Molly's Irish Pub

"Best bar 2025 When you grow up in New Orleans, you learn to differentiate between where locals go and where tourists go. It’s almost as important as knowing your evacuation route during hurricane season. If you’re a local, you know how to weave your way through a dizzying flurry of tourists, doomsday prophets, magicians, and maybe even vampires on your way to Molly’s Irish Pub on Toulouse Street. The first time I stumbled into Molly’s, I thought I’d stay for one five-dollar Irish bomb shot. I got roped into a couple games of fifty-cent pool. Then I found out that the jukebox was stocked with actual 45’s of sludge-metal bands and Roy Orbison, and I never wanted to leave. Another time, to escape 100 percent humidity, I popped in for a frozen Irish coffee and found myself sitting next to a real New Orleans icon, Uncle Louie. The most recognized street performer in the French Quarter, Uncle Louie is always dressed as Uncle Sam. Uncle Louie regaled me with the backstory of how Molly’s has long been the go-to for street performers looking for refreshment on their breaks. He bought me a tequila and soda. If you take a close look at the painting hanging behind the bar, you might see him there too. "