THE OUT ALL DAY GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS' NEIGHBORHOODS:
THE irish channel
Where to go, eat, drink and shop in New Orleans. The best local, independent businesses.
Clockwise from top left: H Rault Locksmiths, Parasol's, Turkey and the Wolf, Terrance Osbourne Art, Atchafalaya
THE IRISH CHANNEL
This guide covers the area framed by Delachaise Avenue, the river side of Magazine Street, Tchoupitoulas Street and Jackson Avenue, with the Port of New Orleans as a kind of peninsula. The neighborhood is named for the first wave of Irish immigrants, who started to arrive in the early-mid 19th century. It’s now a mix of residential (largely shotgun) homes, restaurants and bars (with a high percentage of them being dog friendly), and has some of the city’s most beloved spots, including the second oldest shop of its kind in the country.
*Neighborhood boundaries and the like are constantly argued over, and I’m not presenting this guide as the authority, just a casual round-up of places in the general area called The Irish Channel. Google map link here
Guide by Paul Oswell
This guide covers the area framed by Delachaise Avenue, the river side of Magazine Street, Tchoupitoulas Street and Jackson Avenue, with the Port of New Orleans as a kind of peninsula. The neighborhood is named for the first wave of Irish immigrants, who started to arrive in the early-mid 19th century. It’s now a mix of residential (largely shotgun) homes, restaurants and bars (with a high percentage of them being dog friendly), and has some of the city’s most beloved spots, including the second oldest shop of its kind in the country.
*Neighborhood boundaries and the like are constantly argued over, and I’m not presenting this guide as the authority, just a casual round-up of places in the general area called The Irish Channel. Google map link here
Guide by Paul Oswell
Shop
Antiques on Jackson
1028 Jackson Ave
Away from the antiquing epicenter of Royal Street, this shop self describes as ‘Specializing in European Painted and Parcel-gilt Antiques’. Some pretty decadent pieces, especially if you’re into old religious iconography and gilt-edged mirrors. Website
Funky Monkey
3127 Magazine St
A vintage clothing store that’s also a good stop for some casual costuming pieces and unusual accessories. You can also sell and trade your own clothes. Website
H Rault Locksmiths
3027 Magazine St
This is the oldest business operating on Magazine Street, the oldest locksmith in the state and the second oldest IN THE UNITED STATES. But it’s more than a locksmith, and well worth a visit: it’s part museum, part vintage and gift store and part showroom. Website
Lionheart Prints
3312 Magazine St
If you’re a stationery and gift card fiend, then this is your spot. Home made cards and gifts, and stocks of high quality pens, pencils, and art supplies. Website
Urban Roots Garden Center
2375 Tchoupitoulas St
Well-stocked gardening center with locally grown seasonal garden plants, bedding plants, trees and shrubs, cactus and succulents, and house plants. Website
Zѐle NOLA
2841 Magazine St
A permanent indoor art market, filled with goods all made by local artists including artwork and paintings, t-shirts, jewelry, candles, etc. Website
Eat & Drink
Atchafalaya
901 Louisiana Ave
This is one of the lower-key best restaurants in the city - a creole cottage with a rustic feel that’s perhaps most famous for their Bloody Mary Bar at brunch service. Before they got their license, they ran it as a BYOB ‘Vodka Salad Bar’, which is some real New Orleans thinking. Website
Banh Mi Boys
3244 Magazine St
Only in New Orleans do we get the ‘Vietnamese PoBoy’, their locally-skewed banh mi variations. Solid, casual, Vietnamese food. Website
Boil Seafood House
3340 Magazine St
One of two in the city (they also have a Mid City branch), they specialize in Cajun and Caribbean seafood dishes. Website
The Bulldog
3236 Magazine St
Beer bar with around 50 beers on tap and 100 bottles, so if you love craft beers, this is your spot. They also turn out a decent burger, and they’ve been around since 1994, so they know what they’re doing. Website
The Daily Beet
3300 Magazine St
Seems like the Irish channel sees a lot of local businesses set up their second location, this being one of them. Expect health-forward and organic foods, with fresh cold-pressed juices, smoothies and salads. Website
Deanie’s Seafood Kitchen
2200 Magazine St
The French Quarter incarnation of Deanie’s gets a lot of attention, but don’t sleep on this outpost. They have all the classics here, from bacon-wrapped shrimp to their famous boiled seafood platters. Website
Dragonfly Cafe
530 Jackson Ave
A community-forward cafe that’s part of Raphael Village, a life skills-providing New Orleans-based organization. Good spot for breakfast and lunch, and they have bottomless mimosas. Website
Levee Baking Co.
