This place is very much tucked away on a side street in uptown but it's a beautiful space. I went after hours for a birthday, but I'm planning to go back and see what it's like during the day. It's definitely a refurbished church and those vibes are super cool. read more

A pot of tea and some live music on a Sunday night, such a vibe. been here a few times with friends and we love it. even if the music that night isn't amazing there's still cool art, fun boardgames, and interesting characters all around :) read more

Laid back coffee house and intimate music venue with live music nightly. Staff is an awesome group of volunteers that are totally invested in its success. Tips are not mandatory but appreciated. It serves no alcohol so the family and student vibe gives the place incredible charm. The motif is very urban Bohemia and rustic. A true New Orleans hip spot in uptown. Full range of coffee drinks, teas, and some soft drinks. Seating is everything from Couches and love-seats to barstools, benches, and oversized pillows. Pet and kid friendly. read more

Cool little venue for coffee/tea and music. It's something you have to see though - it's more of an experience. I was told this place opened in the 70's, and from the looks of it, hasn't been vacuumed since then either. No, it's not clean - but they don't serve food, only drinks - of the non-alcoholic variety. It IS a great place to sit and listen to come music in, say, comfortable furniture (but please don't eat off of it, lest you pick up something undesirable). I had a FABULOUS iced tea, with great flavor - very happy with it. I like that they have all kinds of instruments strewn about, I hear the owner likes to sit and jam with bands. read more

This is a pretty cute little coffee joint. No alcohol here, sorry folks, but that enables musicians of all ages to take the stage and their adorable underage friends and family usually come to observe. I've only been here for a show, ages ago! But I remember thinking that Neutral Ground was definitely an adorably quaint type of cafe. It has an old-time feeling and just really homey and kind of eclectic. The latte I had was reasonably good and at that time, I wasn't really into coffees, so that says a lot! I imagine that when there's not music going on, this place can be a suitably nice place to settle down and get some studying done. I would have no problem coming here again if the chance ever arose! read more

I'm giving this odd little coffee house 4 stars because I love odd little coffee houses. I wish I had on in my neighborhood. The latte was done old school, handmade it was potent and grand. The atmosphere is what you would expect from a place tucked away far from any other commercial establishment. The decor being early flea market hand-me-downs. But very comfy cozy. Now for the bad news...the night we happened by there was live music Yay! Not so much :-(! A young man and his band, who sang about his very sad love life...badly. It's okay as long as you are easy going and don't let this ruin a cute place. It was free so... read more

Neutral Ground Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Live music, board games and a vibe like no other makes this the sui generis coffee shop of New Orleans.

Let me start talking a little about myself. I am a Puerto Rican (one of the real ones not the ones that come from the NYC or the MIA) and for the last 3 years I have become accustomed to feeling a little out of place in most of the places I go (even in the Latin places). I am too white to be deemed a latino and my accent gives me away every time (to what people call a "European kind of sounding accent). This is why I was extremely weirded out when I came in to the "Neutral Ground Coffee House" and felt more out of place than I have ever felt in the city. This place has a weird crowd -to say the least- and a weirder atmosphere. It's like the 60's stood still in this place and while doing so, they took a couple of hippies that swore to keep this place fighting the power all the way to the 21th century. As a result, the place and the people are warm, welcoming and a little high (and this is all good with me), the have poetry readings, open mics, and a little seating room for reflection. Don't come for the coffee, its not their strong point. Come for a good time and get out and fight the man, cause the man is keeping us all down. read more

This is a quaint little coffee shop located in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. This is more of a review of the atmosphere than the coffee, since I didn't try any of the coffee. I stopped in here to check out a friend's band on a Tuesday night. Neutral Ground hosts small music shows in a nice corner of their shop. I like this idea, because the shows are early and fairly short and the perfect thing for "night out" during the week. The coffee shop itself has a living room type of feel with assorted tables and sofas. They seem to offer all of the basics: coffee, tea and milk and a small assortment of snacks, especially pastries. Cash only. read more

