Here are the best spots for late night food in New Orleans.
Whether you’re a long-time local or a first-time visitor, one of the first things you learn about the Big Easy is that it operates on its own time. New Orleans time is a magic realm where an hour becomes three without anyone realizing it. With that in mind, it’s easy to see how you might be caught out late with a need to fill your belly before continuing to dance to the next bar or the comfort of your bedroom.
While everyone is familiar with Clover Grill, the 24/7 diner that uses hubcaps to cook the hamburgers, there’s certainly more to the late-night eats scene than that. Here are a few of the spots night owls can get their grub on in the Crescent City regardless of neighborhood or craving.
Bouligny Tavern
3641 Magazine St. – Open until midnight or 1 a.m. every day but Sunday
This Uptown gastropub is located in a charming century old home. Walking up to the open air porch feels like going to a close friend’s house. Once inside, the eclectic and elegant atmosphere engulfs you with the pub’s mix of vintage chairs, tufted booths, and modern light fixtures.
The Bouligny Tavern serves small plates of snacks, charcuterie, salads, oysters, crabs, and shrimp. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also desserts and craft cocktails. If you’re stopping by for a late night bite, I recommend trying the brownie sundae with a fig old fashioned cocktail. You won’t be disappointed!
Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine and Pastries
2025 N. Claiborne Ave. – Open until 3 a.m. Thursday thru Saturday
Late nights are a specialty of the house at Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine and Pastries. This little known spot serves breakfast all day, and their French toast and cinnamon rolls are customer favorites. They also serve a signature cocktail and bottomless mimosas.
The restaurant has an interesting backstory (which you can read more about here). Founder Shermond Esteen Jr. learned to bake while serving time on a marijuana charge. Eventually, he was made responsible for cooking for 600 people daily while in the Plaquemines Parish Correctional Center. After he’d finished his sentence, he was determined to share his hard won skills with the public and by mentoring other former inmates. Visiting Nonno’s will fill your belly and put some good karma out into the local community.
The business recently celebrated its first anniversary. Nonno’s is located in the city’s 7th Ward on Claiborne Avenue.
📺 WATCH 📺
Check out this episode of My Amazing Cheap Date to see the oysters at Nonno’s
Twelve Mile Limit
500 S. Telemachus Street – Open until midnight every day of the week
Founded in 2010, Twelve Mile Limit is a popular Mid-City spot serving Cuban-inspired food and delicious drinks. Located in a former pumping station, the bar was named after a Prohibition-era law which stated alcohol had to remain twelve miles offshore to be legal. Of course, New Orleans didn’t exactly conform to Prohibition, but the bar’s founder, Cole Newton, wanted to honor the defunct law and the rather stout drink (also called a Twelve Mile Limit) it inspired.
The bar is home to Que Pasta kitchen which serves up a bevy of Cuban foods. They also regularly host different restaurant pop-ups such as Chubby Husky, Third Wheel, and Fish Hawk to keep your taste buds satisfied.
Backspace Bar
139 Chartres Street – Open until 2 a.m. Saturday & Sunday
Founded in 2013, Backspace Bar is a unique dive amongst the many that line Chartres Street in the French Quarter. This literary-themed pub and kitchen serves drinks and dishes beloved and inspired by some of the world’s most famous authors. But the nods to history don’t end there. The counter running the length of the space was once part of a steam ship which sailed the Mississippi River.
When you enter Backspace, you’ll notice the typical darkened interior and rows of liquor behind the bar. But it’s impossible not to see the antique typewriters that also line the shelves. The atmosphere is inviting and comfy which makes it easy to linger for quite a while. Should you find yourself getting hungry, try the Hemingway Po-Boy with roast beef and oysters. Of course, you can always pair that with Papa Hemingway’s daiquiri as well!
Bar Redux
801 Poland Avenue – Open until 2 or 3 a.m. every night
“Come as you are… Stay as you like.” So states the motto of Bar Redux, a Bywater bar serving up drinks, tasties, and entertainment every night of the week. Their kitchen specializes in comfort foods which can be enjoyed inside the bar or outside in the courtyard. They also have options for vegan clientele, including the Island Vegan Burger and a vegan cheesecake.
Though it might be located “at the end of the world”, the bar’s still easy to spot thanks to a mural by street artist Michael Roman. The inside is decorated with retro memorabilia and changes periodically. Bar Redux has played host to various events like the Loup Garou Movie Festival and has live music and performances throughout the week. So, if you’re out late and want a great quesadilla or burger, try this laid-back hideaway out.
