Vaughan's Lounge sits on a Bywater residential corner, a 60-year neighbourhood dive that ran Kermit Ruffins' Thursday residency for two decades and still books brass and funk Thursdays.
Tip: Side-door buzzer entry. Thursday brass sets start around 20:30 with a second set near 23:00; free red beans and rice on Thursday nights.
Address: 800 Lesseps Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
Republic NOLA in the Warehouse District is a converted brick warehouse with wooden beams, two stocked bars and a 5,000 square foot main room that runs touring electronic and hip-hop bookings.
Tip: Most weekends sell tickets via the venue calendar; the stage doubles as a concert room earlier in the evening before the DJ takes over.
The Metropolitan in the Warehouse District is the two-story EDM and top-40 club with eleven bar stations, sixteen VIP sections and a Saturday-only schedule running until 04:00.
Tip: Saturdays only. Cover runs $20 to $30, cocktails $10 to $15. Reserve a VIP section in advance if you want a guaranteed table on a busy holiday weekend.
The Rabbit Hole on Oretha Castle Haley runs DJ sets and live shows under custom murals and a Void Acoustics rig, with weekend parties built around resident hip-hop and house selectors.
Tip: Tickets via the venue calendar; the main room runs late on Friday and Saturday with rotating themed nights and a cover charge at the door.
Preservation Hall on St Peter Street has run traditional New Orleans jazz nightly since 1961, with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band leading short, no-frills sets in a candlelit room.
Tip: Three sets a night, around 17:00, 20:00 and 21:00. Tickets via the box office sell out; the $50 reserved seats save you from standing-room.
Snug Harbor on Frenchmen is the sit-down jazz room of the Marigny, with two sets a night in a renovated 1800s storefront and Ellis Marsalis Trio holding a long Friday residency.
Tip: Two nightly sets at 19:30 and 21:30. Book a music room ticket online; the bistro side seats walk-ins for Creole dinner before the show.
The Spotted Cat on Frenchmen Street is the standing-room jazz, blues and gypsy-swing room that runs three sets a day, no cover at the door and a single-bill stage at the front window.
Tip: No cover but a one-drink minimum per set. The afternoon set around 14:00 is the easier walk-in; the 22:00 set fills the room standing.