Really nice place to have a drink on the porch amongst the greenery of the Garden District and watch the cars go by. I had heard the food was not so great so I didn't try anything. Make sure you walk a little inside because the decor is really cool. Downsides: poor service, expensive drinks, no happy hour specials. The patio waitress was inside at the bar hanging out so we got our own drinks from the bartender and then sat outside. She passed through a few times, but never made eye contact with us or checked to see whether we wanted anything else. We had to go back into the bar to close the tab. Lame. read more

The Columns is a charming place to have a drink and take friends, especially out of towers. It's very old New Orleans, but I will say they are due for a refresh as its getting a bit musty and aged in the bar area. The wine selection is poor but the cocktails are good and snacks available are nice. I love this place despite itself. It feels like having a drink at your haughty aunt's rundown mansion: Patina-quaint but homey. read more

This is an old ante bellum mansion with soaring columns and a wide sweeping deck with a charming cozy bar inside and several rooms for private events. It is deep in the garden district and is well-worth visiting if you're here on vacation nd want to get out or the French Quarter and to see some of the beautiful older homes. Dinks are ok, service adequate, it's just a great stop for a lazy dink. The columns is also rumored to have one of the best happy hours in town, but I have yet to make it that early, it's more of an after-dinner spot for me. Note: It can be very difficult to get a taxi home l if you didn't drive, so make sure you arrange for a ride or bring a taxi number with you. read more

Lousy service so they get a lousy review. Sat down at an outside table for drinks and snacks. Just one server for the whole porch and garden, so she was overworked. However after 15 minutes of being ignored she seated some friends of hers right next to us and took their drink order immediately, then walked right by us without a word. We got up and left. The service sucked so we won't be back. read more

The Columns is like an old maiden aunt that you have to visit when you're in town and you don't look forward to it that much but when you get there you have a much better time than you did on last Friday's date. You can find cheaper drinks all over town, and for the first round or two you're not sure The Columns' variations are exactly worth what you pay: they're good, but not genius. And if the bar is crowded at all, you might have to wait a while to be served. But once you collect your drink and camp on the porch, it's really a good way to spend the afternoon. Inside: old-world New Orleans meets fading hipster decor. Pleasant rather than impressive. It's got a rare gift of being as good for introverts as a squad, if you go at the right time. read more

My mom and I stayed here on a mother-daughter get away, and enjoyed the accommodations. The only complaints I have are the noise from downstairs, and the TV remote did not communicate with the TV. However, being in New Orleans - we had better things to do than watch TV, and the crowd quietened down by the time we went to sleep. Our room was on the 3rd floor, so we used the tiny old-fashioned elevator to get our luggage upstairs. The St. Charles trolley runs in front of the hotel, which makes it easy to get downtown... $1.50 each way. The breakfast was pretty good; I especially liked the grits. We would stay here again; it was a good bargain and the staff were friendly and helpful. read more

We came for drinks and were not disappointed. Perfectly mixed Sazeracs and Pimm's cups. We drank inside, admiring the elegant wooden bar. Our drinking companions enjoyed the rare opportunity to smoke indoors. A bit out of the way, but a lovely lovely stop. read more

It is with heavy heart and literally tears in my eyes as I write this before I check out. I have never experienced such amazing hospitality and genuine commitment to customer service. The Columns hosted our wedding reception for about 100 people and every single staff member was genuine in their treatment of us. You could tell it wasn't faked hospitality. Thank you all so much for the wonderful weekend. Patrick and Emily Brown read more

Quintessential St. Charles bar. Grab a drink, make friends inside, or head out to the front patio for some privacy and streetcar watching. It really is what you make it. It gets plenty lively, loud and crowded on the weekends, but you can always escape to the patio. It is older, more intimate and somewhat stale, but sometimes that's just what you need to break the chain of loud smokey bars out here. It's one of the few landmarks that hasn't reinvented itself. Tip: I haven't seen someone do it yet, and I don't know if they'd be open to it, but I think it'd be pretty baller to rent the second floor balcony for a birthday or classy bachelor party starting point. read more

I'm rating this on the bar. This place is known for it bar, not its food, and based on the reviews below, that seems to be the consensus. The bar is fantastic. While service can be a bit slow at the actual bar, the drinks are good (despite a moderate beer selection) and reasonably priced. Sitting at a table and getting a cocktail waitress is a better option. Sitting on the porch is a fantastic every time. They manage to make it comfortable even in the summer heat. This is New Orleans and old school south at its most relaxing best. read more

