901 Bourbon St. - Cafe Lafitte in Exile

834 N. Rampart - Travis’, Wolfendales, Starlight by the Park, Michaels on the Park, and Grand Pre’s

801 Bourbon St. - The Caverns and then The Bourbon Pub

800 Bourbon St. - Pete Fountain’s Club eventually became Pete’s Place, then Le Bistro, and later Oz

700 N. Rampart St. - Brady’s, Diane’s, and the Ninth Circle, among others. It is now home to the Black Penny.

439 Dauphine St. - Gregory’s, The Wild Side, The Double Play, and is currently Crossing

1239 Royal St. - The Golden Lantern

819 St. Louis St. - Mascarade, The Cove, Le Round Up, and is now B-Mac’s.

700 Burgundy St. - A Country & Western-themed gay bar before it became Paw Paw’s, 700 Club and later Betty’s

604 Iberville - Up Stairs Lounge

701 Bourbon St. - Miss Dixies Bar of Music, now home to the Cat's Meow

704 Iberville - Wanda's

540 Chartres - The Galley House, also known as "The Wrinkle Room"

1207 Decatur - Jewel's Tavern

940 St. Louis St. - Corner Pocket, The Cruz Inn, and The Post Office

740 Dauphine St. - The Louisiana Purchase and Good Friends

740 Burgundy - Tiger Lounge / Rawhide / The Silver Fox

740 Toulouse - Tony Bacino's Bar

308 N. Rampart - The Soiled Dove Saloon

515 St. Philip - Seven Seas, Mississippi River Bottom

626 St. Phillip - Lucille’s & Friend

642 N. Rampart - Bill’s Tavern, Jimmie King’s Bar & Lounge, and Finale II

Lost Queer Bars of the French Quarter

For decades, gay and lesbian bars were the only place to meet other queer people. As such, they served a crucial role in the lives of queer people. In this gallery, we feature old photos of the buildings that housed those sacred spaces where so much of our history was written. We readily acknowledge that this gallery is not comprehensive. For one thing, it only covers the French Quarter and not even all the lost queer bars of the Quarter. This site is always under construction and if you have photographs of bars / buildings not represented here, please share them with us so we can include them. That goes for pictures of lost bars outside the French Quarter as well.

Check out this Atlas Obscura article, The Lost Lesbian Bars of New Orleans

901 Bourbon St.
834 N. Rampart St.
801 Bourbon St.
800 Bourbon St.
700 N. Rampart St.
439 Dauphine St.

1239 Royal St.
819 St. Louis St.
700 Burgundy St.
604 Iberville St.
701 Bourbon St
704 Iberville St.
540 Chartres St.
1207 Decatur St.
940 St. Louis St.
740 Dauphine St.
740 Burgundy St.
740 Toulouse St.
308 N. Rampart St.
515 St. Philip St.
626 St. Philip St.
642 N. Rampart St.
345 Dauphine St.

901 Bourbon St.

Cafe Lafitte in Exile

Café Lafitte in Exile sometime between 1953 and 1959

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Robert Drew?, photographer

Café Lafitte in Exile in 1962

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

Café Lafitte in Exile, 1975

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

834 N. Rampart St.

Travis’ / Wolfendales / Starlight by the Park / Michaels on the Park / Grand Pre’s

834 N. Rampart in 1963. This bar eventually became Travis’, Wolfendales, Club City Lights Studio 504, Venture N, Starlight by the Park, Michaels on the Park, and Grand Pre’s.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

Travis’ 1980

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

Wolfendale’s, 1986

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

801 Bourbon St.

The Caverns / Bourbon Pub

1963, the building that became The Caverns and then The Bourbon Pub (801 Bourbon St.)

