Frenchmen Street is where New Orleanians go to hear live music — a three-block strip in the Faubourg Marigny neighbourhood that has replaced Bourbon Street as the city's real music scene. On any night of the week, brass bands, jazz quartets, blues guitarists, and funk ensembles are playing in bars that range from standing-room-only to sit-down-with-a-cocktail, and the sound spills out of open doors and windows to create a street-level symphony that you can walk through.
The difference between Frenchmen and Bourbon is the difference between a concert and a theme park. Bourbon Street sells the idea of New Orleans nightlife — giant drinks, cover bands, strip clubs, and a tourist crowd that's there for the spectacle. Frenchmen Street sells the reality — original music played by musicians who live in the city, in venues where the audience is split between visitors who've done their research and locals who've been coming for years. The Spotted Cat, d.b.a., the Maison, and Blue Nile are the anchor venues, and most charge no cover or a nominal fee.
The Frenchmen Art Market, an open-air night market operating on weekends, adds visual art, crafts, and food to the mix. The street's location — just outside the French Quarter, across Esplanade Avenue — means it's easily walkable from the Quarter but feels like a different city. The crowd is younger, the prices are lower, and the unspoken rule is that you tip the musicians generously because the cover charges aren't paying their rent.
Verified Facts
Frenchmen Street is located in the Faubourg Marigny neighbourhood
The street is considered the city's real local music scene
The Frenchmen Art Market operates on weekends
The Spotted Cat, d.b.a., and Maison are prominent music venues on the street
Get walking directions
Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116