We went to the Columns for its Sunday brunch on Superbowl Sunday. The weather was cool by New Orleans standards, but lovely to us, so we opted to sit outside on the main porch. Chip Wilson and his guitar provided a wonderful backdrop to the meal. Brunch consists of four courses. Seafood gumbo came with a dollop of white rice on top. It was dark (a perfect roux!), thick with shrimp and clams, and had just the right level of spice. We both opted for an arugula salad as second course that was dotted with fried prociutto and topped with a lemon vinaigrette. For our mains, we had a surf & turf (steak and shrimp) and a crab cake. The steak was perfectly rare and buttery. The crab cake was a bit too dense for my companion's taste, being less lump crab and more bready in consistency, but the flavor was good. For dessert we opted for bread pudding with whiskey sauce (the pudding was light and fluffy) and peach cobbler a la mode, which was a perfect bite of the south and made up for the too-thick crab cake. We took the opportunity to chat with Chip between songs and found him to be charming. He had several CD's for sale and we opted for a blues vibe. He played and sang the entire brunch and was happy to take our request. A real treat. Sitting in the sun, enjoying mimosas, good food, great music...hard to complain. read more

The Columns hotel was one of the locations I wanted to visit during our trip. It was easy to get to using the St. Charles streetcar. We were a bit worried that we were underdressed at first (I was wearing shorts) but noticed the relaxed atmosphere and people in jeans. We had drinks in the bar. Our drinks were excellent! My husbands French75 was deeelicious. And the prices were not overpriced for the drinks. The prices here were a few dollars less than in the french quarter. Would definitely go back! read more

Columns - Sazerac - Hotels Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I stayed here in the fall and well it was interesting to say the least. Each room in the hotel has a specific theme. Check out the hotel's website so that you can really get a gist of how different each room is. The hotel is the opitomy of old school New Orleans, which means it has that kind of eerie feel to it. A lot of the rooms have those paintings that follow you with their eyes, which would be okay if it wasn't a painting of children across from your bed. All in all, The Columns Hotel was an experience that is unique to New Orleans. FunFact: Pretty Baby (1978) was filmed here. read more

Columns - Suit of Armor on the 3rd floor - Hotels Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Came here on a rainy Monday, so it was nice and quiet. Building is gorgeous, with so much history. I was looking out for the 3 ghosts that are said to haunt the hotel, but they were off doing other things... Sat inside the parlour for some Pimm's Cups which they do very well. Loved the old-timey feel of the place. Service was good. Went outside on the porch for some more Pimm's Cups. Felt so civilized watching the rain come down and the trolley's go by. Only problem was the mosquitos lurking under the table that ate me alive. :( Apparently they are known for their Mint Julep's, but since I am not a fan, I just stuck with the Pimm's. read more

What a disappointment! So sad, we booked a reservation for Sunday brunch. Have for years been wanting to sit on the front porch of the Columns hotel and watch the street car go by and enjoy a wonderful brunch. I know we can't have jazz but arrive and we were the only people there?? That is your first sign! Second the menu had no breakfast items for brunch! Not even a piece of bacon!! A main item on the menu was French fries for $10?!?! I can go to Macdonald and get $1 French fry that is the best fries in the world! What is going on here, hostess said there is new owners and they don't control the menu?? But does the Owner not eat there to check the quality and type of food that is being served in their restaurant. So after five minutes being so let down looking over the menu we decided to get up and leave. Went down the street to an amazing restaurant who got us in even though they had a full house with amazing food. Notice I said amazing food and brunch food at that and they were booked solid. So you have an iconic hotel with front porch and French fries and no brunch and empty and another restaurant down the street with a line out the door and serving $150-$250 tickets per table booked solid?! We can't say it's because of Covid because most restaurants we visit have a full menu and locals are still eating out.. let's hope Columns takes note and makes changes for the better. Until I can see that we will not be back. It actually hurt me inside to write such a bad review read more

I was extremely disappointed with this establishment. I was invited here for drinks and appetizers. I waited in a long line and there was 1 bartender for a group of 100! Then the appetizers were few a far between. When I asked if the food was peanut free, I was told everything could have peanut contamination. This is highly unlikely but speaks to their disregard for any special consideration of patrons. But, I will tell you everyone was very nice and the food that was presented looked good, Wish I was able to eat any of it. I think if you are going to do a corporate event, I would pick another place though. They lack the staff and way under provide food for corporate events. I wasn't the only person from my group that had to buy dinner after an evening at the columns. read more

