She says that it will contain a refreshing combination of ginger beer, Pimms and cucumber. Drinks range from $2-$7, and LeBlanc is currently working on perfecting a signature cocktail for the bar which will make its debut sometime this spring. Bar manager Jeanne LeBlanc, who’s been working there since 2006, says it’s a pretty laid-back crowd mostly undiscovered by tourists, Cosimo’s draws nearby residents during the week Fridays and Saturdays can get a little more rowdy but never unmanageable. It still boasts original woodwork, exposed brick and drinks on the cheap. Original owner Cosimo LaBuono opened the watering hole in 1934, and since then, not a whole lot has changed besides ownership. One such spot is my personal favorite Lower Quarter haunt, Cosimo’s.Ī popular misconception about the place is that it was started by recording engineer and studio owner Cosimo Matassa – it wasn’t. One of the truest affirmations that you’re in a winning spot is knowing that the bartenders of said establishments stay there and hang out, often long after their work shifts end. At all of these places you can just as easily start a dance party as you can sit and read a book. Go by yourself, people-watch and strike up a conversation with a stranger. Bring out-of-towners who are looking to get to know the city beyond Bourbon Street. Part of the fun of rolling into one of these casual bars is mingling with its eclectic denizens and creating your own environment.
Each French Quarter bar off the tourist-beaten path has a distinct personality, but it changes rapidly over the course of a night (or day) depending, of course, on the crowds.