3138 Magazine St
Elevated baked goods such as croissants with prosciutto and gruyere, as well as cinnamon rolls and vegan cookies. You can also buy cake slices, baguettes, and even a dozen local eggs. Website
Miel Brewery + Taproom
405 Sixth St
An eco-conscious brewery and tap room, with around 15 of their own beers on tap at any one time. The dog-friendly patio is a popular stop. Website
Molly’s Rise and Shine
2368 Magazine St
This follow-up act to Turkey & the Wolf (see below) kicks breakfast up a notch with a playful menu and vintage decor. Dive into their Grand Slam McMuffin or a counter-intuitive “Thai night market-style” Crispy Rice Salad. Website
NOLA Brewery & Taproom
3001 Tchoupitoulas St
Here since 2008, this is the company that bright you Hopitoulas, Irish Channel Stout and a slew of locally-themed brews. Beer flights, river views from the patio and their in-house pizza kitchen (NOLA Pizza Co.) keep locals coming back. Website
Parasol’s
2533 Constance St
One of the city’s most renowned dive bars, loved not least for their roast beef poboys and frozen Irish coffees. They’ve been around for over 60 years, and if the Irish Channel has a drinking institution, this is probably it. Of course they don’t have a website, this kind of place doesn’t need one.
Pete’s Out in the Cold
701 Sixth St
Another dive bar with a patio, an old school-style juke box and, according to them, “a bossy bar cat”. Instagram
Slim Goodies
3322 Magazine St
An honest-to-goodness breakfast diner, and they serve all that good stuff until 3pm, which is breakfast time for the city’s service industry workers. Favorites include the Crabby Wife crab balls and the Les Bons Temps Omelet, which contains Slim’s crawfish etouffee. Website
T&T Seafood & PoBoys
548 Jackson Ave
Longtime, family-run counter service with fried chicken, poboys and seafood.
Tchoup Yard
405 Third St
Yet another dog-friendly bar with a large patio, food trucks, bar games, lots of TVs…you know, bar stuff. Website
Ruby Slipper Cafe
2802 Magazine Street
Locals all know this regional brunch chain, and have wildly varying opinions on the brand as a whole. This location is one of the better ones, with more of a neighborhood feel than, say, Canal Street. Website
The Rum House
3128 Magazine St
Ever wondered what a Caribbean taqueria might be like? IN this case, it’s island flavors and tropical cocktails mixed with award-wining tacos, which seems like (in the owner’s words) “a hair-brained business plan”, but works out just fine. Website
Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar
2604 Magazine St
It’s…an Irish bar. Website
Turkey and the Wolf
739 Jackson Ave
A sandwich shop that, in the crazy days of 2017, was awarded the title of Best New Restaurant IN AMERICA by Bon Appetit Magazine. Talismanic maverick chef Mason Hereford somehow pulls off a culinary high-wire act of recreating his childhood comfort foods while impressing the critics, and it’s pretty magnificent. Not sure I’ve seen any turkey on the menu, let alone any wolf. One of the neighborhood highlights, anyway. Website
Stay
Garden District Bed & Breakfast
2418 Magazine St
A beautiful Victorian home from the 1870s, it was rumored to have been a brothel during the 1920's, but today it's a comfortable four-suite bed and breakfast. Well worth a look if you’re looking for great value accommodation away from the French Quarter and CBD. Website
JT’s Hidden Gem Bed and Breakfast and The Duchess Bed & Breakfast also exist, but they are not part of the official New Orleans Bed and Breakfast/Professional Innkeepers Association.
Misc
Clay Square
2524 Annunciation St,
A little, one-block square park.
