New Orleans
Where locals watch the Saints, Pelicans, and LSU Tigers. From dog-friendly patios to 400-beer lists.
5135 Canal Blvd, Mid-City · $$
1100 Constance St, Lower Garden District · $$
3701 Iberville St, Mid-City · $$
3701 Banks St, Mid-City · $$
333 St. Charles Ave, CBD · $$$
1039 Broadway St, Uptown · $
509 S Carrollton Ave, Riverbend · $$
440 S St Patrick St, Mid-City · $
218 S Robertson St, CBD · $$
1732 St Charles Ave, Garden District · $$
1134 N Peters St, French Quarter · $$
1201 Magazine St, Lower Garden District · $$$
This is what a New Orleans sports bar should look like. Massive wooden bar, pressed tin ceiling, and enough TVs to satisfy the most dedicated fan. The weekend crowd is electric on Saints games. Wings and nachos done right.
Saints game day institution since 1984. The energy here on Sunday is unmatched. Creole-American food cooked in an open kitchen, cold beer, and the kind of crowd that bleeds black and gold. No reservations on game days.
New Orleans' best Irish sports pub. Full Irish breakfast served all day. They pull a perfect pint of Guinness and the bar staff actually care about the games on screen. Soccer, rugby, American football, all with equal passion.
The local view
New Orleans watches sport the way it does everything else, loudly and together. On autumn Sundays the Saints turn the Caesars Superdome into a wall of black and gold, and the "Who Dat" chant spills out across every barroom in the city. You do not need a Superdome ticket to feel it.
The Pelicans run the NBA calendar at the Smoothie King Center next door, and college football owns the winter through the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Add big one-off events like Super Bowl LIX in February 2025, and the city rarely goes quiet.
Below are the bars locals actually trust for a game, sorted by neighbourhood and by what you want from the night.
A good New Orleans sports bar reads the room by season. During Saints games it commits fully, with sound up, jerseys everywhere and enough screens that no seat loses the play. The best rooms carry that energy without losing the kitchen.
Geography matters too. The French Quarter and Bourbon Street pull the crowds and the visitors, while Mid-City near City Park and Uptown along Magazine Street keep a steadier local base. The Warehouse District sits handy for anyone walking from the Superdome or the Smoothie King Center.
Look for a spot that handles more than the NFL. College Saturdays, Pelicans nights and early Premier League kick-offs each ask for a different setup, and a real sports bar covers them without complaint. Reliable audio, honest kitchen hours and staff who know the schedule beat any gimmick.
New Orleans rewards fans who follow the season rather than one team. For Saints Sundays and the "Who Dat" roar, Cooter Brown's Tavern and Finn McCool's Irish Pub rarely miss, while Mid-City locals lean on The Bulldog Mid-City and Mid-City Yacht Club. Check kick-off times, arrive before the anthem and let the city do the rest.
Good to know
Locals scatter across the city, but Mid-City and Uptown hold the steadiest Saints crowds. Cooter Brown's Tavern packs in for kick-off, and Finn McCool's Irish Pub draws a loyal "Who Dat" table. The Bulldog Mid-City and Mid-City Yacht Club fill fast on Sundays, so arrive early for a rivalry game.
Mid-City near City Park holds the densest local cluster, with Finn McCool's Irish Pub, The Bulldog Mid-City and Mid-City Yacht Club close together. Uptown around the Riverbend gives you Cooter Brown's Tavern, and the Warehouse District suits anyone walking from the Superdome. Our New Orleans guide maps the rest.
Yes. NFL Sundays belong to the Saints, and Saturdays swing to college football, capped each winter by the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome. For the Premier League, aim for the Irish pubs; Finn McCool's Irish Pub opens early for kick-offs and keeps a known football crowd.
New Orleans is not a 2026 World Cup host city, so the action stays on the screens. Bars with a soccer following, like Finn McCool's Irish Pub, open early and show the group stage in full. The nearest matches play in other host cities, so check our World Cup bars guide before you travel.
Looking beyond New Orleans? See our guide to the best sports bars worldwide, or compare sports bars city by city. Or find sports bars near you.