New Orleans Bachelorette Party Guide: Where to Eat, Drink, and Play (From a Louisiana Local)

Okay, so you’re planning a bachelorette party in New Orleans? Grab a coffee (or a daiquiri), because I have opinions.

Hannah and I threw our joint bachelorette in New Orleans with 13 of our favorite people, 90s theme and all. We live in Louisiana and visit New Orleans often, so this is everything I’d tell you if you called me for advice: where to stay, where to eat, what’s worth your time, what to skip, and the airport tip that’ll save your group money.

detail shot of proposal the ring, the david yurman, and the gucci

Photos by Dark Roux Photography

First Things First: Invites, Agenda, and Reservations

Make the invite yourself. We designed our digital invite on Canva for free. We scrolled Etsy and Pinterest, found a look we loved, and recreated it. I also printed a copy on card stock and tucked it into everyone’s goodie bag, which made a sweet keepsake.

Send an agenda. With 13 people, a simple day-by-day schedule keeps everyone on the same page (and cuts down on group chat questions). Ours was 90s themed to match the invite.

Book reservations before you book anything else. I can’t say this loudly enough. New Orleans restaurants fill up fast, and a table for a big group is a whole different ballgame. We made every reservation ahead of time, and the drag brunch I mention below books up months in advance.

Where to Eat for a New Orleans Bachelorette Party

This is the fun part. Here’s where I’d send you, with the neighborhood for each so you can plan around where you’re staying. Everything is on the map further down.

Breakfast, Brunch, and Lunch

Brennan’s (French Quarter, 417 Royal St). It’s a nicer restaurant, but for breakfast it’s a staple. Brunch here feels like a celebration all on its own.
Cafe Du Monde (French Quarter at 800 Decatur St, or City Park at 56 Dreyfous Dr). If anyone in your group has never been to New Orleans, I’m required to put this on the list. The City Park location is usually way less crowded.
Cafe Beignet (French Quarter, 334 Royal St). Okay, real talk: this is my absolute favorite place for beignets. You can sit in the courtyard while jazz musicians play.
Willa Jean (CBD, 611 O’Keefe Ave). Beyoncé is reportedly a fan, and honestly, it’s for good reason.
Katie’s (Mid-City, 3701 Iberville St). It gets really loud on weekends, but it’s a Mid-City staple for a reason.
Elizabeth’s (Bywater, 601 Gallier St). A Bywater classic, and close to where we stayed.
The Country Club (Bywater, 634 Louisa St). If you like drag brunch, this is the best. Book it months in advance, I’m not kidding.

Dinner

Emeril’s (Warehouse District, 800 Tchoupitoulas St). Emeril Lagasse’s flagship. Save this one for your big dinner night and dress up for it.
Jack Rose (Garden District, inside the Pontchartrain Hotel at 2031 St. Charles Ave). Yes, it has the famous Lil Wayne painting, and yes, you’re going to want a group photo with it.
Oceana Grill (French Quarter, 739 Conti St). Classic New Orleans seafood, and it’s open late, which comes in handy after a night out.
Juan’s Flying Burrito (Lower Garden District at 2018 Magazine St, plus the CBD and Mid-City). I like what I like.

A note on Gris-Gris: it was on our original list, but the Magazine Street restaurant closed for good at the end of July 2026. We’ll miss it.

Map of Our Favorite New Orleans Spots

Here’s every place from this post in one spot. Tap a restaurant to see it on the map, read my one-line take, and get directions straight to the door. Screenshot it for the group chat!

Things to Do in New Orleans with Your Bach Crew

Take everyone on an airboat swamp tour. I love taking friends who aren’t from the South on an alligator boat ride.
Ghost Tours. Honestly, they’re not my thing. Cemeteries are worth seeing, but heads up: the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 only lets visitors in on its official guided tour, so book that one if it’s on your list.
Wander the French Quarter shops. There are a ton of cute shops you can pop in and out of between meals.
Book a dinner cruise on the Mississippi. We’ve done the dinner boat ride on the river, and it’s a pretty neat way to see the city with a big group.
True Crime Walk : Do this one pre drinks tho!