Do you like late night coffee, local indie musicians, eclectic local art, dimly lit rooms with random couches? If so, then you'll probably love this cozy little coffee house. I don't know what took me so long to find my way to this place. I can't say that the coffee was anything special. However, it is clear to me that people are here for the music events rather than the coffee. That said, even without the music, I would still come here for the atmosphere. This coffee shop would be great for sitting around with friends and playing games or working on some school work. The open mic night is a lot of fun. I could tell that the people participating seemed to be really comfortable with each other, and it created a very relaxed atmosphere. At some point a bunch of the musicians just started jamming with each other and that was a lot of fun to watch. To me, this place just feels like an extension of my living room. I'm sure I will be back to visit on a regular basis.. . read more

Neutral Ground is an old school type coffee shop (anybody else remember Barsodi's?). It is more about the atmosphere and the camaraderie. I just walked past and they had 3 different people playing tonight, plus poetry, plus books, plus games, plus coffee & tea. read more

There's really no place in New Orleans quite like The Neutral Ground. You walk in and the wood paneling and funky decor makes it look like it was transplanted from Seattle -- in the 1960s. Or the set of Twin Peaks. Ditto for the clientele who range from stoned out hipsters to stoned out fogeys. It's all part of the charm, though. The coffee and espresso here are just ok (though the brownies are pretty good). You don't come here for food or drink, though. Every night from 7pm to 11 the Neutral Ground features an array of local musicians. From Tulane students jamming on their guitars to old-timers playing Dylan songs, the acts span a pretty wide gamut. Regardless of how good the talent is on any particular night, it's always fun to sink into a well worn sofa and enjoy this colorful joint. read more

The sense of community is stronger than the coffee here. An excellent space to support your local artists and eccentrics, and comfortable like your aunt's living room complete with myriad of books to read and board games to play. So homey and forgiving that you don't mind paying $2 for hot chocolate made from milk and nesquik heated in the microwave. Perhaps this is the Cheer's of coffee shops. Be warned: Falling alseep on their couch could lead to having your photo taken and being told that you "should sleep around. Professionally." read more

Neutral Ground Coffee House - a man singing into a microphone - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The most interesting coffee shop you will ever see. This place is a must see and you might be lucky to catch some great music while you are there. read more

Well I walked in the door and immediately felt at home! I love the atmosphere! Perfect place for hipsters or anyone who just wants to chill! Love this place might make it my regular hang out! I only gave it 4 stars because the coffee isn't top of the line but decent! read more

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A quaint little coffeehouse on a quiet street. A place for hipsters, bohemians, basically anyone really. Cozy atmosphere and the drinks were ok. There was a lady playing some original songs on the guitar. Overall I felt pretty comfortable there. No complaints. read more

I've always loved this place. Service is always a little ackward, and I can't figure out the hippo painting over the hall to the rest room, but it's a cool little spot. I've run the gammit of artists there- Some excellent, and some sending me out the door. It's a great, comfortable little place. I'm a sucker for non-profit, and this is probably the best little self-sustaining organization I've ever seen... read more

Laid back atmosphere, comfy chairs and sofas. Pretty good lattes. no alcohol and no decaf beverages. There's a small, groovy room with pillows on the floor and hanging beads at the entrance. It was raining the night I was there and the ceiling was leaking but I didn't get wet. read more

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Live music, great entertainment, which is what it's all about. If you're dissapointed by the food, you're going to the wrong place. It is very charming, and quite animated on friday's and saturday's. Philip, the owner, is very talented and quite the ladies' man. What's better than that? Walls are adorned with many curiosities as well. Good place to meet people, network,good ambiance. Walls look like the wood from an old seaside bar, you may think "Arrrr!, matey!" as you enter. Weird performances some time, worth a visit or three..... read more

