The Avenue Pub

jono311

Louisiana

4.68/5  rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Finally I get around to reviewing the bar that is quickly becoming my second home.

Avenue Pub is THE beer bar in New Orleans others can compete on the number of drafts or bottles but none can match the quality, rarity, or uniqueness of the brews on the 40 or so rotating taps at this bar.

Atmosphere: This place has character and my only complaint is that its still a smoking bar, though smoke free events are starting to happen, but thats typical in New Orleans at this point.

Selection: Rogue, Stone, Brooklyn, Schmaltz, Unibrue, its all there. One offs and one or two keg Euro imports? got those too. Sours? plenty of bottles to choose from. Just want domestic macro? well then you have to get it by the bottle.

Service: Bartenders here can get a little swamped when its busy but they are knowledgeable about the product and willing to help you find what you are looking for. and they almost always remember your order. Tip them well because they deserve it.

Food: is good to very good. typical bar grub with a twist and some special items too.

Value: Food is all under 10 bucks. beers very with availability and ABV but generally around 5 or 6 a pint. very good value in the happy hour m-f.

09-07-2011 21:44:37 | More by jono311

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Was in NOLA for business and flew in early on a monday to enjoy some of the sights.

Went on BA and found this place and decided to try it out for a bite and a brew. I was staying Downtown on Poydras Ave and decided to walk down to St. Charles and take it all the way down the the pub. It was well worth it. I enjoyed the walk and enjoyed my destination even more. The place is unassuming on the outside. Its classic NOLA architecture with some nice rod iron balconies and some nice wood doors. It actually looked close if it wasn't for the fact that I knew it was open.

When I walked in contractors had just finished working on the upstairs for the day so decided to walk straight up to the bar. Great character and atmosphere. About 20 taps right in front with tons of micros and a nice old wood bar with a copper top. The place was slightly smokey from the one other patron there. I struck up a nice convo with the bartender and the other patron and she suggested some local brews. I enjoyed both of the.

The service was top-nothc and friendly and the selection is impressive. Food was also great. I had the Roast Beast which was a NOLA take on an Italian Beef sandwich. Very good.

08-24-2011 02:27:37 | More by JoEBoBpr

hawks10

Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Was in New Orleans for a bachelor party this past weekend. Fortunately only me and 2 others arrived on the first plane in town, it gave us a couple hours before the other 12 people showed up...enough time to get in a stop at The Avenue Pub...

Unassuming from the outside, even kinda looked closed, but knowing it is a 24/7 place, we weren't worried. Loved the look from the outside, was great inside as well. Was early in the day on Friday so not many people were there, great.

Had a local and hoppy beer to start, and a delicious St Lamvinus bottle from the cooler, exactly what I wanted. Can't say enough about the experience there, as the owner sat and chatted with us for quite a while to top it off. Great time, great place, I really hope I can make it back soon and stay longer...

08-15-2011 19:08:42 | More by hawks10

Lldeegan

Louisiana

4.65/5  rDev +4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

This is truly one of the best beer bars I have ever been to. It is unassuming and has all types of clientele, but they have easily the most access to beers out of any place in the south and easily compete with top bars in the country.
They do great casks every friday. The selection downstairs is around 30-40 interesting american craft and european beers. No dumbed down imports like other bars around town. Each selection is obviously thought out and real estate behind this bar is precious. Also a great bottle selection, and nice staff.
The food there is also good as it is a high end take on the typical bar food.

07-27-2011 04:03:08 | More by Lldeegan

Imstillthegman

Delaware

4.44/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visited here on a Thursday evening. After traveling to New Orleans, I needed a good beer and heard this was the place to come. I heard correct! The place has a good neighborhood feel to it. There are multiple areas to hang out....downstairs bar area, upstairs bar area (with completely different taps), a balcony, and a back patio area. Some locals and some after work happy hour types filled the bar. Nice line up on draft. Many locals from Abita, NOLA, etc. Bar tenders on duty were quick and remembered my wife's unusual cocktail ordered every time I ordered another, no matter which one took the order. The city really needs more places like the Avenue Pub!

