I was wavering between four and five stars and am going with the FIVE, because it is great more than it is frustrating. And really, it was only frustrating a few times (over the same weekend), so I'll throw that fifth star back in. The service is usually amazing for a fairly small, often MOBBED venue, but two or three times over New Year's Weekend, it was insanely, insanely out-of-hand-slow. But New Year's Eve proper they were on their A-game. d.b.a. is a bar/live music venue on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. Over the years, I've heard Frenchmen referred to as "real" New Orleans, or, if you weren't into the Bourbon St. scene, this is where you needed to be. Lately, I've heard that too much of Bourbon is overflowing to Frenchmen, like, the word has gotten out. I think that's true to some degree, but still recommend anyone coming into town to check it out and for god's sake, drop some money in a few tip buckets - that's what they're there for! Insanely large beer selection, bottled and on tap. And most of the barkeeps pour a HEALTHY cocktail, as in a mean cockital, as in a strong cocktail. The stage is small-ish and on the far side of the venue. The bar on the side where you walk in is seperated from the live music venue, but if the band is loud, then it isn't much of an escape, if you're trying to just chat with your friends. There is a small lounge section on the second level with a couch and a few chairs. There are four of five little "cubby hole" booths that line the window-front that are good for having a sit down and taking a breather from the dance floor. I love that the crowd there is always VERY mixed - young and old, tourists and locals, fancy and not-so-fancy, all just having a good time together. I visit regularly, but am not a local, but as far as I can tell, alot of times the earlier shows have no cover and there is a cover for the later shows? But it bears repeating, just because a club does not charge a cover, the TIP BUCKET is there for a reason. It is how these people make a living. If you're in NOLA and are curious about what goes on off of Bourbon, come to Frenchmen Street and check out dba. Uhm, but don't tell your lame friends, kay? Kay. read more

Large and open, with a beautiful stage that looks like a real theater. There is limited seating, so get there early. The fact that it was non-smoking is a huge plus! The music was good, but not much better than any other place on Frenchman that doesn't charge a cover. read more

favorite spot in frenchmen. private booths, great bartenders, best music on the strip, and good drinks. not much to complain about. just a great time. also, very solid on Thursday nights. read more

Dusky, musky, low--key and laid-back. Lots to choose from - a great option for those groups with picky drinkers and music lovers. Dare you to hate it. read more

An amazing place to see a show, or get a drink and hang out...or both. Two rooms with a bar in the middle. Impressive beer list, dark wood paneling and a vibe that says "get me a bourbon...and a beer." Hey, I ran into Lester Freeman from The Wire here one night. The only knock is for popular acts the side of the bar that serves as stage/show room can get a little packed. But d.b.a. is a solid Frenchmen Street venue for the money. $15-$20 to see really good acts. read more

I send all the tourists I run into to d.b.a. First, because you got to get them off Bourbon street, and second because you can't miss on Frenchmen St. d.b.a. has a great selection of everything, especially beer (bottled and draft), single malt scotches, and bourbons. You can smoke in there, and there's usually an early Sunday night show at about 6pm. There's nothing like sippin' on a Chimay at the bar while the sun's still out. There's a lot for everyone on Frenchmen St, and d.b.a. could be the one place everyone can agree on. read more

This place oozes class, pure and simple. My friends and I were on a road trip from Santa Cruz, CA to New Orleans and we were desperate to find a place that captured the essence of New Orleans in a way that the tourist trap that is Bourbon St. could never do. We were on spring break, which meant we were there on a Tuesday night, not exactly a party night but we made due, and luckily the place was comfortably full. Having strolled Bourbon St the night before, getting more and more disheartened with each step, we decided to ask the bartender at our hotel, a local, where we could get a taste of the real New Orleans. Luckily he told us to hit up Frenchmen St. and d.b.a. As soon as we got to the bar, it felt almost like we were lured in by the sound of live jazz, then again it might have just been all the scotch and bourbon I had drank by this time, we knew we found what we were looking for. Suffice it to say I have paid a cover four times in my life, three times in Vegas, only one of which was worth it, and once at d.b.a. Typically, cover charges are to me what kryptonite is to Superman, something to be avoided at all costs. However, the music was so good and the bar so inviting that I decided to leave my principles (and five dollars) at the door. I was not disappointed. The band was really good and the beer was even better. Moreover, they had moonshine on the menu, maybe not the bathtub variety but moonshine nonetheless, that my friend got and, needless to say, he didn't drink much else that night. All in all my time in New Orleans was amazing. However, going to d.b.a. was the clincher; had it not been for this bar I would have left New Orleans thinking that it was nothing more than a smaller, more historic Vegas strip. read more

