Best bar on the planet? Maybe not. Great local bar in a cool New Orleans neighborhood? Absolutely! So much fun we came back every night during our stay in Marigny. Great drinks, great prices, great staff, great ambiance. What more can you say! Bonus: Fresh food right out front every night made by a rotating cast of vendors. We had pizza, crawfish, and fantastic soul food. We'd come back to visit every time we're in the neighborhood! read more

The Friendly Bar - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Very nice local bar. Friendly staff. Very comfortable environment inside! Outside seating. Well behaved Dog friendly inside and outside seating. read more

This is one of our favorite bars to stop into every time we're in New Orleans. We are day drinkers, so I can't speak to how it is on a crowded night, but if you want a nice place to relax for a couple drinks, this place is great. Pretty Mardi Gras decorations and Blue Dog pictures. Bartenders Phil, Debbie, and Gary were all so friendly and welcoming, and easy to start conversations with that we didn't feel out of place even though we weren't neighborhood regulars. If I lived in the Marigny, it would be my neighborhood bar for sure. read more

The Friendly Bar - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Not friendly as the name indicates. I stopped by before my dinner reservation which was just a few doors down from this neighborhood bar. The place was packed front to back you could hardly get in. I'm not sure whether food was served by the establishment but there was a vendor outside serving food. read more

The Friendly Bar - THC drink - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Closed at midnight or 1 at best don't go out of your way to go to this place if it's after midnight

The friendly bar is not friendly, I was in a car and in front of their bar they were selling food. Somebody was there needing to get stuff over to there so I stopped for 15 minutes and waited for them to do that and then I asked them if they'll sell their food to somebody in the car and they said no. This is not the first time something nasty has happened, but this time I felt compelled to rate them. read more

Fantastic local dive bar. Great bartenders and great drinks. Open to ALL people. A bar that supports its neighborhood and local charities. Stop by and enjoy. read more

Went out after Krewe du Vieux last night and it was the most fun I've had in a loooonnnggggg time. They have a touch tunes which given how strong and cheap the drinks are, can get dangerous. I danced my little booty off and made several new friends... if only I could remember their names... Really though, I love this bar. Sometimes they are cash only, sometimes not. Be prepared for anything except for over paying. My drinks were cheap and STRONG. The clientele and bartenders were so kind. I felt right at home. It is a local dive, so tourists should not expect to be "catered to" as I saw in other reviews. Just good with the flow, and you'll have a great time. read more

Local hangout. Jukebox. Drinks. In the Marginy. Bloody Mary was good. Has a pool table. Yes, everyone there is friendly.

Very chill little bar. Great vibes in the bartender was very cool. Multiple TVs, a pool table and darts! read more

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Everything you want from a chintzy neighborhood dive -- friendly bartenders, cheap, tasty drinks, chatty patrons, and a pool table in the back. Great spot to sit and vibe for a bit if you wander off the Frenchman strip. Go on a Tuesday evening for the made-to-order grilled tacos! read more

The Friendly Bar - Grilled tacos on Tuesdays! - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Bartender tonight couldn't do math. Gave us cash when we gave him a card. Was rude from the start.

Worst dive bar ever! I'll be back tomorrow. Yes dive bar. Yes casual. Yes pool table. Yes all beer on tab. Yes chill. read more

We went to stop in for a drink on 4th of July and we're happy to find that this bar lives up to its name! What a friendly bar! The drinks were great (bartender told us 3oz was their standard pour so keep that in mind). I loved the decorations hanging from the ceiling and around the bar, made it very homely(also quite maximalist). Outside of the bar was a man in the back of his pickup with a grill selling meat and sausages which I also tried and was delicious. Not sure how often (if ever else) he is there. read more

It was Sunday Funday and I felt like a good spicy bloody Mary! One of my friends said that Jazz at The Friendly Bar made the best! I'm very particular about my bloody Mary's and if they're too bland, I end up sending them back. Well, Jazz didn't disappoint! It was made perfectly with beans, olives, and even okra! Believe it or not it was a breezy day to sit outside for the first of July in New Orleans! Chatted with friends, made new ones. Maybe that's what The Friendly Bar is all about? The interior was clean, had a really nice pool table. Some bars in NOLA don't care about keeping their tables up and this one was nice and even and the pool sticks were just as nice! Do yourself a favor, if you're in neighborhood, stop in and ask for Jazz! She'll make you one of the best bloody's in town! read more

The Friendly Bar - A great bloody Mary! - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Stopped in for a quick drink after exploring the French Quarter all morning and on our way back to our Airbnb. This bar was not what we expected from the reviews! The bar was empty except for one patron and the bartender. Dirty, dingy and certainly not "friendly". We ended up taking our drinks and heading out. read more

The Friendly Bar - Fun looking ceiling is the opposite of the rest of the bar - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This is a low-key, neighborhood bar where the people are always friendly, as the name suggests. You'll find an eclectic mix in here from old to young, gay and straight. People are chatty and respectful. The juke box that plays reflects this too. They're cool with you ordering food which makes it easy to post up at the bar for hours without missing a meal. The line for the pool table is never too long nor the line for the bathroom (actually, non-existent). Special shout-out to bartender Rick on Saturday nights for treating us right! Nothing fancy here, the way I like it! read more