Bachelorette Decorations and Gift Bags (Our Amazon List)

Everything we used is linked in our Amazon Bachelorette List, so you can copy it in about five minutes.

Decorations: our group didn’t want a ton to clean up, so we kept it simple. The real star was my best friend Farryn, who made the cutest 90s-themed charcuterie boards for our first night, which was game night. If you have a Farryn in your group, put her in charge of snacks.

Gift bags: Hannah and I wanted to do something for our friends, since everyone traveled so far to be there. We kept it small but meaningful, something to remember the weekend by. Almost everything is in our Amazon Bachelorette List, except two Etsy finds:

Hangover kit (trust me, someone will need it)
90s can koozies to match our theme

We also tucked a printed copy of the invite into each bag.

Shop our Amazon Bach List

Where to Stay and How to Get Around

Book a house, not five hotel rooms. The number one thing we had to do was find a place that fit all 13 of us. We use Expedia for flights and VRBO for houses, and having a whole house to ourselves made game night so much easier.

Pick your neighborhood by vibe:

Marigny. Our favorite and where we usually stay. It’s an easy walk to the French Quarter, and Frenchmen Street’s live music is right there.
French Quarter. You’re in the middle of everything, noise included.
Garden District. Quieter, with gorgeous old homes and the St. Charles streetcar.
Irish Channel. Close to all the restaurants and shops on Magazine Street.

What I’d do differently: we stayed in the Bywater for our bach. We loved it, but it’s not walking distance to the streetcar or the French Quarter, so we got around on Blue Bikes or Lyft. If you want to walk everywhere, stay in the Marigny or the Quarter.

Getting around: the streetcar is cheap and fun, Blue Bikes are great for short hops, and rideshare fills in the gaps.

MY BIGGEST TIP: take a cab from the airport. Skip the rideshare line and head to the taxi stand. Airport taxis charge a set flat rate to downtown and the French Quarter for one or two people, then a per-person rate for groups of three or more. The line can look long, but we’ve never waited more than 20 minutes. If your whole crew lands at once, compare the per-person cab rate to an XL rideshare before you pick.

New Orleans Bachelorette FAQ

Is New Orleans good for a bachelorette party?

It’s one of the best. You get incredible food, live music, drag brunch, and a city that’s built for celebrating. It also works for every kind of crew: we threw a joint bachelorette for the two of us with 13 people, and it was perfect.

Where should a bachelorette group stay in New Orleans?

If you want to walk everywhere, stay in the Marigny or the French Quarter. For a big group, rent a house on VRBO instead of splitting hotel rooms. The Bywater is fun but not walkable to the Quarter, so plan on bikes or rideshares.

Can you walk around with a drink in New Orleans?

In the French Quarter, yes, as long as it’s in a plastic go-cup and not glass or a can. Bars will pour your drink into one on your way out. Just don’t bring it into your cab or Lyft, because open containers aren’t allowed in cars, even for passengers.

How do you get from the airport to the French Quarter?

Take a taxi. Airport cabs charge a flat rate to downtown and the French Quarter for one or two people, and a per-person rate for groups of three or more. For a big group landing together, compare that to an XL rideshare.

How far ahead should we book restaurants?

As soon as your dates are set. Big-group tables go fast, and The Country Club’s drag brunch can book up months in advance.

You’ve Got This

Okay, that’s everything I’d tell you over the phone. Book the house, lock in your reservations, grab the decorations from our Amazon Bachelorette List, and take a cab from the airport. New Orleans will handle the rest.

Planning a New Orleans trip that isn’t a bach? Read our 48 rainy hours in New Orleans. And if you still have questions, send us a message on Instagram. We love talking NOLA.

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