Probably my favorite club in New Orleans, it gets crowded at times and it can be tough to get a drink but overall the crowd is pretty good, the music is always great, and they've got John Boutte onstage most Saturdays which you can't beat. There's a huge beer selection, okay cocktails, and usually a manageable cover for excellent music. If you're looking for a sure bet for music in New Orleans, d.b.a. is as close as you'll get. Just remember, you gotta be quiet when John Boutte is singing! :) read more

A cool hep with an e spot for sure. Large, dark, lots of wood, short on seating, tons of various beverages available, all handwritten on ginormous chalkboards over the bar. Several people told us to swing by here so we made the trek. We walk in and someone is singing and playing piano on a small vaudeville looking stage. He's good, oh, wait, he's done. Bummer. We caught the last three minutes of his show. Rats. Reading a sign, no one was up next. Well, ok, get some plastic cups and we'll meander on. Clearly a hip spot, probably lots of hipsters (as there would be if this place were here) but it was a slightly older crowd for the musician. An air of pretentiousness about it but it was a nice place. Not the friendliest of service but eh, whatever. We'd likely go back. read more

This spot was recommended to me by the fine people at the India House on their "where to catch great music tonight" white board. I caught the Bo'Keys here for the bargain price of $10. They rocked out 2 90 minute sets. dba had a great setup with plenty of floor space for jamming but still felt intimate to really experience the band. Wonderful beer list and looking at the calendar, it appeared as though a lot of great acts play dba. Laid back feel without pretension was what I felt during my visit. Definitely a spot to hit up on Frenchmen Street. read more

Awesome beer selection & $5 Tito's dranks!? Sign me up! Live tunes were great- they brought in a couple feathery singers later in the set who were very entertaining! Bartenders were pretty moody. Didn't see a single smile the whole 3 hours we were there, so minus a star. read more

As poorly run of an establishment as I have ever encountered, the staff was rude and either unwilling or incapable of rendering an acceptable level of service. read more

dba has been my favorite Marigny bar ever since it opened. The staff is amazing, their band selection the best on Frenchman Street, but it is the lovely wood bars and paneling which gives me a warm feeling. One thing is they were one of the first bars to be non-smoking. I get smoked out enough, so it is nice to enjoy a drink without stinking like Kools. If you want a place which is a step above, this is it! read more

This bar was amazing. I was visiting from out of town and landed here for the evening. Cheaper drinks and the music made it a great time. The jazz band that went on at 2 am was entertaining to watch and dance to. The guitarist, June Yamagishi was a blast to watch as he was so enthusiastic about playing that we couldn't take our eyes from him. The seating in the alcove at the front of the bar made for a great place to relax and enjoy the environment. I would definitely come back here especially if June is performing. read more

I hang out at dba most Wednesdays for Walter Wolfman Washington and the Roadmasters. They are a top funk and blues band in New Orleans, and it's very competitive in the clubs here. The Roadmasters are a talented band, especially the long time bass player Jack Cruz, who is a master musician. It's a good sized club with a cheap cover charge most nights- $5. They have a huge beer and wine selection.The sound is great and very well mixed. There is no food here but plenty of options nearby. read more

This place is my favorite. I go usually when there is no cover (for some acts, they do a $5 cover). There are two full bars and incredible live jazz music! Not much seating though, since there is a dance floor, so come early if you'd like a seat. read more

Randomly found this place earlier tonight and was greeted by an extremely rude bouncer and security guy. These two guys ruined the entire establishment for me and my friend and we ended up taking our business elsewhere. read more

Best live music experience in New Orleans. Came on a Monday night to check out Glen David Andrews. We got there early and no one was collecting a cover out front, though I definitely saw them out there later. A good selection of beer and liquor (my husband was thrilled to find rip van Winkle bourbon available). Service is a little slow, but still friendly. There are 2 sides to the bar, one with a great view of the stage and the other with no view (which is a little strange for this kind of venue, but the acoustics are still great on both sides). read more

DBA - Beer and liquor selection - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great club! We enjoyed music so much!! Group Debauch Russian maffia!!! Fun!!!! We stayed there until 2:00am last night! Unbelievable, we left and crowd was still dancing and having great time! Time to go back to boring LA read more

