This was an impromptu stop on our last night in NOLA. We went on a ghost tour (another review entirely) then decided a trip to New Orleans is incomplete without a visit to Frenchmen St for jazz and blues music. The first place was over crowded and standing room only, literally no seats. Umm not for me so we crossed the street and saw d.b.a. but couldn't decide whether to pay the cover or not. But window peeping payed off we entered and were surprised. It was a great place to come. The seating was sparse on the side where the band actually played but that was not a deterrent. i was able to snag a place along the wall and set up shop on a high chair I pulled from the bar to sit down. My two friends stood and swayed to the music. One actually wondered off and got lost in the rhythm? voodoo? Who knew, she instantly was off like a moth to the band. The selection of beer was globally wide and the wine was OK. We ordered a bottle to be safe the glass selection hadn't been sitting there. This was not a large crowd of rowdy young drinkers, it was diverse but older and more about the music than the drinking. That scores a star all by itself! Over all a good time. We left at the bands break having satisfied our NOLA checklist and thirst for some good ole music. It was fun and a nice surprise. read more

A place to kick back, relax and drink a cold one with the locals. Definitely a gem on Frenchman St. The drinks were reasonably priced and the air conditioning was pumping on a beautiful Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the bartender left much to be desired. She was extremely unfriendly and inattentive. Was worried about her phone more than socializing with customers. To a traveling soul, this was extremely disappointing. I would have loved to learn more about the bar history and the area. read more

DBA - So many choices so little time. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Old school Frenchmen Street New Orleans. My favorite place to go to on Frenchmen street. We go here to see Live Music during JF... Late Late Nights in to dawn... The place is Classic. Old school Frenchmen Street New Orleans. read more

Wow, shockingly bad and racist experience at dba this evening. We came in to hear John Boutte this evening. Outside of John himself, the door guy -- my fiancé was one of the only black people in the place. We stood at the bar for 20 minutes watching both white bartenders systemically ignore us, refusing to take our drink orders. Like -- it was completely blatant. Refusing to make eye contact. Serving someone right by us and then walking to the other side of the bar. I haven't experienced anything like it in New Orleans. I finally spoke up and was brushed off and remained unserved. We ultimately drank from the jug of water to the side through his sets and left. We love to catch shows here but this experience has left such a bad impression, I don't foresee coming back. read more

$20 cover and not much to offer in beers. I'm not a hard alcohol person. Young and older folks enjoyed the outside venue and a good performance by the Big Chief read more

This was one of my favorite bars on Frenchman St. The ambiance is great--Huge space, 2 bars back to back with dark wood, exposed brick, and a nice stage. The beer selection is amazing, the bartenders were friendly and made strong cocktails, the prices are reasonable, and the crowd was eclectic and laid back. Yes the place was packed but we saw Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and another band--both shows were awesome! We came back on Sun night and they had some folksy band playing which was also good just not my thing. Overall a great bar with a local crowd and fun atmosphere. I will miss you d.b.a! read more

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After much help from some of the New Orleans Yelpers, Frenchmen street was named as a good drag for live music that locals actually listen to. DBA was a stand out because it's great selection of beer was a highlight. I like beer and with great live music just about anywhere here it's a plus. Definitely reminded me of a place I frequent here in Chicago that always has live music and a lot of beers-most of it bottled but still a much better selection than the swill you'll find on Bourbon. There's a sign that reads:'We don't have Bud or Bud light, Coors or Coors light. We just have Heineken and Amstel, get over it.' One of the few bar signs I've seen in New Orleans bars that I actually like. Overall, it seems like a REAL bar. Real in the sense that they serve their booze in glasses-well most of the time and the fact that I can actually set up a tab here like a normal bar and not the 'cash only' business that is such a crappy way to do business, but is de facto way of life in New Orleans bars. A minus for cover, when so many places on the street don't charge one on this street and also because they still (sometimes) serve beers in plastic cups. What am I? A fratboy? read more

Have always gone here every time I visit. Long lists of beers. Have a cover charge for Friday and Saturday events. No food, just chips but you can call in an order and get it delivered here. Friendly service. Young and vibrant crowd. Come early to get a good spot! read more

You simply must experience traditional south Louisiana LIVE MUSIC here. It's real...it's raw...it's...I can't think of another R for this alliteration!!! read more