Dear Yelp, I want you to know something. The compulsive checking in thing I do? It's not to earn your badges. I don't need no stinking badges. It's just how I remind myself where I've been so that later, when I'm looking for ways to distract myself from working, I know what reviews to write. I'm 41 now. No spring chicken, as it were. The memory, she fades... But back to the badges. You know, don't you, that by awarding me a "regular" badge simply for wandering into the same coffee house twice in a four-week span, you cheapen us both. I'm not a regular at Neutral Ground! Now, as a regular, you can trust my vast experience: -People smoke outside. But not inside. So that's OK. -Open mic night is Sunday night. The first time I checked it out, we went around 7:30pm and it was adorable, but bad. Angsty Tulane students with one or two songs they memorized from some "Hits of the 90's" songbook and the like. Like I said, adorable. I sat at the bar, had a hot chocolate (because I don't drink coffee, regular of the coffee house that I am), listened to three different "acts," got to witness an interaction whereby some chickie ordered "fish and chips" off the menu and was annoyed to discover when her order was up that it was a bowl of goldfish and a bag of Zapp's (take it from a regular: they don't serve hot food here), and then left. The second time I checked it out was last night (the night I became a regular). We wandered in with our out-of-town visitor in tow around 9:30, got a picnic table in the back, and opened up one of the board games. Board games are funner, it turns out, when you don't worry about the rules. The music was much better last night but I'm thinking it's the time of night and not the week that changed that up. There was this one older lady who sang old timey songs acapella and she had such a great voice - a little bit Billie Holiday and yet somehow also a little bit Shirley Temple. And then you know, the standard array of adequate (for no cover charge) performers - nice voices, pleasant songs, decent guitar skills. And a sweet couple of older hippies with a good schtick. But I do have some bones to pick with the audience. Generally, not very respectful. And the musicians that come in to play - that's all most of them do. They wait for their turn, either smoking outside or hanging in the wings inside, talking through the other sets until it's their turn to go up. Then they do their thing and leave. Come on, guys. Show some support for local music. Especially if you are local musicians, too. And to the boys who sat in the back corner "working" on their laptops - I appreciate that not everyone is there to listen to the music, but so should you appreciate that no one (with the possible exception of you and even that I'm not so sure about) is there to listen to the story of your quest to buy a blow up Tupac doll on Bourbon Street. At least have the common sense to not want the rest of the room to know your business, if not the decency to use your library voice while musicians are playing quietly at the other end of the room. read more

Delightful, quirky place. Outside looks sketchy, inside looks like a bohemian hunting lodge. I revel in places that are open past 9pm and Neutral Ground is open until at least midnight. I'm very content that the drink menu is limited, because really I come here to just get out of my house and hang out. They have enough loose-leaf and bagged tea to satisfy my decaffeinated desires at the hours that I do come here and it's super cheap. They have goldfish to nom on and yummy brownie sundaes. This place features local musicians and in the last 90 minutes I've heard a husband-wife guitar duo cover the Beatles and Adele and a folksy harmonica/guitar and bass duo play songs I'm mostly familiar with from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. My lady friend has come to see Kyndra Joi here, so it's not all folk music. Additional tidbits: -They have a pillow room. Yes, your childhood dream of a room full of pillows exists. It's small and cozy with a table in the middle for your board game playing needs. When I don't think about how often the pillows get washed, I am very comfortable. -People have really interesting conversations here. That's all I've got for that. read more

The Neutral Ground is a music venue first and a coffee shop ... ehh... dead last. My original review still stands, but the star rating was out of whack. read more

The comfortable, casual nature of this establishment sets it apart from most mainstream coffeehouses in and around New Orleans. Music, poetry, and comedy nights give rise to a pass-the-hat clientele that have supported this divey little art and music venue for decades. The Sunday night open mic features seasoned talent and newcomers alike in a family-friendly venue up until 10pm when the wild side kicks in... guaranteeing something for everyone. I have been going for years and consider it my second living room. read more

This is a coffee shop that no one goes to for coffee. They go for things like poetry and music. Infact, I forget what their coffee even tastes like; the banjo player was awesome though (and he lived upstairs). read more

Talk about eclectic and unusual! Mostly high schoolers and neighborhood locals. I come here because it's innocent (no alcohol), but it has a bar feel. I also love the snacks - my favorite is the bowl of goldfish. There are board games and live music (hit or miss on whether or not I like it)... I love this place! read more

LOVE this place! Great coffee, wonderful atmosphere, and the baristas are terrific! Open mic night sure brings out the crazies, but it wouldn't be New Orleans any other way! read more

