Barcadia on Tchoupitoulas has been a den of fun, food, and booze for some years now, and it’s certainly no stranger to live entertainment. You can often encounter games like trivia, video game battles, or tournament nights there. In addition to all of this interactive entertainment, you can now watch a lady dress down to a kickin’ live band while you enjoy your brunch. The Rockabilly Brunch will be a Saturday ritual from now on.
Rockabilly Brunch kicks off every single Saturday at 2:30 p.m., which is a great time to catch brunch if you wake up later on your days off. I suggest sitting in full view of the rockabilly band The Hot Tchoups, but you’ll get an immersive show no matter where you choose to partake in the festivities. The Hot Tchoups are well-versed in classic rockabilly tunage, but they also include some old country favorites when they let the audience take a break from the high energy stuff.
You can get any of your favorite Barcadia fare, but you really should do yourself a favor and order from the special brunch menu. The Which Came First? is a Cajun-battered boneless chicken breast atop a Belgian waffle and a fried egg. The dish is made complete with cayenne honey butter and bourbon maple syrup. The Barcadia Benedict features blackened shrimp, tomatoes, and two poached eggs on a massive toasted English muffin with Creole hollandaise sauce. For the brunch food aficionado, you may like The Biscuit. It’s a house-made jumbo cheddar biscuit smothered with sausage gravy, bacon, and two fried eggs. My personal favorite is the Swim Upstream, which is a slice of toasted marble rye bread with smoked salmon, tomatoes, onion, and a delightful dill cream cheese.
The best cocktails to have with brunch are, of course, Bloody Marys and mimosas, both of which are available.
While live music and delicious breakfast/lunch foods are amazing, I haven’t even told you about the real entertainment yet. Seasoned burlesque dancer and headmistress of the New Orleans School of Burlesque, Bella Blue, effortlessly twirls around the room, personally enticing each and every one of the attendees with a highly immersive routine. A word of warning to those who are used to the art of striptease or who are toting around children: This show does include a fair amount of Bella’s flesh. She will go from full formal sparkling gowns down to a glittering thong and a bra throughout her several performances. She also is prone to throw her skirts over people’s heads, shimmy on them, and do so much more that you must see to believe.
Bella Blue is quite happy with the show, and she hopes that she’ll be performing at Barcadia for a long time to come. Bella Blue explained why she enjoys Rockabilly Brunch so much, saying, “I think the thing that makes this event special is that it’s a great alternative for a Saturday afternoon activity. So, whether you want to sit down for a full meal or just stop in for a cocktail and some pinball, it works. You get all the things that make New Orleans great: live music, live burlesque, good food, and any excuse to act like a big kid!” Even if you catch the show one time, you may still want to schedule another visit. You never know what she’s going to do next!
If you can’t make it out on any Saturday, you can still find a great deal at Barcadia on weekdays. Grab some tapas during Happy Hour, which runs from 4 till 7 p.m. every Monday through Friday. Attendees can get one complimentary tapas plate with each regular-priced cocktail or beer that they purchase. The Spanish-inspired tapas menu includes dishes that feature fresh olives, tomatoes, prosciutto, and dreamy cheese. If you haven’t paid a visit to Barcadia for some time, or if you’ve never been there yet, now’s the time to go. You’ll be like a kid in a candy store—or an arcade.
Be sure to check out Barcadia's Rockabilly Brunch every Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