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

Another great place for local, live New Orleans music every night of the week. There's a $5 cover on the weekends, but free the rest of the week. It's got a prime location right in the heart of Frenchman Street so there are many other music venues close by to hop around to. There's a huge beer selection, but it's a little pricier then everywhere else around. I think this location is related to the d.b.a. in NYC so it has a sleeker more swanky look to it. The bar split nicely with one side dedicated to music and dancing, the other side has tables, and there's a small back room with couches. It's much larger than all the other venues on Frenchman. d.b.a. is definitely worth checking out. The music is always great. read more

DBA - Linnzi Zaorski performs at d.b.a. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

There is just no other place in NO to go to for great beer selection and great live music that has a 'beer centric' feel. They have about 30 beers on tap or so and about 50+ bottled beers. No bud light here though, this place is for the serious beer drinker crowd. The place has great ambiance and the wait staff have always been very knowledgeable in all things beer. The place has a nice bar area if you're a 'sit at the bar' person but also has tables and places along the wall. No food though, but there are lots of eating places in the immediate neighborhood. read more

Best people watching bar on Frenchmen! This bar has 2 sides: one for a more relaxed bar feeling where you can still hear the music but also sit down and chill with your friend and the other side is for the concert vibe where you will find yourself dancing and tapping your feet to the live music. They have a huge beer selection, but beware of the $1 extra charge every time you swipe your credit card!! Open up a tab and stay for a while. There is seating for your people watching pleasure that basically sits on the sidewalk with windows all around, but it is inside. So you can have the air condition and mosquito free drinks while catching up with friends and talk about the people walking in and out of the Frenchman art market(across the street). read more

DBA - Check out their Beer selection! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Went to the bar on a Sunday afternoon 10/27/19 as part of our first visit to New Orleans. I wanted to get shots for my wife's birthday and our anniversary. Tried to get the bartender attention, but we were completely ignored by her. She seemed to be busy drinking with the clients and then watched her put her little dog on the bar, and she went around the bar to talk to someone. Got the hint that our business was not wanted and left. Went to the pizza place down just a little and got better service. read more

I came on Halloween so it was predictably crazy, I didn't get to try any new beers simply because it was so packed and you need to be standing in the right place to see the board at either of the two bars they have inside, so I stuck with Abita all night. There was a $20 cover at the door, which I thought was absolutely nuts, but I paid it. I didn't really have a reason to, it was only after I was inside that I found out freakin Earphunk was playing that night. Absolutely amazing show, great sound, worth every penny. read more

DBA - Earphunk as Terrance & Phillip on halloween - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I didn't know where to go, so we asked the taxi cab driver & this is the spot we were taken to. All along the Frenchmen there are jazz spots, though this place had the best vibe amongst the people plus the band - Walter Wolfman Washington (they play every Wednesday). The drinks were good & many were on draft. I enjoyed the set up of the place. You had so old movie theater style seats against the walls by the band & then regular bar tables & chairs (not stools) on the other half. A couch up on the platform/2nd level. Then my personal favorite were the cozy inlets against the window to the outside, where a group of people or a few can gather & chat it up- simply two benches opposing each other & no table in between. You can people watch inside & outside. But because it's by the window, people can watch you when you don't want to be caught- like spilling a beer over everyone (that wasn't me- I swear!!) or your skills when trying to pick up the girl sitting next to you. There was enough room to dance. Plus, bonus points to bringing in eclectic mix of people - shout out to Rosa from Idaho. This is a definite spot to hit up, after crawling the French Quarter or if you just want a place to quick back at that isn't pretentious. read more

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

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This is how a Blues Bar should be dark and a little "seedy" ( in a nice way)with a band playing gritty blues. Excellent.

Rarely do I not have a good time here. Now smoke free? It just got a whole lot better. read more

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Great tunes, great beer selection. To wit, one of my friends tried to order a Coors Light. "We don't have Coors Light, but we do have Abita Light, Heineken Light and water." Came here late night and caught a great band in their Mardi Gras finery. They also appeared to have a decent selection of booze. I'd come back next time I'm in town. read more

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

Stopped by DBA to hear the Palmetto Bug Stompers with Washboard Chaz. The music was amazing, though its a small place with very limited seating and it was hard to see the band. read more

Shout out to Brian! My bff and I were in town for Mardi Gras and wandered into DBA while on our way to Frenchmen Street. Brian was so damn cool and down to earth! He gave me his number and we all met up later at R Bar and then went to Golden Lantern and chilled. He is such a cool guy and was super hospitable (the NOLA way). Thanks Brian! We miss you! read more

