Still can’t decide how to spend Fat Tuesday? One thing’s for sure: with New Orleans spots a’plenty, you needn’t leave the East Village to “laissez les bon temps roulez.” Here’s our last-minute guide to local bars and eateries celebrating the holiday.
Scott LynchCoyote Ugly
153 1st Avenue, between East 9th and 10th Streets
In addition to the dive’s usual Bourbon Street-worthy antics, Hurricane Maya drinks and $3 whiskey sours will be served.
Back Forty
190 Avenue B, between East 11th and 12th Streets
The southern-inflected comfort-food spot is hosting a three-day festival to celebrate Mardi-Valentino, which chef Michael Laarhoven describes as “a new holiday between Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day.” Reserve online (the ticket price goes toward your meal) for a special menu of smoked Andouille sausage, gumbo, blackened snapper, BBQ shrimp, and crawdads. There’ll be Delta blues, Dixieland jazz, and zydeco music.
Billy Hurricane’s
25 Avenue B, between Second and Third Streets
Every day is Mardi Gras at one of the city’s best bars for hurricanes, but tonight it’s “Padi’ Gras,” according to the Facebook page. The bar promises to keep it “rockin’ all night” with drink specials.
DBA
41 First Avenue, between Second and Third Streets
This beer garden knows New Orleans: it has a sister location there. Come for king cakes, New Orleans music, and Abita beer on draft (they’ve got four kegs primed). Don’t worry about bringing beads: they’ve got ’em.
Exchange Alley
424 East Ninth Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A
New Orleans chef Paul Gerard serves up dirty-pigeon gumbo and king cake while the bar doles out hurricanes in to-go cups. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Great Jones Cafe
54 Great Jones Street, between Lafayette Street and Bowery
Starting at 5 p.m., squeeze into this NoHo standby for a traditional menu featuring a crawfish boil and king cake. The jukebox is stocked with New Orleans tunes.
Jimmy’s No. 43
43 East Seventh Street, between Second and Third Avenues
The gastropub’s New Tuesday Tastings will feature beers from Quebec (the Cajuns are descendants of French Canadians, the bar points out) as well as a la carte specials. The event begins promptly at 7 p.m. and the beer tasting is $20.
Ninth Ward
180 Second Avenue, between 11th and 12th Streets
The New Orleans-themed bar is “calling all seminoles and wild tchopitolas” on its Facebook page. It’ll be serving $5 Abita beer and $5 hurricanes, in addition to the regular 2-for-1 happy hour, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. There’s a fireplace and a heated back garden.
The Redhead
349 E 13th Street, between First and Second Avenues
The late-night dining spot will be serving a Louisiana-inspired specials and bar snacks. If the photos they’ve been posting on Facebook are any indication, you can expect crispy boudin balls and oyster po’ boy sliders. Drink specials, too.
Two Boots Mardi Gras Ball at Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street, between Thompson and Sullivan Streets
?uestlove and Cindi Lauper are among the performers at this “night of live music, performances and authentic Mardi Gras revelry” benefiting the East Village’s own Lower Eastside Girls Club. Tickets are $30 at the door. More info here.
Village Pourhouse
64 Third Avenue, at 11th Street
Pay $25 regular admission or, for $15 more, get two hours of unlimited well cocktails and Bud Light drafts while watching a
crawfish-eating competition, donning decorative masks and dancing the night away. Starts at 7 p.m.