DBA is probably the bar I like the best on Frenchmen as they have a great beer selection and they usually have some of the best music. I think their beers are overpriced for New Orleans but other than that I've usually had a good time here. There is usually a good crowd in here but it is rarely so crazy crowded that you can't get a good spot to watch the band. The bartenders are usually pretty quick and efficient and I've rarely had bad service. Always a good mix of locals and tourists so there is almost always the opportunity to meet new and interesting people. I'm also really happy they have gone smoke free!!! read more

Another famous place that I've only recently attended. They have a huge beer selection, and sizable liquor selection. Though I'm no expert on either, but I enjoyed some of the beers that I tasted that I never heard of before. DBA is also famous for being a music venue. If you get there early you will have an awesome experience and be ridiculously close to stage, I also think this place has a pretty romantic vibe as well. So take your hot date there, as long as the music is appropriate. read more

Whoever designed d.b.a got it exactly right. The wood, little cut-out nooks, split sided bar, stage design, extensive draft and drink list, and a perfect vibe make this the best place for music. The band was great, the bartenders were friendly, drinks were fairly priced, and there was some fantastic dancing going on throughout the set! This is the kind of place I could park myself all night. read more

Definitely my favorite on Frenchman and, thus, my favorite place to see music in New Orleans. Incredible acoustics, magical lighting, books the best acts, etc. And the beer selection is stellar. Do they always serve drinks in plastic cups though? This quality beer does not deserve such poor treatment. Thought about downgrading one star for that but then I thought: 1. The Glen David Andrews birthday show last night was just way too special. AND 2. No one cares how many stars I gave d.b.a., because it's d.b.a. and I'm just some guy writing a Yelp review of it. read more

Fantastic! Went here while on honeymoon in Jan. Hubby wanted to hear some music and Preservation Hall was a madhouse, so decided to go here. Was so happy that we did! Right outside the door, was a sketchy local clearly having an (drug/booze filled) internal debate with what we could only tell was himself..as there did not seem to be anyone else engaging him. It is NOLA..whaddya expect??? Was hoping to catch the Treme Brass Band but they had performed two days before so we had just missed them. There was a fantastic band on and the atmosphere was awesome! During the set, they came around with a hat, which we found so funny and cool. You almost had to give money because you felt guilty paying so little cover for such awesome entertainment! The amount of beers afforded was phenomenal! I had a honey ale with some chips and was in heaven! Pop music should come here to see what real music is!! P.S. Bring cash...the servers get annoyed if you pull out plastic..it is dark and those merchant machines are hard to see and take up too much time. read more

This is by far my favorite spot on Frenchmen St. Granted there is almost always a door fee, that's because d.b.a does get really good talent versus all the other spots on this block. Their drinks are moderately priced and their bartenders while they seem like body doubles for the sons of anarchy are very patient and friendly. This is a go to spot for live music. read more

DBA - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Amazing selection of liquor and beer. Bartender is one of the most awful people I have ever met in NOLA. No sense of good service, rude to the customers, sense of entitlement. Other than the staff , the place is pretty good especially with live music. The employees bring down the place tremendously. read more

Came here to see Glen David Andrews during his Monday night residency ($5 cover). Was surprised at how lively it was, as well as age range, from young 20s to 50s. Like Rebirth at Maple Leaf on Tuesdays and Kermit at Vaughan's on Thursdays, I guess GDA at dba is the place to be on Mondays... Anywho, GDA brought it that evening. I particularly liked how packed it was for 1st set (from 10ish to midnightish), then (presumably) everyone with a job goes home, and it's a much smaller crowd for 2nd set (til about 2am). So, if you get there late, and you're near the back: don't fear, as it should empty out and you'll be able to get up near the front. Outstanding beer selection, of course--I'm guessing one of the best in the city. Overall, great bar, great beer, great vibe, great music. You can't go wrong with Monday night GDA at dba. read more

LOVE their beer selection! There's a $5 cover charge - and I did not mind paying it. I really liked the atmosphere, and the live music was a huge bonus. I found the other patrons quite friendly too... It could have been they were hopped up on alcohol, but I think it just speaks to the friendly and cool vibe of the bar! read more

Attentive, if not overly friendly bar staff. A drink menu that goes for days - truly something for everyone. Plenty of elbow room versus some of the smaller venues along Frenchmen. Fun bench-lined nooks where you can drink a pint with friends while overlooking the hubbub outside. $5 cover to see Treme Brass Band's rollicking Tuesday night show. A great way to while away an evening in New Orleans. read more

