended bars, my wife and I decided it was time to try a Sunday morning cocktail. With that in mind, we trekked off to the Swizzle Stick Bar, a hot and sticky 10 minute walk from our hotel.
This was much more comfortable than the comparable Bar Uncommon at the Pere Marquette. What set it apart? The fabulous and friendly bartender that served us. While she doesn't have the name recognition that Chris McMillan has over at Bar Uncommon, she was much more friendly and easier to talk to. To me, that makes a load of difference as far as being comfortable while you drink.
Both my wife and I chose refreshing cocktails with a citrus bent to them. The list of cocktails had classics and Swizzle Stick-inspired creations. I would try any of them, as both my wife's drink and my drink were fantastic. The cocktails are made with fresh juice, and it was nice to see that each pre-made ingredient had a date on it so that you knew you were getting fresh-made stuff. The coolest thing at the bar? The giant block of ice which (I'm assuming) is used to make drinks with. I was a fan.
One thing I do want is to come back in the evening sometime when the music is playing and the people are packed in. I feel like this place would have a good vibe at night.
So, I can't wait to swizzle my stick the next time I'm at the Swizzle Stick Bar and mix things up a bit. I'll be back.
There is no dearth of choices for booze in New Orleans, so sometimes it takes a well-mixed drink and a knowledgeable bartender to tip the scales in favor of any location. The Oh Delicious and signature Swizzle cocktail at this location were very good.
For any Philly folks reading this, think Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company but fruitier and with windows.
Delightful spot with fun drinks, cozy atmosphere, and friendly bartenders. Perfect for a pre-dinner drink. 4.5 stars
Cost to worth it rating: 3
Return worthiness: sure
Highlights:
- Atmosphere: small, loungey quiet area with soft chairs and a few stools bar area good for a pre-dinner or after dinner drink
- Bartender: New Orleans folk are friendly but these were extra welcoming and delightful
- Fun drinks: there is a menu full of options with some standards but other unique ones like snowcone which has a bunch of shaved ice bubbling up out of the short glass. Gotta love kiddie treats gone adult. :-) Love the swizzle sticks filled with staked blackberries too.
Lowlights:
- Drinks on the sweet side so can't really have more than 1 or 2
- Since it's a hotel bar, it closes earlier than most
Liked finding another spot away from it all and would come back.
I really wanted to give this place a higher rating, but while the cocktails are topnotch, the ambiance is just a bit too stilted and snooty to be a true go-to bar. However, I must start by saying that Lu, the bartender/manager extraordinare, lives up to her reputation. The woman knows a good drink.
I started with the $5 Swizzle- it was reminiscent of a hurricane (only red) and it was essentially carbonated fruitness in a glass. Pretty decent.
I then went the traditional route and tried the Sazerac with an absinthe rinse (apparently, the absinthe rinse isn't part of the traditional sazerac, but I went with it anyway). Holy smokes - if you like rye whiskey and bitters you'll appreciate this drink - which, history buffs will tell you, originated in New Orleans. Best to be SLOWLY sipped.
If you're looking for cocktails with a twist - Swizzle Stick Bar might be a worthwhile option. However, while this place wants to be a laidback lounge, they really only achieve the lounge part.
Let me start by saying that I love bitters. Â They are so delicious. Â This place puts them in everything, so I already loved it before I even had a sip.
The atmosphere is nice. Â Laid back but still kind of old school fancy. Â A great place to start an evening. Â I was so waiting for the bartender to start chipping ice off that big block behind the bar, but no luck. Â So sad.
I had the Accoutrement, which I'm still not sure what it was made of, but it had bitters...and some orange. Â Kind of like an orange spiked manhattan. Â Zesty and refreshing. Â Delicious. Â My friend had a whisky drink that resembled a mojito. Â Very good and the crushed ice was a really nice touch.
A great place for a classic cocktail made right. Â I'll definitely be back.
Yes, the bar was very nice but little did I know what I was about to be treated by my new favorite bartender -- anywhere.
We stopped in the SS bar so we thought just to have a drink and check out the place. (You know it's going to be good when it's by the Commander's Palace family.) We walked up to the bar, sat down and looked up to the one and only fabulouso bar chef Lu Brow. The woman was named best bartender in New Orleans at one point and upon meeting her and drinking her magically delicious concoctions you won't doubt that for a second.
It's best to tell her what you like and let her work her genius mixologist magic on your drink--I cannot emphasize this enough. You will have drinks that will blow your mind and want to re-create yourself. I love how she uses shaved ice, as she put it "to create like an adult snowcone."
If you're staying at the Loews or not, you *have* to come see Lu. She's the lustry-voiced (I could listen to her talk all night.. and she's a fantastic conversationalist to boot!) red-head running the show--can't miss her. By the time we downed three of her drinks each, though it was time to go, I didn't want to leave.
**Bonus: Ti Martin of Commander's Palace was at Cafe Adelaide that evening and came over to talk to Lu and of course, big fans had to say hi. She was very kind, came over to us and chatted a bit.
That's what I miss most about New Orleans, kind oh-so-welcoming people. You surely don't get that around here.
This place is just inside the Lowes Hotel in the CBD. It is a nice little bar and lounge area that is mostly popular for lunch.
They have this special that if you order an entree (usually around $15) you can also order up to three 25 cent martinis. That is worth it alone. I mean, the average price for a martini in a four-star hotel already runs about $8.
By the way, these martinis were the normal martini size and had the right portion of alcohol in them. So you actually get your money worth. The entrees also include a side salad or soup and comes with a loaf of hot French bread.
If you are staying in the CBD, it is a must stop. If you ate staying in the FQ, it is worth the walk for a great lunch with practically free martinis.
I am not sure if they offer the 25 cent martini special on the weekend, but I know they have it M-F.
We've been going to the Swizzle Stick since my girlfriend lived down in the CBD, and we always liked it as a place to go when you couldn't decide where you wanted to go, and somehow we just ended up there. Â It's a good hotel bar in that there are always seats open at the bar, the bartenders know what they're doing, and it's mostly full of business travellers, so you can hide out there and not see people you know if you don't want to. Â They have a decent selection of wines BTG, and all the standard booze.
Plus, they've got that old-school huge block of ice in the center behind the bar, which is cool.
It's maybe not worth going out of your for, but if you're down on Poydras and just need one, it's a good go-to.
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