07-25-2011 18:00:23 | More by Imstillthegman

nlmartin

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -8.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Went to the Avenue Pub on a Friday night. The bar is set on a couple floors as well as a balcony. Make sure to check both the downstairs and upstairs taps. Lots of good beers at both bars with no overlap. The crowd was a bit on the young side for me. I am an old bastard at 40. Frankly some of the younger 20' somethings got on my last nerve. The Avenue Pub had a very nice variety of beers available on Tap. I had a couple Brooklyn Brewing one offs as well as Aged Pale Petrus on tap. I love Aged Pale Petrus from a bottle and it was equally good out of a tap. The bar tender was knowledgeable about what was available and was able to provide good advice on the beers on tap. I never had to wait for a refill. Nice cross section of beer styles available. Some nice locals available. The stand out local for me was a Lemon Basil Wheat from NOLA Brewing. Well worth a stop if you find yourself in the big easy. I went to most of the beer bars in New Orleans and can tell you

The Avenue was hands down the best beer bar of New Orleans.

07-09-2011 07:13:07 | More by nlmartin

asabreed

New York

4.14/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

This was the last bar we went to in New Orleans that was in the area where my wife and I were staying a month or so ago when we were in New Orleans.

Not really a dive, but it seems like this place has some history. A good amount of taps, but the most important part of the number is the variation. A lot of states and microbreweries represented, and there's not a specific concentration of Louisiana breweries, which is always nice when you go to a city you've never been to.

We were there on a Saturday evening, and I'm not sure what the Happy Hour was exactly, but there was at least a dollar or two of each pint, and we each had two in the window.

As with all the bars and places we went to have a beer or buy some, we didn't eat, but again, next time we hope to.

We spent a few hours here and were happy overall. Met some locals. Had some pints. The weather was nice, and our bill was definitely reasonable by the time we left.

Can't beat a comfortable places with good beers on a weekend in a new city you've never been to -- in my opinion.

06-26-2011 19:57:32 | More by asabreed

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.2/5  rDev -6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Nice corner bar on a somewhat busy Avenue. Interesting building, with the pool table room offsetting the bar and dining area. Probably gets pretty tight at times, but I was there twice during off hours and got good seating.

The beers and food are excellent at the Avenue Pub. My wife and I are vegetarian and we had several interesting and exciting choices for food - a rarity at most "pubs". We enjoyed the expansive list of craft, import, and local beers. The prices were very much in line with the quality of the lineup, and the happy hour is quite good.

The service and systems management of the restaurant and bar could use a little firming up. Food is ordered from a separate counter from the bar, while all drinks are ordered from the bartender. I get that the bartender would be too busy to handle both types of orders, and that hiring the cook to ring up the meals is cheap, but a waitress really wouldn't cost that much to employ, and would allow the food and drinks to sit together on one tab (or split at the end). For a bar of this size, one waitress or two would probably be enough for all but the busiest times.

Bottom line: if this is the only bar you can get to in New Orleans, that's probably okay. Definitely the finest beer-drinking establishment we encountered, and I went far and wide looking.

06-21-2011 02:10:42 | More by BretSikkink

groovy24

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -15.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $

After doing some research, this was by far the best beer bar anywhere near downtown NOLA. Right on the trolley line so an easy ride from the French Quarter - 10 minutes max. Smoking inside is still kosher in the Big Easy so be ready to inhale a little smoke even if you aren't a smoker.

Lunch was really tasty - the spicy coleslaw and risotto cakes were awesome and if anyone can figure out how to make them at home, LMK! Sandwiches are cheap, lunch service is fast and although the burgers looked so juicy good, when it's 95º and humid you can get a healthy, light sandwich if you prefer. Hint: Kiwi and chicken is a good combo, I was skeptical too. Remember to return your dishes to the bar, they really appreciated it.

31 beers on tap the day I visited - Stones, Sierra Nevadas, Abitas, Rogues, etc. but I really enjoyed sampling some NOLA Brewing beers. Full of flavor and local - also hard to get anywhere in the French Quarter. Mmm Lemon Basil Wheat on a hot summer day was worth the trip all by itself. Pretty amazing bottle list too.

Would definitely recommend and will for sure go back on any future trip to NOLA.

06-16-2011 02:50:40 | More by groovy24

tripelhops

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev -9.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

I was in New Orleans for work about 8 months ago and ended up at Avenue pub twice in 3 days with my co-worker, who was not a beer geek. They do have great drafts/bottles, and good bar food. It's definately a 'local' hangout and off the tourist tract. It was my first stop and ended up being my last before heading to the airport. As noted the staff can be a bit aloof, but i think that's more related to the local feel of the place, but once you get beyond that, it's just fine. They must have the best selection of beer in town, and the food I had was tasty and reasonably priced, and plenty of it.

06-15-2011 16:24:11 | More by tripelhops