I'm with you Jessica R. How have I not written about d.b.a. yet? Definitely one of my favorite places in New Orleans. I met my current boyfriend here. We'll sort of. I was outside, and he was in, and it was completely magical and romantic. If I told you the whole story, you'd steal it and write a novel about it. You are just going to have to wait until our book comes out. d.b.a. is Cupid. Cupid for beer lovers like us. The beer menu is vast; it's the largest selection in town and don't even think to ask for Bud, Coors or Miller. The music is live almost every night of the week, and the cover usually around $5. Although I think some of the Jazz Fest nights are like $20, but we need tourism so suck it up and let the tourists do their part. It's basically a central bar divided by a wall. Stage and dance floor on one side, main bar and tables on the other. Live music and good beer on Frenchmen St. What's not to love? read more

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

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Great place with decent shows. We went here on a special night with John boutte. The show was so much fun with a huge choice of beers. read more

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

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Even though 4 stars doesn't exactly reflect my experience I feel like it's the most accurate and honest rating for this establishment. I loved the layout where there was a brighter side of the bar with no live music and then a darker side of the bar sectioned off for the live jazz music. It was very cool. It was a full 5-piece jazz band and there was bench seating along the wall and a small dance floor up front and there were a few couples who were killing it out there. That was so fun to see! We were there at 7 PM so I also enjoyed that it wasn't packed and we had a good view of the band and could clearly hear the music. My particular experience was not 100% enjoyable though. Part of my experience isn't at all a fault of the establishment. I had a bad headache and the music was loud so that made it a little less enjoyable. BUT the part that is on them was the pricing and taste of the cocktails. I understand most people here probably order beer and they had lots of beer on top and in cans. But I don't usually drink beer so I got a rum punch cocktail. First of all it was $14 which is like NYC pricing almost. Second, they mixed a light and a dark rum in this punch cocktail and it just didn't taste very good. A punch like that should only be light rum. Overall it's definitely a great place to go if you're trying to give someone an up-close, intimate genuine New Orleans jazz experience. read more

DBA is located along Frenchmen St., which is essentially the part of the French Quarter where the locals hang out. Here, you can get a real flavor of New Orleans culture and avoid all the tourist traps you find on Burbon St. I came out here at 1am on a Friday night to find that at the corner there was a brass band having a jam session. Across the street from that were street performers juggling fire. DBA itself is a great bar with live music and no cover. The bar is one of those wraparound bars, so the bar tenders are in the center and can serve people on both sides of the room. This just means it's easier to get a drink order in. One side of the bar has a stage and live blues music and an area for dancing. While the crowd was manageable the night I was there, at the far end of the room, in case you can't see the stage, there is a flat screen TV so you can see what's happening on stage. The other side of the bar has a few tables and chairs so you can sit and chat, if that is your preference (although you can still hear the music from the other side of the bar.) Wide selection of beers. Great authentic vibe here. My one complaint though is that the bartender overcharged me by a dollar for my beer. I ordered a Corona and on the menu hanging over the bar, it said Coronas were $4 but he charged me $5. I didn't say anything, but it cost him his tip. read more

If you are down in NOLA a big part of the city is it's music. Down in Frenchmen Street and in walking distance from the French quarter this bar has great acts every night. They do usually charge a $5 cover depending on who is playing that night compared to the other bars on the street that don't have a cover. Great atmosphere with a large selection of beers on tap and bottle beers as well. One section is the large bar area and the next room over is the music stage and large viewing/dance floor. Saw Glen David andrews that night and he gave a great show that got everyone enjoying the show. Tip: theres a great food cart that comes around between acts that is on frenchmen street right outside of dba's door where you can pick up some grub between acts. read more

Wandering Frenchmen with friends (not French men, alas), we bounced between a few cover-less places, shying away from d.b.a. Then a brass band fired up on the street, causing spontaneous dancing everywhere outside. How could it get better than this inside and requiring cover? By being d.b.a. A friend from long ago came out and fetched me. The cover was paltry. The beer selection is good and emphasized locals. Then... Little Freddie King. I had no idea who was going to play. Had I known, I likely would have headed directly to d.b.a. I'm glad I caught both the street party *and* Little Freddie King. And introduced various friends to each other, who ended up sharing even more friends... Crazy small world. Crazy in a good way sometimes, like this night. BTW, the "price range" is up to however much beer you want... The brews are priced well and are full sized, so... read more

