I have to admit Jamie W and I were expecting a more convivial atmosphere given the name, but it just wasn't meant to be. The bartenders were young, and the only business we saw consisted of drunk women who looked like they made a wrong turn off Bourbon Street. 8PM may have been too early to expect a congregation of social sisters.. No Espresso Martinis to be found here, so we went with our standby, the $12 Tequila Sunrises (Photo 5). They were satisfying enough. Not much interaction with the bartenders who preferred socializing with each other. Ah, youth. We'll give it another try the next time we're in Nawlins, but The Golden Lantern was a friendlier spot. DRINKS - 3.5 stars...potent enough at a good Happy Hour price AMBIANCE - 3 stars...pretty vacant when we were here SERVICE - 2.5 stars...preoccupied...with each other TOTAL - 3 stars...good friends? RELATED - Exploring New Orleans? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/kqhd8zS441 read more

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Dubbed the Cheers of the New Orleans gay bar scene, this 24-hour watering hole is a place where good friends gather to converse over cocktails. Whenever I pass by there are always locals sitting at a table outside chatting it up - even early in the morning. I was in town for Southern Decadence and decided to finally check it out. I was surprised by how spacious it is inside. There is even an upstairs area with a bar (Queens Head Pub) and balcony views. Downstairs there is a pool table, gambling machines, and plenty of room to dance. The bartender was very friendly. I asked if they had a signature drink and he told me that The Separator has been a favorite for over 20 years. I decided to try it. It was a boozy milkshake that made me feel like a kid again. I can see why they call it The Separator because if you drink enough of it, you'll get separated from your friends. LOL! I came back later that evening and the place was buzzin' with a fun & lively crew. I enjoyed the music and was happy I stopped by. read more

I have made a stop here every time I've come to New Orleans and I make it a point to bring my wife and other lgbt friends traveling with us. A local initially gave us the recommendation and it's my favorite place to go to find community in the French quarter. I have to say that each time I've been in, staff and guests have been friendly, chill, and welcoming. Great local bar vibe at various times of the day! read more

We stopped in here and had lots of drinks here. We were greeted with great attitude and got great customer service all night from Sean. We had a great time chatting it up with all kinds of people here from other states. Bathroom wasn't the best in cleanliness. There is a big communal urinal in Men's restroom so if you're shy about whipping it out with no privacy, then this probably isn't for you. All in all I had a great time and would recommend for a good stop for drinks and will return again. read more

Good Friends Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Out of all the years we've been frequenting here Jay R was the friendliest and most accommodating bartender we have had. He was so friendly and helpful and made us feel welcome. Thank you Jay R for help celebrating our 39 anniversary and making it memorable. read more

Good Friends Bar - An all so delicious brandy separator. - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

They stopped playing music videos. Turned all of the TV's off. Only play weird music like you would hear at a club. No Mariah. No Brittany, No Shania. No Whitney. Vibe has definitely changed recently and not for the better. Nothing left to do at this bar but sit and listen to weird club music. It's become one on the forgotten stops which is sad. It should really go back to what it was. read more

Good Friends Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Welcoming! Went here in a whim and the bartender David was awesome!! There is the downstairs bar with pool table and louder music (both older and current) and the upstairs bar with access to the balcony which has a great view of Armstrong park at night. We did not get food, but we did try their brandy infused ice cream. read more

Drinking with Good Friends! A comfortable, cool, LGBTQ and ALL neighborhood bar. Welcoming, friendly, fun service. Full bar with great pours if you know what I mean. Great stop whilst walking the French Quarter. read more

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You need to teach your bartender Cyrus when to cut a customer off. My friend was totally wasted and Cyrus continued to serve him

Out of all the gay bars in New Orleans Good Friends Bar, is probably the cleanest but lacks some of the vibrant energy found elsewhere. The drinks were good, and they have a pool table, so it's a great spot if that's your thing. The music was solid, creating a a cool atmosphere. It's also in a good location, close to other bars, making it easy to hop between spots. Overall, a nice place for a casual night out, but it might not have the same lively vibe as other places. read more

I thoroughly enjoy coming to Good Friends for a night out. The drinks are super reasonable but what I enjoy most is the upstairs and balcony area. The music is always on point and there's always a decent crowd upstairs. As I've had the chance to live in the city this year, I've noticed the upstairs area out of habit is where the locals tend to go to immediately. All the bartenders are super friendly though. Jeremy is seriously the gatekeeper of the upstairs bar and does a great job of remembering regulars' names and preferred drink orders. It's like he's already pouring my double ruby red soda upon arrival. Such a great spot for tourists and friends alike. Best part... no cover charge and the balcony is everything. A nice change in pace from the Bourbon Street chaos since it's right around the corner. read more