Gallery B Fos
2138 Magazine St
Art gallery. Per their own description: “Ambassador of Color. Through her art, Becky Fos celebrates life along the Gulf Coast and the wildlife that inhabits the nearby swamps and bayous.” Website
Terrance Osbourne Art
3029 Magazine St
Commerically and critically-acclaimed artist. According to his website, his 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2022 Official Jazz & Heritage Festival Posters are a handful of the most collected posters in the world. Website
Churches
As you might expect, there’s also quite a few churches in the neighborhood, including the Jackson Avenue Evangelical Church and the New Orleans Community Church. Jackson Avenue Evangelical is probably the most architecturally and generally interesting, having been there since 1876, and it was once the largest church in the city.
OUR GUIDE TO THE UPPER 9TH WARD
MORE NEW ORLEANS CULTURE
Antiques on Jackson
1028 Jackson Ave
Away from the antiquing epicenter of Royal Street, this shop self describes as ‘Specializing in European Painted and Parcel-gilt Antiques’. Some pretty decadent pieces, especially if you’re into old religious iconography and gilt-edged mirrors. Website
Funky Monkey
3127 Magazine St
A vintage clothing store that’s also a good stop for some casual costuming pieces and unusual accessories. You can also sell and trade your own clothes. Website
H Rault Locksmiths
3027 Magazine St
This is the oldest business operating on Magazine Street, the oldest locksmith in the state and the second oldest IN THE UNITED STATES. But it’s more than a locksmith, and well worth a visit: it’s part museum, part vintage and gift store and part showroom. Website
Lionheart Prints
3312 Magazine St
If you’re a stationery and gift card fiend, then this is your spot. Home made cards and gifts, and stocks of high quality pens, pencils, and art supplies. Website
Urban Roots Garden Center
2375 Tchoupitoulas St
Well-stocked gardening center with locally grown seasonal garden plants, bedding plants, trees and shrubs, cactus and succulents, and house plants. Website
Zѐle NOLA
2841 Magazine St
A permanent indoor art market, filled with goods all made by local artists including artwork and paintings, t-shirts, jewelry, candles, etc. Website
Eat & Drink
Atchafalaya
901 Louisiana Ave
This is one of the lower-key best restaurants in the city - a creole cottage with a rustic feel that’s perhaps most famous for their Bloody Mary Bar at brunch service. Before they got their license, they ran it as a BYOB ‘Vodka Salad Bar’, which is some real New Orleans thinking. Website
Banh Mi Boys
3244 Magazine St
Only in New Orleans do we get the ‘Vietnamese PoBoy’, their locally-skewed banh mi variations. Solid, casual, Vietnamese food. Website
Boil Seafood House
3340 Magazine St
One of two in the city (they also have a Mid City branch), they specialize in Cajun and Caribbean seafood dishes. Website
The Bulldog
3236 Magazine St
Beer bar with around 50 beers on tap and 100 bottles, so if you love craft beers, this is your spot. They also turn out a decent burger, and they’ve been around since 1994, so they know what they’re doing. Website
The Daily Beet
3300 Magazine St
Seems like the Irish channel sees a lot of local businesses set up their second location, this being one of them. Expect health-forward and organic foods, with fresh cold-pressed juices, smoothies and salads. Website
Deanie’s Seafood Kitchen
2200 Magazine St
The French Quarter incarnation of Deanie’s gets a lot of attention, but don’t sleep on this outpost. They have all the classics here, from bacon-wrapped shrimp to their famous boiled seafood platters. Website
Dragonfly Cafe
530 Jackson Ave
A community-forward cafe that’s part of Raphael Village, a life skills-providing New Orleans-based organization. Good spot for breakfast and lunch, and they have bottomless mimosas. Website
Levee Baking Co.