I have been coming here every chance I get for the past 7 years, it is as much a home to me as anywhere else . Don't know where I'd be without it. I would strenuously recommend coming here in the strongest possible terms. Your life is not complete without it. Then again, I'm a fanatic so one probably shouldn't listen to me. read more

Very comfortable place. Really more like a club house or someone's well-worn living room than a traditional coffee house. No booze but lots of coffee and sodas. Free freshly popped pop corn the night I was there. (I don't think they actually have the food items that they mention on their website.) Live music pretty much all the time. We went for the Open Mic on Sunday and had a great time. Funky unisex bathroom and cool decor throughout the place. Free wifi. The staff were very welcoming and made us all feel super comfortable. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area and looking for a cool place to hang. read more

I love this coffee shop. It's quaint and charming. It's actually fairly large, but has a small feel to it. The drinks are good and served up by a 'tender over a bar and bar stools. There are plenty of places to sit, and there are people strewn about playing board games and chatting and whatnot. They had open mic nights when I went and it was cool, some talented people that I still remember a couple years later. I highly recommend this place. read more

This used to be a co-op but i don;t know what it is now. Musicians and poets nightly, but the coffee is regular and the teas are nothing special. Good place to meet bohemians and hippies. read more

I miss Penny Post, which is what this was in a previous life. Or maybe I just grew up & don't find this place as interesting as I did when I was in high school? It seems brighter, less moody maybe. read more

Great place. Great atmosphere. Free live entertainment. Great drinks. Good feel to this place. Games for your enjoyment. They're open pretty late, I think to about 1am. Order your own pot of tea and it's pretty cheap for a group. Just really cool. Plus, poetry slams once a week. read more

My husband and I want to open a coffee shop someday. I find that when I'm describing the type of place I want it to be, it sounds very much like this place! I've been there once when I was a teenager and I loved it! It was edgy, dim, live poetry/music/open mic, battered boardgames, lovely barista, comfortable etc etc! I had black coffee since I was trying to be cool and I expected to gag but I didn't, the coffee was really good and memorable (this was 5 years ago). Great name too. Only good reviews and fond memories of this place! read more

This is a really awesome cafe/music venue! My band stopped and played here on tour and it was wonderful. Great vibes, awesome coffee, great performers! I also clumsily left a bag of equipment at the shop and didn't realize until I was in Texas! They shipped it back to me! Such sweet people! It's also great if you want to get out of the touristy areas of New Orleans. read more

Chill place. I wouldn't call it a coffee house, as their coffee isn't really good. However, I love open mics regardless the talent level and they have games. They didn't have the tiles for scrabble, so they really screwed up there. read more

This is an amazing venue. If you just want to chill and meet people in the city Neutral Ground is where to do it at. Now don't come expecting a whole lot. Just come and chill. If you're uptown New Orleans this is your spot. Music varies regularly and coffee is so so. read more

This place is special. I imagine it as a mashup of a ski lodge and your eccentric uncle's basement; full of nooks and crannies and constant new discoveries... http://invadenola.com/2012/07/neutral-ground-coffeehouse/ read more

Well, OK, I do sorta work here, but, If you truly love your workplace, that's gotta say SOMETHING. I have also posted to note that we have begun to roast our own coffee, mostly south and central american varieties. (we're also looking for an african scource) We have also gotten a variety of loose teas in, and are carrying hummus and pita, and miso soup!!! Oh, and we're no longer officially a co-op, but we still behave like one. (we also do not microwave our hot chocolate, we froth it. if your volunteer barrista does otherwise, tell them, or tell me and I'll kick their butt) The Walls are actually barge boards that floated down the mississippi river all those years ago..... Open Mic's on Sunday, open poetry's on Wednsday! We love you! read more

This is a nice place for local musicians, coffee, and a ridiculously eclectic assortment of couches/chairs. The service is friendly, the place is clean, and they're more than welcoming to amateur musicians/poets/other artists. This is a good place to relax, listen to some local music, and have some coffee/tea. read more

Awesome little coffee shop, coffee and latte is amazing. Little eclectic but really cool, super cozy. Has music some nights, nice barry feel. read more