New Orleans · Jazz and live music
Where to Hear Jazz in New Orleans (Without the Bourbon Street Crowds)
Live music is the reason to come to New Orleans, and there's a room for every kind of listener, from hushed seated concerts to dance floors where you'll be pulled into a second line. Here's where to go depending on how you like your music.
Some links on this page go to booking partners. If we join their affiliate programmes we may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend. How we make money.
To sit and listen
Preservation Hall
726 St. Peter St, French Quarter
The small, plain room that has kept traditional New Orleans jazz alive since the 1960s. Several short concerts run each evening with a rotating line-up of the Preservation All Stars and other house bands.
Tip: A limited number of seats can be reserved online; the rest are sold at the box office in the afternoon.
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
Frenchmen St
Frenchmen Street's seated listening room: modern and traditional jazz sets in a proper concert setting, with Creole cooking in the restaurant downstairs. Come to listen, not to talk.
To drink, dance a little and stay out
The Spotted Cat Music Club
623 Frenchmen St
A small, crowded jazz club on Frenchmen Street with traditional and swing bands from late afternoon until late. People dance; nobody minds if you just listen.
Tip: Bring cash for the band and the bar.
d.b.a.
618 Frenchmen St
A comfortable bar with a deep beer and spirits list and live bands from brass to blues. Big local names play here as well as rising acts.
Maple Leaf Bar
8316 Oak St, Carrollton
A 1974 music club with live bands every night. On Tuesdays the Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band has played here since 1990, starting late: a sweaty, joyous local night out.
Jazz with your meal or cocktail
Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Ave, Garden District
The turquoise Victorian landmark of Creole fine dining. The weekend jazz brunch, with a trio strolling between tables, is the classic grown-up New Orleans meal.
Tip: Jazz brunch runs Saturday and Sunday; book well ahead.
Dress: Business attire; jackets preferred for men, no shorts ever
Carousel Bar & Lounge
Hotel Monteleone, Royal St
The city's only revolving bar: a 25-seat carousel that turns once every 15 minutes, in the hotel where Faulkner, Capote and Tennessee Williams drank. Live music plays in the lounge nightly.
Tip: Seats on the carousel are first come; the lounge tables are easier and closer to the music.
Bacchanal Wine
600 Poland Ave, Bywater
A wine shop with a big backyard: pick a bottle, add cheese or small plates and settle in under the lights while a band plays. Live music every night.
Steamboat Natchez evening jazz cruise
Toulouse Street Wharf, French Quarter
A two-hour evening cruise on a paddle-wheeler, with live jazz from the Dukes of Dixieland and an optional Creole buffet dinner. Corny in the best way, and lovely at sunset.
Listening tips
- Many clubs have no cover but expect a drink per set and a tip for the band; carry small bills.
- Frenchmen Street runs from late afternoon; the early sets are calmer.
- Seated rooms (Preservation Hall, Snug Harbor) are for listening; save conversation for between sets.
Everything here was checked in September 2026. Music line-ups, hours and prices change often in New Orleans, so confirm before you go and bring cash for the bands.
Questions people ask
Where is the best place to hear jazz in New Orleans?
Preservation Hall for traditional jazz in an intimate room, Snug Harbor for seated modern and traditional sets, and The Spotted Cat or d.b.a. on Frenchmen Street for a livelier night.
When does the Rebirth Brass Band play at the Maple Leaf?
Rebirth has played the Maple Leaf Bar on Tuesdays since 1990. It starts late and has a cover charge; check the bar's calendar for the week you visit.