New Orleans, Louisiana --- "The Friendly Bar" is a neighborhood "buzz-me-in" dive bar ... bartender Debbie gave me "More Smiles Than I Came In With!" ... day 042 "DUSA 2017" (Discover USA) day 095 "666 Bars of 2017" / bar 192 "Run-A-Way Bill" was here! #RunAwayBill #666BarsUSA #DUSA2017 04.05.17 read more

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So my friends and I had just landed in New Orleans for mardi gras week our check in wasn't till 3pm so we're are walking around at 11 am with out luggage unfamiliar with the city and we find this place , I'm so happy we did I think Steve was the bartender and he was just the sweetest they were kind enough to let us keep our luggage to the side while we had a few drinks .Steve was so helpful letting us know about the parades and must do's he asked us if we had ever had Kings cake ( which we hadn't ) and he got us all a slice of cake ,it was delicious. Drinks were good and priced reasonable We didn't know what to expect but I'm so glad that thanks to you guys our first impression of new Orleans was a good one .You guys need to check out this dive bar we had a great time while we waited for our check in read more

The Friendly Bar - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

My favorite part of the Friendly Bar is the Captain Crunch cocktail which consists of Captain Crunch, oat milk, aged Barbados rum, raw cacao, saffron and rose water in a giant glow in the dark pineapple. Anytime I am in the Bywater I come in for a drink and enjoy a plate of haggis, nips and taddies. A bona fide gem! read more

Really liked this chill bar in one of my favorite neighborhoods in New Orleans. The Friendly Bar is in fact friendly with great bar staff and a cast of characters that New Orleans is known for as a great place to sit and people watch. The drinks are strong and cheap. The best part about this bar is that its a great place to bring a date to and chill in a comfortable atmosphere. I have passed this bar many times on my bike and have placed it on my favorites list. read more

Feels like home. Locals bar! We were tourists hoping to find a locals place and this nailed it! The bartender Debbie was excellent- nice and funny. So glad we stopped here! read more

The Friendly Bar - Locals place! - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great neighborhood dive bar!!! Friendly bartenders, single pool table, drinks priced to sell, and chatty patrons.

The Friendly Bar is one of my favorite stops when I'm on the downtown side of Canal Street! I make sure to stop in here whenever I'm in the Marigny and have the time, including on Mardi Gras day this past Carnival season. I must note I typically only stop in here day time Product: This place has a full bar selection, but, without a doubt, my drink of choice when stopping in here is their bloody mary. The drinks here are stiff, not watered down, and light on your pocketbook. You won't be disappointed, trust me. (5 stars) Service: No matter who's working, the service has been stellar for me. The bartenders are super-friendly to a fault, and they won't pad your bill. I always feel like I'm a regular when I stop in. It is exactly what I hope for in bar service. (5 stars) Facilities: There's no doubt this is a dive bar, from the outside inwards. Signage is simple, but ample. Inside, it is usually festively decorated for whatever season it is, with things festooned one might find at a dollar store. That's just fine by me, as it just adds to the charm of the place. There is seating outside at tables, and inside at barstools and a few lower tables and chairs. The TVs in here are large, and this place is frequented heavily during Saints games, according to the bartender. There is, if I recall, a wall-mounted digital jukebox, and there's usually some music softly piping into the place, but not over-bearing. Bathrooms are serviceable, but nothing special. (4 stars) Overall: Add this to your dive bar list, and get yourself out there! It's a good place to hang out, and, from what I can tell, gay-friendly, though not exclusively what I would call a "gay bar" (this coming from a straight person, mind you, but just my observation). (5 stars) read more

Was there late last week. I think Karla was working. Or maybe it was Rick. Or both. They were all working at full speed. Had just come off a ghost tour with a girl named Mimi. It . Was . Awsome. The jukebox was playing some great music! Slingin' some good drinks! read more

Stop at Friendly Bar for pre-drinking before heading over to MiMi's for dancing. I had an epic experience a month or two ago here. A bunch of friends and I ended up having singing competitions across the bar with another group. We were shouting Journey at the top of our lungs and taking turns as if we were two teams in a sing-off. The teams would join forces every now and then on the dance floor to line dance. (of all things) The next thing we knew, the bartender had lined up shots for the entire bar. I haven't stopped taking about these shots since. The shot was peanut butter and jelly and as the bartender says..."just like the sandwich without the crust." So much fun and worth a stop in just for the shot. Did I mention that I was also dancing on the bar that night? The bartender claims she has photos. haha. read more

Loved this place! Me and my lady came in from out of town and were staying nearby and had some time to kill before seeing Stanton Moore play at The Snug Harbor later and we saw this bar listed on a poster of New Orlean's greatest bars, so we're like ok. Cheap drinks, but we were welcomed and made to feel right at home and got into some fun and serious and real conversations with the locals, we were feeling the love for sure. This is what a local, neighborhood bar should feel like, great choice and a great ambassador for what I hope the city of New Orleans stands for, fun, warmth and hospitality! read more