Was looking forward to visiting this bar since it's classified as a low key casual neighborhood gay bar til we paid for drinks. 8.00 for a plastic cup single? I feel like some of the bars out here just gouge customers who visiting from out of town. This is also a "card only" bar so no cash allowed other than to tip. Ridiculous! Bartender was friendly enough but did seem like he could be full of himself. read more

We were visiting from out of town and worried we wouldn't be able to find something to do on Christmas Day. We found an ad for the "Christmas Dinner" at Good Friends Bar in the local queer newspaper, and decided to swing around at 1PM for it. It had the great dive bar feel without being anything that it wasn't, and had its doors open for anyone to come in, no discrimination. The place was very cute with two floors. a lower space with billiards and arcade games and a bar, with the top being another bar and outdoor balcony seating. The bartender's drinks were solid and cheap, and he went out of his way to learn different cocktails that we wanted to try (like a Washington Apple). Moreover, they were all very friendly and gave off a very homey feeling - they organised the Christmas Dinner, pot-luck style, with each relating to us the pride in their dish. The food was great and plentiful, and gave us a good taste of local cuisine in the area from home-cooking, and no complaints, it was free! The music was very eclectic as well, ranging from pop Lizzo, to old Britney, to 2011 K-Pop. Really, this place was a gem, and we'll be sure to hit it up again when we're back in town. read more

Good Friends Bar - Merry Christmas! - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I come here for drinks every time I'm in NOLA! The beer is always very cold and the service is always on point!

Fun vibe, great service and always The Best Ice Cream Drink ever (BCS drink). A place for locals and visitors alike.

I'm a local and love Good Friends. However... The bartender that is always there, during the day, the tall guy with the brown curly hair, is so off putting and strange... I do not go in anymore if he is on shift, his vibe is just so weird... Today my (female) friend walked into the bar to check out the space, as it is for sale, and this dude went out of his way to be extremely rude to her for being there. He made her feel very unwelcome and bad, for NO reason... She has been supporting and going to this bar for years, BTW... This guys needs to go. Lets bring back those sweet, fun, NICE, bartenders that made us love Good Friends in the first place. read more

Love this place !! Best kept secret !! Dustin is awesome !! Get a separator on a hot day !! read more

Good Friends Bar - Omg amazing drinks !! Get a Separator on a hot day !! Our bartender was Dustin (he is awesome) - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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When we go on vacation, we have an unintentional tendency to stake out a base camp gay bar that kind of serves as home base for the weekend as we determine what to do and where to go. This time in New Orleans, Good Friends solidly served that purpose. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, near everything, but not TOO near anything, it's busy, but not uncomfortable. The facility is large for a NOLA gay bar and there is a plethora of seating options. The staff is extremely friendly and fun to interact with. It's a very diverse crowd here which makes it that much more fun. The staff alone runs the gamut of age, gay/straight, local/transplant, etc. It's fun to get to know everyone. They are essentially always open, so when the hankering comes for a beverage, this is your spot. Their pricing is very consistent with the area and the atmosphere is comfortable. read more

I seriously would not have known about this place if not for my friends telling me about it. As stated by one of the reviews, every single bartender is friendly and just makes you feel as if you are a long lost friend. So, this is another one of my late reviews (02.22.20) but I couldn't NOT write one because I loved this place so much. Try the coffee drink. Seriously, I don't know what is in it but I think it's coffee. Whatever it is, it is AMAZING. I was craving it the entire visit to NOLA. I had a friend show up and I grabbed her through the crowded streets (Mardi Gras) and made her get a drink. Yes, made her! The second time that I was there, the bartenders were just as nice to me as the first time. FYI: Someone mentioned that the place only accepts credit cards. I vaguely remember hearing this. I personally pay everything with debit card so this was not an issue. Just know this for the future. Keep up the amazing job, Good Friends! I hope to see you soon. read more

Great French Quarter bar in a great location for the many events that take place in the quarter. Their signature drink is the separator, one of the great drinks in New Orleans, its like a boozy ice cream. The bar has an upper level where on a nice day you can sit up on the balcony. Great bar regardless of your sexual orientation, all are welcomed here. read more

This place is fantastic! Great service and the drinks are amazing! Sean was the bartender and we absolutely adored him! We recommend Sean for sure! read more

We love this place! Ray, the bartender was awesome. He was friendly and very attentive. He made us drinks that weren't even on the menu. Great atmosphere and we really enjoyed hanging out here. read more