Earlier this year, I visited with a friend from out of town who wanted to take in the sights and tastes of New Orleans. After visiting a couple of times to NO myself, I knew the best place to stay would be off of St. Charles Ave. in the Garden District, because the traffic and parking situation downtown can be a nightmare, and quite expensive. The trolley takes you right down St. Charles from the Garden District to the French Quarter, and the fee is much smaller than what you would pay for parking. Plus, the trolley rolls until 3am in the morning. But check schedules for holiday hours at: norta.com. We picked The Columns Hotel in the Garden District on St. Charles Ave., and it was a fantastic choice. The Columns is listed in the register of historical places, and with good reason. Upon first entering, you feel as if you've stepped into a Victorian mansion that would have fit perfectly into a Harry Potter movie. There are twisty staircases, giant stained glass windows, a Victorian tea room where you will have your complimentary breakfast (and it's a yummy one!), a large antiquated bar with decent cocktails, and a Victorian Lounge to have dinner. Not to mention the sweeping patios and balconies decorated with exactly the kind of patio furniture you would expect in the garden district, and live music on some nights. We were having so much fun at the hotel; we almost forgot we were there to check out the French Quarter. At night, the lights dim to make room for mood lighting, making it the perfect spot to bring your date, or partner in crime. The rooms were spacious, but I have to warn, if you are not able to move around very well, then make sure you let the hotel know before booking. This is because the floors are slanted in some of the rooms, and the claw foot tubs have high sides, making it difficult getting out if you are not in good shape. Otherwise, the rooms are decorated with Victorian sensibilities, and you will feel as if you've stepped back in time. Another charmer of this hotel is you are in the Garden District surrounded by the amazing architecture of a bygone era. If you like walking to check out the sights, then you've found a perfect area to do it. If you don't like the muggy heat, then make sure you visit The Columns Hotel from the end of October - April, when Louisiana is at its coolest. read more

Columns - Columns Stairs - Hotels Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Whatever you do, do NOT stay at this hotel. I stayed there at the beginning of March and was bitten by bedbugs and have photos to prove it. When I reported it no one even came up to the room to look or help me. They sent me to the next door room after my luggage had obviously had bugs in it. When I checked out the woman named Sue at the front desk said that I would not be charged. However, they automatically charged me and now will not refund me. They admitted to having a bedbug problem in my room a few months ago but will not believe that I saw live bugs that I bought home with me! NOT only that, they were rude, unapologetic and refused to refund my money. The hotel is old, walls are cracked and is in terrible condition. read more

A very cool place to stop for a drink. Fancy, pricey, and classy...but well worth it when you are sitting on the patio, sipping a cocktail and enjoying the magic and voodoo of the amazing city. Worth a stop on your trip, for sure. Service was ok, not sure about the food. read more

We came for happy hours, but the bar was so packed, that we sat at a table for 4 in the anteroom. Service was prompt and efficient. French 75 were $9 since they weren't part of the deal. Cheese and fruit plate ($14) and crab cakes ($12) were good. The well gin (Taaka) martinis were in the true happy hour spirit at $3 each! read more

I thought the decor and the atmosphere was what made this place really nice since it was a traditional old school Southern hotel and I was all about experiencing charm and Souther hospitality on visit to New Orleans. Seeing as it was Mardi Gras it was pretty crowded and all I ordered was beer so I can't really comment on the drinks much. Still it was quite charming and the person I was visiting says she goes all the time for a drink with friends mainly because of the feel of drinking in an old Southern hotel. read more

I've been here a handful of times and had a great time time each time. a great place to grab drinks with friends. good prices, and good drinks. Pimms was ok, had better, but still good. I was here for an event, and the wait staff was friendly. They served good food. I tried: alligator sausage, blue cheese shrimp, chicken tenders, finger sandwiches, and ALL of it was good. I like sitting at the bar, but because they allow smoking indoors, i usually try and sit outside. (be sure to have bug spray for sitting outside). They have some good sized tables outside so your group can sit comfortably around. read more

I really wanted to like the Columns Hotel. On a recent trip to New Orleans a group of us went to have drinks on the Columns front porch. It was a perfect night to be outside drinking except we went to the wrong place. The first problem was the complete lack of service by the wait staff. I work as a waiter and I have not seen a less attentive staff than that at the Columns. Secondly, the drinks were terrible. I mean bad. How do you mess up a Vodka and soda, use very little ice and flat soda, that's how. The only reason this place gets two stars is because the porch was amazing. read more

Food was good, we ate outside in the heat because the inside was freezing. Overall I would say you're paying for the atmosphere over the quality of the food. Service was sub par, probably makes for a better bar than restaurant. read more