The Friendly Bar - OK, I seem to be getting mixed messages here. - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Have spent many memorable nights at The Friendly meeting wonderful people from the neighborhood and their friends and family. We always recommend this bar to friends who visit. It is a true feeling of coming home when we pop in and spend time enjoying everyone's music selections on the now modern "jukebox" and neat conversation. Once anyone hears a good tune, everyone else follows with singing. Love this place! Serendipity at it's most magical. read more

The Friendly Bar - The Friendly ... inside Mardi Gras ambiance. Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler! - Bars Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Good crowd. Bartender was afraid to turn up music. Been here on other nights and it wasn't a problem. Moody woman behind the bar. Would come again but not spending money on the jukebox. I do, overall, recommend this bar except for lame volume for music. Why have a jukebox if you can't hear it?!?! read more

Great little bar. I had an excellent Pimm's Cup with some extra love from the bartender, and my companion had a killer Bloody Mary with pickled green beans and other tasty stuff. Very friendly, as the name says. Reasonable prices and nice people. read more

Something has changed at the Friendly bar and I'm happy to say it's for the better. The bartenders have been bringing it lately and the energy has lifted up since they started making a better effort. Now we still need to focus on the decor and restrooms people... lets give us all something nice to look at shall we? I look forward to the Friendly bar being more then a pit stop and place to bring friends for a night. I believe in you... I really do. (Hell... I'll even help if you contact me.) read more

Amazing staff. We went there just at the end of the night and they were still very hospitable. When my friend lost her keys in the bar they were able to locate them and contact us . I would recommend this to anyone who's coming to the Nola area and want some good old southern bar read more

Actually, the Friendly Bar is not really all that friendly, it is a neighborhood corner bar that could use a lot of TLC, but nobody seems to mind. This is something that some of the neighbors of the Marigny section of New Orleans snicker about when this bar is discussed. It is more like a hole in the wall that people living in this area come to to socialize, both gay and straight, old and young, no matter what their interests may be. Sometimes I go in and talk to no one, other times I stay and hear a lot of stories and tell mine as well. I went there first, in the mid 90's when I was told that I could cash travellers checks there. I had to buy a drink (of course) and stayed for a while, I knew I was in New Orleans when I observed a woman ordering a glass of wine in a "go-cup" while she had the bartender call a tow service and was waiting for the truck to show up. Since then I make it a point to stop in during my frequent visits and to take care of my need for interesting interaction and no-holds barred conversations. Where else could I hear how much everyone cared about the bartender who just had a triple bypass in addition to being able to ask everything I always wanted to know about professional whips and whippin' techniques. The main event for me is Wednesday evening when they have their "Bring your own meat Night." Two grills are fired up out front, you purchase your own choice of meat at the store and cook it yourself. Baked potatoes, salad and fixin's are provided for inside, grab a drink, eat and make new friends, the place is packed. It is the coolest idea ever. I plan my trips around Wednesday evening, also Thursday for Zydeco at the Rock'n Bowl and afterwards to hear Kermit Ruffins at Vaughn's. I could go get all dressed up and go to other bars, which I have done, however I might not have had as much fun. read more

Gay and straight, young and old, sick, healthy, you name it - they're in there. This is one of the most interesting places I've visited. You'll see ladies drinking (and maybe smoking) while using oxygen, hear ridiculous stories (I'm sure they're true), and maybe visit a birthday or funeral celebration. It's true - I've seen it. The Friendly Bar really is Friendly. read more

We walked in and it was like the Gay version of Cheers. "HAAAAAY!" as everyone yelled while we found a seat at the bar. Other loved his drink, it was toxic enough for his tastes. I bit smokey but not too bad. It was raining and the bartender gave me his umbrella so I would not have to walk in the rain. Awwwww! read more

Truly a Friendly bar! I'm still in touch with the friends I made there, and will be catching up with them again soon on my next visit to New Orleans. Great prices, great location- just outside the quarter. read more

Friendly bar is a great place to start or end your night. Missy behind the bar is a riot, they have a nice juke box and a pool table, and cheap drinks. I'd call it a dive gay bar. I've been to other gay bars in the city and have felt uncomfortable and not welcome, being a woman, but Friendly is just that, friendly. read more

The bar is indeed friendly, but it's also sort of boring. A bit of a walk from lively Frenchmen Street, this is a dive bar clearly patronized by people who know each other well. Drinks are cheap, conversations are easy, but it wasn't very interesting at all. read more

The Friendly Bar was indeed very friendly to us in a cold COLD New Orleans night. Misty, the bartender, treated us right and the conversation was truly unrestrained. read more

I could not decide what star level to give this place. We stayed directly across the street and had heard it was as friendly as the name. On our 3rd night we walked down to Frenchmen St. around 11:00 pm and could not fit into any of the bars and the street was filled with smokers of all kinds. We headed back to our place and decided to try the Friendly Lounge. Steve was the bartender and made us feel welcome. We finely left at 1:30 am so he could close down and go home. Divey, yes, but a much better place than any on Frenchman and no smoking inside. read more