DBA - Little Freddie King. Five dollar cover. I'm still in shock. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Far and away my favorite Frenchman Street venue. Don't even bother checking who's playing because it'll be good. Yes, cover is $5, but there's no drink minimum and beers are decently priced (cheap compared to NYC but expensive for the south). And selection is quite broad, from international to local. There's also your standard liquor selection but beer is their forte. The scene depends on the day and season-- have been here with Saturday night Spring Breaker crowds and on an off-season, half-empty Thursday. Generally speaking, it skews older and more civil than Bourbon. People are out to have a good time and the atmosphere is pleasantly low-key. There are a few rooms here so you can pick your poison: stage side, bar side, and back room. I'm not big on live music but everyone I've seen play here has been great. Large stage and the musicians seem to be enjoying themselves. If you want to experience Frenchman, make this your stop. read more

amazing beer selections, friendly and attentive staff, and one of the premier intimate gig settings for performers. DO NOT miss the Saturday evening sessions with John Boutte who delivers a soulful gospel of living love (his monologues are almost as entertaining and powerful as his vocals) I love the beers (tried most here), but their Absinthe is absolutely divine UPDATE: This is a premiere, yet low-key, New Orleans establishment. The [regular] bartenders are top-notch and are as professional as you could want. My meaning is that this isn't a place to wantonly pound Miller-lites and be obnoxious and many a first-timers find this out the hard way. If....nah....WHEN you come to d.b.a. be ready to appreciate the friendliness of the place. From the staff to the architecture to the regulars (and dancers), you'll become part of Would definitely recommend the Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka and Catdaddy Shine Last visit here, I enjoyed a Brooklyn Black Ops Russian Stout that blew my mind (embrace your inner beer snob at d.b.a.) read more

DBA - Saturday evenings w/ John Boutte - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I have a soft spot in my heart for D.B.A.. It's always the first place we go to on our first night out in New Orleans. This trip was a week-long trip, so we were lucky enough to visit 3 times. It truly is all you'd expect in New Orleans and so much more. The door guys are nice (even though they deal with quite a few jerks I'm sure), the bartenders are super efficient (I have no idea how they keep their smile and patience with the number of people that frequent this bar) and the music is ALWAYS great! Skip Bourbon street and go directly to Frenchmen's and D.B.A. read more

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

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My go-to place on every visit to New Orleans. It's bare-bones, so be prepared to stand, but the music is always good and often great. "Name" performers sometimes, and then it's super-crowded, which is fun too. Love the variety, usually (it seems to me) getting louder bands as the night goes on. read more

Came on a saturday night where there was live jazz playing. The music was amazing (like listening to a recording) and there was a small area in front of the stage where people were dancing. The place is fairly large with 2 main rooms and a bar in the middle. My friends and I got the 2 drink specials (coconut mule and a raspberry vodka drink) along with a red and white wine. The flavors of the drinks were good, but nothing special. Though I was disappointed that my mule didn't even come in a mule mug! Overall a nice place to enjoy jazz (4.5/5 for the ambiance) though the drinks were fairly average (3/5). read more

TREME BRASS BAND!!! What a party band!!! Doesnt get any better! Just be prepared to eventually elbow your way into the main concert room... like a can of sardines :-) read more

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

Fantastic music venue. Tons of room so you don't feel like the crowd is sweating on you when you're enjoying the set. And as far as music venues go, this is the best beer selection and liquor options in general that i have ever seen. About 20 beers on tap and another 40 available. They had some International selections and also fantastic local options like the notorious Ghost in the Machine. Prices for beer ranged from $5-9 which is reasonable when you consider the live music. I came on a Saturday night and had to pay a $5 cover. At D.B.A., the cover seems typical in the $5-10 range for the good acts. But the price is well worth it when it comes to the drink selection and the acts booked. We saw Soul Brass and had a fantastic time. They played about 2 hours of great renditions of poppy jazz. D.B.A. is a must if you want the Frenchmen St. experience. read more