I am a fan of the columns, but it is mostly due to their local crowd and their ginormous porch overlooking St. Charles. There is no better way to relax than to listen to the streetcar go by on the rails and have a few friends around you on the front porch. In re to their drinks? Meh. I've had better, but they aren't bad. A very comfortable mediocre. I asked for a French 75, a standard New Orleans' cocktail and I had the bartender whip out a book to make me one which was disappointing (both the drink itself and the book). read more

The Columns is very much classic New Orleans. It's a great place to stop in for drinks with friends. They also serve food but I have never ordered any. I've gone here a few times now and the staff is always friendly and drinks are pretty good. The place itself is beautiful. I like it most during Christmas time when it's lit up and decorated. So beautiful! read more

Columns - Christmas time at the Columns! - Hotels Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Okay place. Service wasn't great for the location and price you pay for brunch. Outside scenery was beautiful so eat outside when possible! Food was def meh. Salads weren't great. Gumbo was delish: rich, dark and loaded with meat! I got the lamb chop and friend got the eggs benedict. Both were served with overly buttered vegetables. Would go back for drinks. read more

This is one of my favorite places in the world. I believe I first came here for drinks in 2006 when I was first in NOLa. It is such a lovely place to grab a drink or seven on a beautiful, balmy day in the bayou. Happy hour is something incredible like half priced well drinks or something. I love the bathrooms and the beautiful decor. Very old school and grand. The patio is a great place to chill right on St. Charles avenue to take in the sights of the streetcar, the sounds of the locals and good company! read more

I am going to skip the part where I would normally rave about the awesome happy hour, good drinks, unique atmosphere, etc, because it's been clearly established how great the Columns is on a day-to-day basis. However, I just held a party there over the weekend and I wanted to let everyone know how awesome it was! The catering director, Sasha, is great. She was very communicative and accommodating. We got to have a tasting before-hand to pick the food (we were just doing hors d'oeuvres) which was quite fun. They had to pair our tasting with a wedding rehearsal group, which ended up being a blessing in disguise because we sampled some things that I wouldn't have thought to try. The tasting was what sold me on their wonderful mini quiches - I could eat those all day! We picked the quiches, mini-muffulettas, oysters Rockafeller, and petit fours. The staff on the day of the party was superb. Our bartenders couldn't have been more friendly, and their drinks were perfect as usual. The servers were great about making rounds with the hors d'oeuvres. One of the senior staff members was on hand the entire time to make sure everything went smoothly. By the way, the petit fours were a huge hit. You can't sample them beforehand, but they are made by Sucre and trust me, they're worth it. read more

This is a story called, "A Rainy Sunday Brunch on the Columns Hotel Front Porch." We ducked in for brunch to escape the rain on Sunday. The maitre'd offered us a wet table or the one by the door, saying that that was the only one available. OK, we took the one next to the door. Three minutes later, one of the inside tables left and no one ever replaced them. Why didn't he offer the dry table indoors? The menu was poorly laid out and did not say that the brunch was prix fixe, which is fine, but it would have been good to know that given that we read over the menu and waited well over 10 minutes for the waiter to greet us. When he finally did greet us, we had to ask him to explain how the menu works and if there were any specials. Isn't that his job? Why did we have to ask? We ordered mimosas. The waiter brought over our old-timey, charming champagne glasses, you know, the ones that are wide and shallow and help the bubbles diffuse faster? Yeah, those. Then, he proceeded to mix our mimosas at the table using a bottle of Tropicana and a bottle of cheap champagne, which had perspired and dripped water all over my bread plate. It was incredibly tacky, especially for a $30++ meal. Speaking of the bread, the maitre d' brought us bread immediately upon seating. He laid out FIVE short, cold french loaves and some cold butter. Why do two people need FIVE loaves of bread? When we asked about certain items on the menu, the waiter responded with a bunch of "I really don't know's," and few confident suggestions. The crab, corn and brie bisque was very very good. It was creamy, but not too rich. I liked that the portion size wasn't for an army. We ordered salads, but the waiter forgot to bring them out and brought our entrees. He'd forgotten who ordered what and laid them on the table with the meat facing the wrong direction. We reminded him of the salads and then he brought them. The meal was delicious, though, to be honest. The crab & crawfish cakes were rather rich, and would be well balanced if they put a few baby greens on the plate, but they were excellent. The german beef & veggie special was down-home tasting and yummy. The salads were fresh and well-presented. Then, for desserts. He brought back the giant menus for us to read the three desserts they were offering, obviously because his brain was fried and he couldn't be bothered to memorize them. He brought out the desserts in no time, but didn't bother to notice that we'd need utensils. So, we sat staring at our lovely desserts until he returned with someone else's food. While we were dining, we overheard our waiter talking (in a boasting sort of way) about how he'd worked another job until 5:30am that morning. Overall, I would not recommend The Columns for Sunday Brunch. I think for drinks at night it would be lovely, though I can't say I've been in ages. For brunch, the service was LOUSY, the food was pretty good, though they could improve upon the bread service, and the host could use some training. I'm giving it 2 stars: 1 for the food and 1 for the decor and nice jazz guitar action. read more

