Wednesday 15th of February 2017 09:23:49 PM

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Fall / Winter 2016 found wife Persimmon and I traveling around the country and even though we were foot loose and fancy free, the only commitment we made ourselves was to spend the Christmas holiday in a special place.

That place was New Orleans.

I had visited the city too many years ago to matter and not nearly old enough to enjoy and embrace all its character; what the city had to offer.

This Christmas proved to be decidedly different.

Staying in the Garden District, away from the rustle and rumble of the French Quarter was a choice made conscientiously. Quieter. Older. Quaint hotel (Pontchatrain) and just down the street...on the corner...a short trolley ride away...we stumpled onto what we learned later was one of the best beer bars in the country.

The Avenue Pub

25 brews on tap and a bottle list that goes on forever...any good geek can get his beer "on" at the Ave.

It's a small venue although on this holiday we found a spot...the only two-top left in the place. Apparently we weren't the only ones looking to spend the day differently...or maybe these were tried and true lovers of the Avenue Pub.

Understandable.

The upstairs on our day was closed, unfortunately but Christmas Day brought a conversation with Louisiana locals who graciously opened their home and an invite to share dinner.

The Avenue Pub was truly a Christmas gift giving us good company, grand beer, great atmosphere, grand character and generous amounts of laughs.

So when in Naw'lins, visit the French Quarter by all means. Check out Lafayette Cemetery. Walk the Garden District. Explore the city...but end your day at the Avenue Pub -- or begin your day! Because when someone asks, "Have you ever explored any of the best beer bars?" You can answer, emphatically, "Yep. The very best!"

Monday 25th of May 2015 07:54:22 PM

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This was a quick visit, since I was with my parents. To give you an idea of the interior, my dad immediately said, "Well, we can get food somewhere else after our beers." To me, the place wasn't that bad. It wasn't bright and squeaky clean(-ish) like most chain restaurants, as there was some dust in places, unpainted areas, panels in the windows missing. But I think that was done intentionally and is just part of the "charm" of the place. I've never seen a review where the food came out in terrible quality, though I won't claim to have read all of them.

Another thing that is somewhat unique to this place is the service. There really isn't any beyond the bartending staff. Which again, is part of the "charm." You place your drink and food orders at the bar, then you bring back your drink and wait for someone to bring out your food. There is also a sign that asks that you return your glassware and plates to the bar, there aren't any busboys either. It's self seating as you can guess, with the downstairs area with a sprinkling of chairs and a bar, along with an outside patio and an upstairs area.

If you're into beer and not so much into interior aesthetics, this is definitely one of the places to go in NOLA. They have a very long lineup of taps plus a long bottle list. They'll have something you like.

They are located on St. Charles street which is along a railcar line. That's about it for public transportation. The railcars can be packed and they aren't very fast, so a cab may be the preferred method of traveling if not by car (and there is very limited parking).

Thursday 16th of September 2010 08:41:29 PM

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The Avenue Pub was a place I had been hearing about beer-wise and I had to stop in and see if it was a good as I had been hearing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rumors were true. I was quite amused on this visit to witness a newcomer realize that they were in a ‘real beerbar’ and then ask for an Amstel Light. The answer from the bartender, of course, was ‘we don’t have that’.

This place has a nice old heavy wooden bar accented with copper. On the main floor there also a scattering of tables with chair, a pool table and a jukebox with a nice selection of music to choose from. The whole bar area is surrounded by French doors.

The first floor bar features 50 beers on tap, nitro taps and a beer engine. Draft selections included Scrimshaw, selections from Rogue, Stone, Bear Republic, Unibroue, Ayinger and a few nice Belgians. They also feature 85+ beers in bottles. On this visit they had Aventinus, Brother Theo, Point 2012, Lenny’s and many more. You can get barleywine here too.

I was introduced to Polly, the owner of this establishment and had a very nice conversation with her. I was able to learn that she prides herself on the fact that she can acquire unpasteurized import kegs that nobody else in Louisiana can get their hands on. Some of the kegs she mentioned having had in her place were ones I have never seen on tap anywhere.

At one of my first stops in Louisiana I had been told that Polly was solely responsible for the full line of Stone beers being available in the state. I asked her about that claim. She adamantly denies any personal responsibility for this but does admit to having a very good relationship with the importers of many of her rarer kegs.

There is food available here from a separately owned and operated business in the same building. On this visit I had the Sirloin Bites which was served with a Chimichurri sauce with a side of guacamole and chips that are cooked on site. The portions are intended to be somewhat larger than an appetizer without being a full meal. The food was very nicely done and now I find myself wanting to see what else Chimichurri sauce would be good on. They are famous for their ‘St. Chuck Duck’, ‘Best Fish Plate Ever’ and the ‘Crunchy Duck Balls’. On my next visit I intend to dive a bit deeper into the food menu.

The crowd was diverse with regard to age and background but most were locals with a smattering of regional folks. There is seating outside on the rear patio and there is also additional seating on the second floor indoor or outdoor. The crowd on the second floor was quite boisterous and must have been alums of either UNC or LSU who were playing on the televisions up there. There are six additional taps up there with no repeats of what is available downstairs.

Someone here came up with what they call “Beer Crack”. This is a mixture of Stone Ruination and Stone RIS. I had a great time here. The staff and Polly were very nice people. These folks know and enjoy the beers they carry. This place has a very nice vibe and is the type of place I could stop in and stay for an entire evening…as a matter of fact that’s exactly what I did.

Whenever I come back to New Orleans I will definitely have to stop back in. Tell them Evil Keith sent you…and save me a barstool.