Service and drinks were great. We went in early afternoon in September. It was a pretty warm day when a much older couple hurried in and the wife ran straight to the bathroom. She was obviously in distress and the husband seemed embarrassed. Before the husband could get a word out, The bartender screamed at the top of his lungs that bathroom's were for customers only (understandable). This couple was at least in their upper 60's and had an emergency situation going on. The bartender even screamed at the husband to stand outside of the bar and wouldn't let him wait for his wife inside..Treated him like a child..The husband was completely embarrassed and kept apologizing quietly and the bartender berated him for not buying something. HelI, I wouldn't buy something from someone yelling at me! Had the bartender handled the situation better,he could've had new customers..He was unnecessarily disrespectful of this older couple , probably tourists..and unpleasant for us to witness. There was no reason to embarrass them as they were in distress. It only made the situation worse. I hope Karma is swift! Not everyone would've put up with that kind of blatant abuse. read more

"Good Friends," only if you are a gay male. I've gone there twice as a lesbian (femme) & one time while ordering a drink I was told to, "Go somewhere else." by Eli who was bartending. I understand some gay males don't want a bunch of straight girls at "their" bar but I am a GAY female. The other time I was upstairs & watched the bartender serve males over & over again & skip me. Unfortunately, this has been how I've been treated at a couple gay New Orleans bars. If you are a gay female or don't think gay females should be treated this way then don't support "Good Friends." read more

Love coming by this bar when it's a beautiful day outside. We typically will stop in and split a separator. The patio is nice and provides a great back drop to chit chat. read more

Good Friends Bar - The separator - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Friendly, comfortable atmosphere. Bartender was great, as was the music. Outdoor balcony was my favorite feature as I could sit at a table and watch passersby. read more

I LOVED This place. We ended up going twice during our 4 days in NOLA. Would definitely come back should I be in the city again!

OMG I really enjoy this bar now. I can remember when I was much younger we never came here cause the Queen's were older , well bitches I'm that age now..lol. Great bar and fun guys that work here.... read more

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I love this bar , they have good music , itscomfy To sit at the bar and drink . I usually go here after I go out and wait For my ride bc it's right off the back of bourbon , just tried this separator drink today and it was amazing ! It's their signature drink ! It was nice on a hot spring day ! And nice and sweet ! Deff try it read more

Good Friends Bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Best night we had in NOLA. My friend and I came here for my bachelorette and we learned very quickly that the French Quarter was not our scene especially at night. We're just not partiers or drinkers. However the one night we decided to dedicate a night of drinking to, we ended up here and it was the best decision. Every other bar we went to was just meh. I don't know if there's karaoke every night here, but the night we went there was and it was the best time. The bartender was the best! Friendly, fun, and a great singer!! If I came back to NOLA, it would be here. read more

Bartenders are great, the music is always popping, the restroom is clean, drinks are the truth and a good price. The whole vibe is always on point. I love coming here. They also do karaoke here too. It's on Tuesdays. Definitely check this spot on. read more

Meh- What Gay Scene? This place is no frills, no service, no smiles, just meh.

Friendly staff. This is a bar and cannot let your child use the restroom because they will lose their liquor license. Inform yourself before you post negative reviews. We enjoyed the upstairs porch on a cool breezy evening and had a great time with the dance music. read more

This is a must stop every time we are in New Orleans!! A chill bar right off of bourbon, good drinks & good company! :)

The bartender Michael was a sweetheart and great host. You've got to try the Swedish Fish! Excellent spot to enjoy good beverages and relax. read more

Good Friends Bar - Swedish fish such a good drink! - Gay Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Went to this bar for decadence weekend! My friends and I had a blast! It was early in the day, Jeff was our bartender. He was the sweetest! Can't wait to come back in a few months, we're definitely coming back. Great music and good prices for drinks. read more

One of my favorite places to go when I'm in town! A very chill bar that you can simply hang at with some *good friends*. There is never any hoopla drama going on here which I love! It's close to bourbon st but a breath of fresh air coming in here since it's around the corner from the madness. Cheap drinks too! read more

Downright rude and catty staff and patrons. It was our last night visiting the city and we decided to go to this bar for a friend's birthday. Our female friends who were doing nothing but dancing and having a good time were insulted and called "practice lesbians" while we were there. We were also told to "get the f*ck out and "go back to our Airbnb" because we were tourists. The staff was rude and dismissive to us the entire time while we were there for no apparent reason, even though we were doing them a favor by bringing our business to this bar even thought it was absolutely dead. If you are a tourist and are thinking of visit ing a local gay bar for a good experience, AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS! They are misogynistic and prejudiced to tourists. read more

Cute spot for drinks and fun. Pool table inside. They have good music. The bartenders were great friendly and mixed good drinks. They do have a bathroom problem tho they are no doors on the stall .WTH. They need to fix that. Even the women's bathroom has no latch to close the door. Unsafe feeling with that. Other than that I had a good time and made some good friends there haha. read more

We came here for some afternoon margaritas on a beautiful sunny day in the French quarter. The bartenders are really friendly and offered us great hospitality and service. Would definitely revisit. We loved the large open windows that made us feel like we were sitting outside. Sean was the best bartender! Also affordable! Yippee. read more