3138 Magazine St
Elevated baked goods such as croissants with prosciutto and gruyere, as well as cinnamon rolls and vegan cookies. You can also buy cake slices, baguettes, and even a dozen local eggs. Website
Miel Brewery + Taproom
405 Sixth St
An eco-conscious brewery and tap room, with around 15 of their own beers on tap at any one time. The dog-friendly patio is a popular stop. Website
Molly’s Rise and Shine
2368 Magazine St
This follow-up act to Turkey & the Wolf (see below) kicks breakfast up a notch with a playful menu and vintage decor. Dive into their Grand Slam McMuffin or a counter-intuitive “Thai night market-style” Crispy Rice Salad. Website
NOLA Brewery & Taproom
3001 Tchoupitoulas St
Here since 2008, this is the company that bright you Hopitoulas, Irish Channel Stout and a slew of locally-themed brews. Beer flights, river views from the patio and their in-house pizza kitchen (NOLA Pizza Co.) keep locals coming back. Website
Parasol’s
2533 Constance St
One of the city’s most renowned dive bars, loved not least for their roast beef poboys and frozen Irish coffees. They’ve been around for over 60 years, and if the Irish Channel has a drinking institution, this is probably it. Of course they don’t have a website, this kind of place doesn’t need one.
Pete’s Out in the Cold
701 Sixth St
Another dive bar with a patio, an old school-style juke box and, according to them, “a bossy bar cat”. Instagram
Slim Goodies
3322 Magazine St
An honest-to-goodness breakfast diner, and they serve all that good stuff until 3pm, which is breakfast time for the city’s service industry workers. Favorites include the Crabby Wife crab balls and the Les Bons Temps Omelet, which contains Slim’s crawfish etouffee. Website
T&T Seafood & PoBoys
548 Jackson Ave
Longtime, family-run counter service with fried chicken, poboys and seafood.
Tchoup Yard
405 Third St
Yet another dog-friendly bar with a large patio, food trucks, bar games, lots of TVs…you know, bar stuff. Website
Ruby Slipper Cafe
2802 Magazine Street
Locals all know this regional brunch chain, and have wildly varying opinions on the brand as a whole. This location is one of the better ones, with more of a neighborhood feel than, say, Canal Street. Website
The Rum House
3128 Magazine St
Ever wondered what a Caribbean taqueria might be like? IN this case, it’s island flavors and tropical cocktails mixed with award-wining tacos, which seems like (in the owner’s words) “a hair-brained business plan”, but works out just fine. Website
Tracey’s Original Irish Channel Bar
2604 Magazine St
It’s…an Irish bar. Website
Turkey and the Wolf
739 Jackson Ave
A sandwich shop that, in the crazy days of 2017, was awarded the title of Best New Restaurant IN AMERICA by Bon Appetit Magazine. Talismanic maverick chef Mason Hereford somehow pulls off a culinary high-wire act of recreating his childhood comfort foods while impressing the critics, and it’s pretty magnificent. Not sure I’ve seen any turkey on the menu, let alone any wolf. One of the neighborhood highlights, anyway. Website
Stay
Garden District Bed & Breakfast
2418 Magazine St
A beautiful Victorian home from the 1870s, it was rumored to have been a brothel during the 1920's, but today it's a comfortable four-suite bed and breakfast. Well worth a look if you’re looking for great value accommodation away from the French Quarter and CBD. Website
JT’s Hidden Gem Bed and Breakfast and The Duchess Bed & Breakfast also exist, but they are not part of the official New Orleans Bed and Breakfast/Professional Innkeepers Association.
Misc
Clay Square
2524 Annunciation St,
A little, one-block square park.
Gallery B Fos
2138 Magazine St
Art gallery. Per their own description: “Ambassador of Color. Through her art, Becky Fos celebrates life along the Gulf Coast and the wildlife that inhabits the nearby swamps and bayous.” Website
Terrance Osbourne Art
3029 Magazine St
Commerically and critically-acclaimed artist. According to his website, his 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2022 Official Jazz & Heritage Festival Posters are a handful of the most collected posters in the world. Website
Churches
As you might expect, there’s also quite a few churches in the neighborhood, including the Jackson Avenue Evangelical Church and the New Orleans Community Church. Jackson Avenue Evangelical is probably the most architecturally and generally interesting, having been there since 1876, and it was once the largest church in the city.
OUR GUIDE TO THE UPPER 9TH WARD
MORE NEW ORLEANS CULTURE