Café Lafitte in Exile
Gay bar · New Orleans French Quarter
Open since 1933 and therefore one of the oldest gay bars in the US: Café Lafitte in Exile on the corner of Bourbon and Dumaine is an institution with its balcony, karaoke and the Sunday Napkin Toss.
- ★ 4.4 on Google (329)
- Since 1933
- Bars upstairs and downstairs
- Often open around the clock
- Address
- 901 Bourbon St
New Orleans, LA 70116 - Opening hours
- Wed–Sun around the clock
Mon 11 am–3 am, Tue 11 am–12 am - Drinks
- Well drink $3.75
- Crowd
- mostly men, many regulars and holidaymakers, mostly 35+
- Flirt factor
- medium to high
- Programme
- Karaoke every Wednesday
DJ every Friday night
Trash Disco every Sunday from 4 pm, Napkin Toss at 9 pm - Getting there
- Bourbon St at Dumaine St in the quieter lower French Quarter, approx. 10-minute walk from Jackson Square
What makes Café Lafitte in Exile special
The bar opened in 1933 at the end of Prohibition in Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop at 941 Bourbon Street. After a dispute with the landlord, owner Tom Caplinger moved a few doors down to 901 Bourbon Street in the 1950s, hence the “in Exile” in the name. Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote were among its guests.
Today there is a bar on the ground floor and one on the first floor, both with outdoor seating overlooking Bourbon Street. At weekends and during football games, sport is shown on a big outdoor screen. The highlight of the week is Sunday: Trash Disco from the afternoon and, at 9 pm, the Napkin Toss, when everyone throws napkins into the air at the same time.
Atmosphere and crowd
Mostly men, mostly mid-30s and up, locals and regulars from all over the world. Downstairs is livelier and flirtier, upstairs more sociable, like a pub.
A good fit if you …
- want to experience queer American history at the bar
- want to join the Napkin Toss on Sunday
- want to watch the Bourbon Street action from the balcony
Not ideal if you …
- are looking for a dance floor with a club sound
- are in your early 20s and looking for a young crowd
Contact
Editorially researched, as of October 2026. Sources: the bar’s website, Explore Louisiana, Frommer’s, Wikipedia, Google reviews (4.4 stars, 329 reviews). Opening hours, prices and programme may change, please check before visiting.