Best Spots in New Orleans to Drink Brewed Beer | Top Nola Brewed Beer Spots

12:00 February 23, 2023
By: Gracie Wise

New Orleans is, without a doubt, one of the best cities across the nation for the ultimate drinking experience. Whether you're going for a stroll, riding along a historic New Orleans streetcar route, or taking an Uber, you'll find hundreds of bars, breweries, and distilleries to choose from. They serve dozens of famous (and infamous) hand-crafted drinks you've ever had. That includes beer. In fact, New Orleans is home to dozens of breweries that were instrumental in making the brewing industry boom by selling locally-loved flavors that rival even the biggest national beer brands. Because of the city's ample access to industrial waterways and number of empty warehouses, they offer plenty of opportunities for breweries to make and sell their brand, making this city the "Brewing Capital of the South."

Best Spots in NOLA for Brewed Beer

Each brewery serves various brands and flavors as well as features that make them stand out from each other. If you end up having a few too many brews, check out our tips for surviving a hangover.


NOLA Brewing Company (Provided)

1. NOLA Brewing Company

3001 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-896-9996, nolabrewing.com

This brewery is considered as one of the city's greatest saviors since Hurricane Katrina. Opened in 2008, NOLA Brewing Company offers a number of ales, lagers, and sours for craft beer connoisseurs. This old-school New Orleans brewery has a taproom with several regular and limited edition beers on tap, an upstairs bar room, an outdoor patio, and two event spaces, the newest being "The Barn."

Located in the Irish Channel, NOLA Brewing Company is arguably the best place to go bar-hopping and meet new people. The brewery hosts tons of events throughout the year including concerts, contests, and crawfish boils. It's not only committed to making and selling quality beers--they're also devoted to bringing the community together. Check out their social media for upcoming events as well as upcoming seasonal beers!


Zony Mash Beer Project (Provided)

2. Zony Mash Beer Project

3940 Thalia St., 504-766-8868, zonymashbeer.com

Travel back in time as you choose from 25 beers at what used to be an old-fashioned movie theater. Known as the "beerological point of interest," Zony Mash Beer Project brings its creative ideas to life through the power of beer brewing. From Jungle Juice to Jitterbug, each brew has plenty of surprises.

The hip brewery has a patio, a huge outdoor event space, and pop-up markets selling all sorts of food and merchandise. They also host live music and movie nights for your amusement. The nostalgic charm of this brewery is a fun place to bring the whole family and your dog, too. You'll never want to leave!



Urban South Brewery Taproom (Provided)

3. Urban South Brewery

1645 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-267-4852, urbansouthbrewery.com

Step into a world of vibrant color as you help yourself to a crowler or growler of Urban South's many creative and flavorful beers that scream "NOLA." This spot is considered to be "the hottest brewery in New Orleans" where guests can guzzle year-round and seasonal beers such as Holy Roller and Paradise Park in the taproom and chow down on burgers, sandwiches, and pub bites.

The brewery also has outdoor seating where guests can play arcade games and cornhole as well as a kid's corner for the little ones while the grown-ups are drinking and having a good time. There's also rotating food trucks and pop-up shops that visit the brewery every week, so be sure to visit every now and then for some good grub and awesome products!


Avenue Pub Food and Beer (Provided)


4. Avenue Pub

1732 St. Charles Ave., 504-586-9243, avenuepub.com

Adjacent to the St. Charles streetcar route is the esteemed Avenue Pub, a rustic European-style dive bar home to signature drinks, French and Belgian pub grub, and an eclectic decor. Choose from an extensive menu of top-notch, European and American craft beer and spirits. There's also a second floor complete with fireplaces, tin ceilings, and a balcony, which is one of the best spots to watch Mardi Gras krewes parade down the street.

Avenue Pub has an extensive drink menu and a bunch of creative bites to choose from. Most of their loyal customers love the Dump Truck fries, Pub Burger, and Croque Madame a la Louisiane. The pub is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to midnight, so drink to your heart's content, but remember: "No orange slices! No muddling!"


The Bulldog's Bar (Provided)

5. The Bulldog

3236 Magazine St., 504-891-1516, thebulldog.bar

If you're tired of leaving your dog at home, bring them to The Bulldog for a fun day out! You and your furry friend will be invited to relax and enjoy 48 drinks from their famous beer-tap fountain or over 60 bottled beers. It even has an outdoor patio with a large-screen TV, twinkling trees, and heat lamps when it gets cold. They serve renowned pub grub like Fish Tacos, Philly Cheesesteak Wraps, and Bleu Cheese Burgers.