Came here two nights during Mardi Gras and saw great shows both times. Looks like a few of the bands are regulars. The place is wooden and dimly lit, feels kind of like you're inside a boat (a cool jazz boat). They've got an expansive liquor selection, lots of beer on tap and some solid house cocktails. Prices were pretty reasonable. I'd definitely come back here again. read more

Best music and bar spot I went to in NOLA. Just don't listen to the junk on Bourbon Street. $5 cover fee but totally worth it- listen to the bouncer! Peruvian Jazz band that toured, and used to play every week at d.b.a. was playing on a Friday night. There were enough people there for it to be a fun night but not for it to be really packed and uncomfortable. Enough space to just stand and listen, or dance. Pretty interior. Classy place. Insane amount of beeeeeeeeeeeers to choose from. read more

First off, if you're going to be in New Orleans, you have to go by Frenchman St! It's less touristy and the music is amazing! There are many bars you can go into that will have live music even when there are some street music but we decided to go to here this place because they were much organized (the other bars didn't know what time the sets were going up). It was 5 dollars the night we went and its HUGE inside! Lots of room to hold you overpriced drinks. Just kidding, the drinks are reasonable. That night, chaw-waw (?) performed and they were very good. It went on a little long so we left after an hour and a half. But this bar is so roomy, I'm sure every night is a delight! read more

DBA - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great selection of wine! They have vinho verde which is so refreshing and very seldom found at places even with extensive wine lists, so they had me at $1 off happy hour! Come for the amazing selection of booze, wine and beer, stay for the music! read more

I love the whole vibe of this bar. First visit and one of the best- they had a great bar selection, great musical performance, a fun crowd and the ambiance to match. Once the band started to play it went through the roof. The crowd swayed and cheered and the whole place really just got moving. I From what i gathered, dba is a very local scene but it was welcoming nonetheless. took a while to get to the bar, but thats expected. Its a nice refreshing night scene, i loved it- will be returning again when i make a return visit to New Orleans. read more

Fan effin tastic music. Great price on drinks. The only thing that could have made me downgrade this place was the cover. But it is totally worth it. The only problem was that after I had ran up a tab during the no cover time and went out for a cigarette they would have charged us to come back in. They didn't. So I think that this place is great. It was my girl who got is back in. So maybe it takes a cute girl. But where does that not help? Either way, if you're in the area. This is the place to go If you like good music then just do it. read more

Ah, DBA. I actually would have given this place 5 stars if the awesome jazz band didn't start randomly playing "Hotline Bling" and a few other pop songs. Wtf?! That's not what we came to see! And they were doing so well before that! The drink selection was fantastic though, the bartenders were cool, and I was a lot happier being able to actually see and hear the bands after coming out of the Spotted Cat pretty disappointed. read more

Great place to stop and unwind before next flight . Amazing and knowledgeable staff, great selection of wines (considering it's in the airport) and awesome food. The lamb meatballs were just delicious, and so was the brie and prosciutto sandwich. Also don't forget to sign up with the app and you get a free tasting! read more

DBA - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Favorite beer bar in New Orleans. Always a great selection, good live music and worth a stop early or very late. Cover is annoying when just looking for a quality beer but I've never been disappointed. Even when packed I always manage to get what I'm looking for quickly from the bartenders. Some of my favorite times here are after Bourbon has pretty much shut down and the service industry types head to Frenchman. read more

One of my favorite stops in NOLA. We were looking for live music, and happened upon this place. Great selection of beer & liquor, though the bartenders to get a bit snippy if you ask for a drink they consider to be too pedestrian. ("A Hurricane is just light rum, dark rum and a bunch of juice" -- yes, I know this, and I know it's a touristy drink, but I also **like** them when they're well made. And by the way, the Perfect Storm being pushed all week is "just Sailor Jerry and a bunch of ginger ale"... get over yourself). That said, I'm no stranger to hipster bartenders and really, the venu is great, overall. It reminded me of some of my favorite Chicago places. Definitely worth a visit if you're looking to get away from the skank of Bourbon Street. read more

Unfortunately I went to this place when there wasn't any live music so I can't review on that. However the bar itself was really good. They have quite the extensive menu behind the bar so you're guaranteed to have inspiration if you're unsure of what to order. The drinks I ordered were mixed well and fairly priced. read more