When I go to Heaven (fingers crossed) it will be sitting on the porch at the Columns with a dirty martini... watching the streetcars pass by. The garden district is beautiful in itself, but with a cocktail and great clientele and this porch, you just cannot get a better time. Love the bar in the back, very speakeasy-style. Decor is old NOLA. Highly recommended, not so much to bring your A-Game, just to relax and have some laughs while spending time in one of the most beautiful places on earth. read more

We were first timers in NOLA and spent most of our trip in the French Quarter or Frenchmans St so when our concierge recommended Columns for drinks before we headed to Commanders Palace I was not too excited. The Garden District is certainly a different atmosphere than the Quarter. When we pulled up to the entrance it took my breath away. Its a HUGE and absolutely beautiful mansion with mind blowing architectural detail everywhere. The main bar is in what I think would have been the parlor and the porch and garden are just lovely. It was a lovely place to start the evening but I must say the crowd was very young and mostly male. And even though the place was so pretty and genteel there was a sort of frat house vibe. Maybe it was just that night. Still....so pretty that you definitely should go if youre in the area. read more

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I forget why I don't come here until I come here. Stand by prior review, buy an over priced drink, take a photo, and move on. Addendum, only do it if they aren't within two hours of closing if you want to avoid watered down drinks, bad attitudes, and bartenders that are out of uniform, intoxicated, and more worried about the music playing than you. It was so bad the bartender put hot sauce in an old fashioned instead of bitters...I'll let you guess his reaction when I called him out on it. At the end of a long shift there's a difference between being grumpy, being rude, and being an asshole. Some are mildly excusable, this instance was not. read more

The building itself was awesome and sitting on the front porch in the afternoon for cocktails and a charcuterie plate were lovely. However, service was sub-par and the drinks were watered down. I've had much better mojitos for the price. The charcuterie platter was also nothing to write home about, but as stated before, it's a great place to relax and enjoy the front porch, trees, and listen to katydids. read more

Columns - Hotels Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

you need a certain level of generosity in New Orleans, which this place sorely lacks. We went over this evening because we were so excited that live music had come back to the columns. On our arrival we were told that the lounge was "reservation only". We had a drink at the bar, then stood in the doorway of the lounge listening to music from the hall. Plenty of empty seats in there. Waiter asks us if we want to drink, while we're standing in the hallway peering in. We would've ordered drinks, food, made an evening out of it, but their odd policy of reserving a couch, and not allowing us to take seats which remained empty left such a bad taste that we just decided to go elsewhere. read more

I can't speak on the hotel itself, but the outside front patio is perfect for happy hour and late night glasses of wine with friends. The ambience is the main reason to check this place out, and you will run into a cast of interesting characters during your evening. read more

What a lovely place to sit outside and have a lovely... cup of coffee, pastry, lunch, cocktail, all of the above. Tucked in the beautiful garden district located right off the streetcar line. A delightful morning. Bliss. read more

Karen Dun was the most disrespectful and unaccomodating hostess I have ever come across. She did not honor our reservation. She had a horrible attitude. She was ugly in her demeanor. Difficult to communicate with. Rude. Never again. read more

We stayed here for a week in May and fell in love with this place! Without exception the staff was super accommodating and friendly. You can't beat the price because it includes a free southern style breakfast each morning. If you are in the mood to listen to music, there's free entertainment each evening in the ballroom and it's all good! The second floor balcony is lovely, although a little on the shabby side. We sat out there with a glass of wine practically every evening, and most of the time my husband and I were the only ones there. The room was small but comfortable. Bathroom was small, but a remodel would have destroyed the ambiance and charm of this place. Returning each evening from our travels felt like coming home. I can't wait to return. read more

Incredible brunch. Cool ambience. Definitely get there early for a porch seat. Good decision and great reason to get away from the Quarter. Bloody Marys are fantastic. read more