The secret to great-tasting beer? Awesome staff who are very knowledgeable in what they do, and rotating taps that mean you never have to have the same beer twice. Want to make your beer-tasting experience more memorable? Bring Fido with you for some quality time and new furry friendships.


Parleaux Beer Lab's Canned Beer (Provided)

6. Parleaux Beer Lab

634 Lesseps St., 504-702-8433, parleauxbeerlab.com

A hidden gem in the Bywater neighborhood, Parleaux Beer Lab is an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It's not just a microbrewery; Parleaux is a "laboratory of experimentation." Whether you take a swig a large Kolner Stange "Kolsch" glass or sip a can of A Rare Pleasure Brett Saison, Parleaux's brewed beer recipes won't disappoint!

Along with a taproom housing 12 rotating beers, there's also a spacious garden with patio furniture, hanging lights, board games, and swings. Tours of the brewery are also offered to guests who are interested in the magic that takes place behind the scenes. They also sell snacks like fresh-baked Bratz Y'all! pretzels in case you're hungry. Don't want any pretzels? Nearby restaurants Pizza Delicious, The Joint BBQ, Rosalita's Backyard Tacos, and other food trucks got you covered!


The Black Penny's Beer (Provided)

7. The Black Penny

700 N. Rampart St., 504-304-4779, facebook.com/BlackPennyNOLA

What once housed an orphanage in 1831 turned into a rustic dive bar away from Bourbon Street's party scene. A rustic and dimmed watering hole, The Black Penny has bottles and bottles of local, national, and international craft beers in their bar room. They also have spicy Cajun crawfish and BBQ pop-ups as well as bingo nights every other Monday.

No matter if you're an introvert or an extrovert, this bar is the perfect place to unwind and make unlikely friends. You'll also be leaving with good spirits, a happy belly, and a piece of history in mind.



Bywater Brew Pub Beer (Provided)

8. Bywater Brew Pub

3000 Royal St., 504-766-8118, bywaterbrewpub.com

This Viet-Cajun microbrewery not only serves crazy-good brews, they whip up gastropub bites with a twist! Feast on Crawfish Étouffée Nachos, Tofu Bành Mí Burgers, and Vegan Phorritos with 12 of their signature beers on tap.

For all you art-lovers out there, you'll appreciate the artwork made by local artists living in the Bywater neighborhood as they're spread throughout the pub. There's also a second floor that's home to their art studios. Every Monday, the pub hosts trivia nights at 7 p.m. Save the date and win prizes!




Brieux Carré Beers (Provided)

9. Brieux Carré

2115 Decatur St., 504-304-4242, brieuxcarre.com

Named after the historic French Quarter (also known as the Vieux Carré), Brieux Carré whips up a concoction of crazy and unique recipes for their taproom. With 12 beers on tap, the crew tries to make new recipes that embody the spirit and charm of the Big Easy each week.

Along with a taproom, the brewery has a picturesque courtyard and beer garden along with a balcony where guests can people-watch and soak in the whole party scene. There's also a giant Jenga game and classic NES games for your enjoyment. Brieux Carré is a good place to watch the Saints game and catch beads, cups, and toys during Mardi Gras parades!




The Courtyard Brewery's Bottled Beer (Provided)

10. The Courtyard Brewery

1160 Camp St., courtyardbrewery.square.site

Known as the city's first nanobrewery, The Courtyard will make you feel like you're cracking a cold one in your backyard. It has a rotating selection of craft beers, not only made in-house but from across the globe, too. Their drinks menu has a selection of everything from IPAs to saisons, hoppy ales to barrel-aged beers.

You'll immediately feel welcome once you walk up the ramp to the brewery. Along with friendly staff, there's an outdoor patio with mismatched furniture along with rotating food trucks selling delicious items including roti tacos and chicken over rice that appear on most weeks. If you have children or a sweet tooth, keep your eyes peeled for Rahm Haus, known for their ice cream!


Get Friends Together for NOLA Brewed Beer

New Orleans is the best city in America to do some drinking. With so many options around, you won't stay thirsty for long. So why not try all of these 10 spots for some good NOLA brewed beer? With so many local award-winning craft beer brands to sample, you'll truly get a good taste of the Big Easy.

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