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

The same building, 801 Bourbon St., in 1939

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Photographer unknown

800 Bourbon St.

Pete’s / Le Bistro / Oz

1964, Pete Fountain’s Club eventually became Pete’s Place, then Le Bistro, and later Oz.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

800 Bourbon, which now houses Oz, in the 1930s.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Richard Bradford?, photographer

Oz in 1946

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

Oz in 1975 when it was Pete’s

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

700 N. Rampart St.

Brady’s / Diane’s / The Ninth Circle

This building at 700 N. Rampart, pictured in 1963, became home to several bars: Brady’s, Diane’s, and the Ninth Circle, among others. It is now home to the Black Penny.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

439 Dauphine St.

Gregory’s / The Wild Side / The Double Play / Crossing

439 Dauphine in 1939. This building eventually became Gregory’s, The Wild Side, The Double Play, and is currently Crossing.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Photographer unknown

439 Dauphine in 1940. This building housed Gregory’s, The Wild Side, & The Double Play among others. It is now Crossing.

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

Gregory’s in 1987

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

1239 Royal St.

The Golden Lantern

The Golden Lantern shortly after it opened in 1964, 1239 Royal St.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

819 St. Louis St.

Mascarade / Le Round Up

Alice Brady opened her first lesbian bar called Mascarade in this building at 819 St. Louis St. in 1952. By 1963, when this picture was taken, it was The Cove. It later became Mom’s Society Page before becoming Le Round Up and is now B-Mac’s.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

Round Up, 1980

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

700 Burgundy St.

Burgundy House Restaurant / Lelido / Paw Paw’s / Trocadero / 700 Club / Betty’s

700 Burgundy, pictured here in 1962, was the Burgundy House Restaurant, then Lelido, then Paw Paw’s, then Trocadero, then 700 Club, then Betty’s.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

604 Iberville St.

Up Stairs Lounge

The corner of Iberville and Chartres Streets in 1963. Ten years later the second floor of this building was the site of horrific Up Stairs Lounge fire.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer

701 Bourbon St.

Dixie’s Bar of Music

Dixie’s Bar of Music, 1949

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

704 Iberville St.

Wanda’s

Wanda’s was located at 704 Iberville. The Safari Lounge was upstairs.

Photographer unknown

540 Chartres St.

Galley House

The Galley House, also known as “The Wrinkle Room,” was housed in this building at the corner of Chartres and Toulouse Streets

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

The Galley House in 1975

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

1207 Decatur St.

Jewel’s Tavern

Jewel’s Tavern in 1957 before it became a gay bar

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

Jewel’s in 1980

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

940 St. Louis St.

Cruz Inn / The Post Office / The Corner Pocket

Now home to the Corner Pocket, the building pictured here in 1972 was once home to the Cruz Inn and The Post Office

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

740 Dauphine St.

Louisiana Purchase / Good Friends

The Louisiana Purchase in 1980. The space is now occupied by Good Friends.

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

By 1989 the gallery had been added to the building housing Good Friends

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

Good Friends in 1989

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

740 Burgundy St.

Tiger Lounge / Regents Row Club / Rawhide / The Silver Fox / Rawhide

The building that became Rawhide and later The Silver Fox in 1975

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

740 Toulouse St.

Tony Bacino’s Bar

This bar was raided by the police multiple times in 1958.

Vieux Carre’ Virtual Library
Photographer unknown

308 N. Rampart St.

The Soiled Dove Saloon

In the early 1980s, 308 N. Rampart (far right) was home to The Soiled Dove Saloon. It is now home to Palm and Pine.

THNOC, 1964;
Dan Leyer, photographer

515 St. Philip St.

Mississippi River Bottom / Seven Seas

In 1965, 515 St. Philip was home to the Seven Seas. It later became Mississippi River Bottom.

THNOC, 1965
Dan Leyer, photographer

626 St. Philip St.

Lucille’s & Friend

In the 1980s, 626 St. Philip was home to Lucille’s & Friend. The bar was owned by Lou Bernard and Nick Donovan, who founded the Krewe of Olympus.

THNOC, 2010
John Watson Riley, photographer

642 N. Rampart St.

Bill’s Tavern / Jimmie King’s Bar & Lounge / Finale II

In 1955, 642 N. Rampart was home to Bill’s Tavern. It later became Jimmie King’s Bar & Lounge and later Finale II.

THNOC, 1955
Robert Drew?, photographer

345 Dauphine St.

The Village Inn

The Village Inn was a lesbian bar in the 1960s.

Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carre Survey / THNOC
Dan S, Leyrer, photographer