Nestled on the ground floor of the historic Pontchartrain Hotel at 2031 St. Charles Avenue, Bayou Bar is a wood-lined cocktail lounge with a storied past. Frank Sinatra and Truman Capote were known to spend evenings at this Garden District drinking den, and in 1966 it's where the New Orleans Saints football franchise was officially christened.
Today, bassist Peter Harris plays the room's weekly live jazz series, running Tuesday through Saturday nights. Performances are listed as free and open to the public, with reservations recommended but not required — an intimate, warm alternative to the city's larger, more crowded venues.