I love everything about this place. I discovered d.b.a. by just walking down Frenchman St. in search of music, drinks and a good time. The hard wood floors, chalkboard menus (that fill up the whole wall describing every kind of hard alcohol you could imagine, including moonshine...), cubbyhole corners, old theater seats, an awesome yet ordinary stage decorated with a single red curtain and live music...makes me love Nola. This is truly one of those places you can just go, get a drink and enjoy some great music. My friends and I had the pleasure of seeing Tin Men while we were there, so go check them out if you get the chance! read more

DBA - No, No, No...! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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A Frenchman Street staple for great jazz. A Blues group from Washington DC was here when I stopped by and they were great. Nice location and it was standing room only. read more

Bang for your buck: 8/10 Quality: 9/10 Service: 6/10 Ambiance/Location: 10/10 Overall: 8/10 We went to D.B.A. on the recommendation of our honeymoon photographer. In all of the times I've visited NOLA, I'd never made it to Frenchmen St., and was excited to check it out with Dave. In all, we enjoyed D.B.A. It is a great place to enjoy live music. The acoustics and ambiance are perfect for a jazz club. There's a cover charge at the door, which is to be expected for live music; however the charge per time you run your debit card at the bar is not. read more

We picked up and selected this place randomly while bar hopping on Frenchman. It had a $10 cover (affordable), seating, and free cups of water via a cooler on the bar. The show started off fun, but ended up being awesome! We had a rare concert by a few "Mardis Gras Indians"! Highly recommend all around! read more

DBA - Big Chief Juan Pardo and the Golden Comanche - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Always have a good time at DBA, but definitely prefer the early shows (I'm old). No fault of the place, but the crowd gets a little too loud and proud the later it gets. Saw a happy-hour set of sorts recently with Andrew Duhon, and it was just perfect. Good prices, good bartenders, good times. Parking is always a challenge in the area, but, if you luck out, you're in for a good night. read more

We we're told to visit Frenchman Street where the locals hang out. We being a family group of about 25 ready for good music and drink. We definitely found good music and drinks at some other clubs on the street. D.B.A. was recommended for the music and craft drinks. A few of us went inside club to check out bar and the music. Found great music so figured to order a few drinks. This was this past Thursday Nov 8th around 7:30 pm. Asked the female bartender if I could have a few Mai Tai cocktails, she rolled her eyes, said noooo and walked away. I didn't know what to think if she was mad, joking or what! She came back and I asked her again, she said no she couldn't make it. I asked if there was anything she might suggest and she decided to help the guy next to me instead. My female cousin walked up next to me and asked for a Cadillac Margarita with crushed oarnge. The bartender again rolled her eyes and said yeah I can make that but it will be too expensive for you! This bartender said everything with strong attitude, and there was no reason for that. I told my cousin let's forget drinking here, thats when the bartender said well it takes a few liquors to make a margarita and each one cost as one drink. Well it doesn't matter what the cost was as we were willing to pay it. Basically at this point we said screw this place with a POS bartender like this who would want to stay here! Well thank goodness as the rest of our group was ready to walk in while we walked out. We ended up hanging out down the street at The Royal Frenchman where the drinks were fantastic and the live music and food very good!! D.B.A. was crowded and the music great but as far as service I give it a big zero!!! Wouldn't ever go there in the future but everyone has to make their own decision. I give it a thumbs down!! read more

I'm unsure why it has taken me all of these years to write a review of dba... but no matter, it is, hands down, my favorite place on Frenchmen street. Long before the "renaissance" of Frenchmen, dba was pouring excellent drinks, providing a great listening room for great music. I think that dba offers a "grown-up" environment that avoids stuffiness and rebuffs the over-served bourbon street crowd while paying equal attention to music (if you are a chatting f*^kwit you're not welcome at some shows and will be asked to keep it down) and what they pour and how they pour it. There are "two-ish" spaces here. When you enter the right side is the main bar where people congregate until the music begins (or overflow when it is particularly crowded - which is often- in a good way). The left side of the building offers a continuation of the bar but features the stage for music and a dance area (or standing room when not a big dance night) to see the featured act. Dance floor is filled for some sweet swing on some nights and packed on others to hear New Orleans' favorite bands. Two shows on most nights and three on weekends - with music that ranges from swing to funk to brass and everything in between. The early show often doesn't require a cover but a one drink minimum. Later show averages $10 cover but a few bands are more. The staff is friendly, the vibe is decidedly Frenchmen with fabulous window seats to see all of the sights while taking in some fantastic music and sipping on a near perfect libation. read more