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Balcony Bar & Cafe
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 4 pm - 3 am
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 4 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
57 reviews for Balcony Bar & Cafe
Review Highlights
"...to the only balcony on Magazine Street, The Balcony Bar is..."
(in 6 reviews)
"Great food, great jukebox, great drink specials."
(in 5 reviews)
"Super great late night snack."
(in 9 reviews)
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57 reviews in English
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Review from Louise e. A.
New Orleans, LA
1/18/2012
Balcony Bar & Cafe
Reason: You don't want to impress the bar and the bar doesn't want to
impress you back.
Drink: $2 Highlifes. Only the champagne of beers for this champagne
of bars.
Drank: $2 Mickey's. Malt liquor (double the pleasure!) + puzzles under
the cap (double the fun!)
Drunk: Whatever else they sell at Balcony Bar for $2. (I'm assuming
the bartenders adore me here.)
mindless musings:
The Rum House catching on fire. Plenty of late night couples disputes. A shooting star. These are just a few of the things I've had the pleasure viewing atop the balcony of this fine establishment.
You will find these things and much more if you choose to enjoy Balcony Bar while:
- out on the balcony, overlooking Magazine Street, enjoying the fine Louisiana weather well into the night, accompanied by your favorite friends and favorite beers.
And you won't find these things and you will find much less if you choose to experience Balcony Bar while:
- on the inside of Balcony Bar.
Literally, unless you're walking in to retrieve your pizza (anything but plain cheese is great) there is absolutely no reason to subject yourself to the innards of this bar. I wanted to post this sentence next: It's not like there's actually blood and fish guts strewn about but it's reminiscent of a fish that has been gutted and left to rot. But I won't. It's just that personally; Balcony Bar doesn't return me any favors aside from a great balcony and decent pizza. The rest of the bar isn't awful as much as it's just incredibly laid back. It's definitely not somewhere that you will find a hopping party hiding around the corner.
If you're rebellious, mysterious, or an older patron, you will likely enjoy the downstairs area. And if you're a hipster, young professional or generally a younger-aged patron, you will likely skim right through the downstairs area and head up to your perching post on the balcony. I'm not sure if it's because the stairs are too steep and scary for the former bunch but it's a little eerie how stark the difference is between the downstairs and upstairs areas of this place. I.e.: dance parties upstairs are likely to be welcomed while dance parties in the middle of downstairs are likely to result in criticizing stares. (Even after you decide to head back inside for one more drink after waiting for a cab for 30 minutes, and you now have six Mickey's to drink because of the $10 minimum, and your group is desperate to find a way to pass the time, and it's only 11pm but your first drink was had at a 2:30 LSU kick off... No matter how positively impressive you think your dance moves are at this moment... the downstairs crowd will still not be grateful for the dance party you are trying to create. Trust me.)
So to recap this unusually uninspiring establishment on Magazine Street - it's not going to rock your world like some of the other Nola bars I have spotlighted on this blog. BUT with some bias, I biweekly, with breaks in between, am bunched up beside my besties bringin down brews on the beautiful balcony at Balcony Bar. I can't explain the madness. Perhaps I have an affinity for the letter B. Or by chance it's an awkward obsession with balconies (as I have somehow mentioned them 12 times in this post alone). But it's likely that I keep going back because Balcony Bar easily reiterates my favorite saying:
"In the end it's not where you are but who you're with that really matters"
- DMB(alcony)
"Laissez les bon temps rouler"
- Barbara Bush
Insider Tips:
(1) Not that you don't carry it with you anyway, but be sure to have your ID on hand as there is a doorman most nights of the week and he is perfectly comfortable with rejecting your entrance. Even those who are small, quick, Mexican and squeaked in through the back door have been recognized three hours later and promptly kicked out.
(2)Also we're all lucky it hasn't happened yet, so please follow the trend of not falling down the incredibly steep stairs and dying. -
Review from Neelam P.
1/23/2012
Decent bar with a good beer selection and not too far from the streetcar stop.
We sat on the balcony and enjoyed some some fresh air and a nice view of Magazine street. Great option on a nice day! -
Review from Nathaniel S.
New Orleans, LA
Updated - 1/18/2012
Recent experiences demand I update.
One Star - Great location on Magazine
Two Stars - Cheap drinks
Three Stars - Love hanging out on the balcony.
Minus One Star - pretty standard cheap mixed drinks and the upstairs can get rather crowded on busy nights.
MINUES TWO STARS - Recently I have had several unpleasant experiences with two of the bartenders working upstairs on Fridays and Saturdays. I understand these are busy days and I have also experienced similar chaos while working in the service industry. This does not excuse the male bartender with the hat repeatedly being downright RUDE to customers.
For example, one night, not particularly busy at all, I ordered an Abita Amber. I sat down at a table, as I usually do with friends at Balcony Bar, and started drinking my Amber. It was flat. Something was seriously off with said beer. I decided to return it in favor of another pour. Not wanting to be rude I stated, in a humble manner, that "I think this beer is flat" to which he responded "Well, is it?"
Yes... yes it was. He continued to pour flat beer for my other friends that night without replacing the keg.
Caveat... there is a female bartender who works the second floor and is absolutely great. She remembers me, which is understandable since I am there regularly and tip well considering I am a teacher.Listed in: Irish Channel Neighborhood…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/15/2010
Balcony is close to my house, which already rockets it up on my list. The combination of cheap… Read more »
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Review from Bob W.
New Orleans, LA
12/6/2011
Meh, it is what it is. "A-OK" is way too generous, but two stars seems to harsh. Where's that damn half star when you need it?
Not the worst place you'll ever go, and if you go in expecting nothing more than a lukewarm drunken time, you won't be disappointed.
Definitely a 21-and-under kind of place. -
Review from Jane S.
9/15/2011
I hate this place. I have no idea what people see in it. What's the big deal? It's a cheesy-looking sports bar with uncomfortable seating. Woo Hoo, there's a balcony. Hence the name. I've got news for you: if you're a bar and a fucking balcony is your only selling point, you're doing it wrong.
I gave it two stars because at least I've never gotten food poisoning from this place. Then again, I don't think I've ever had the food there. But I do know people who've gotten food poisoning from their crappy food.Listed in: Bars, My Shitlist, I don't get it.
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Review from a p.
New Orleans, LA
1/28/2012
the ONLY good thing about this bar is the balcony, if you can get a spot. i'm a local - there are MUCH better bars that serve good cheap drinks (good being the key word), without the obnoxious frat crowd. it's dirty, too smoky inside, has the crappiest mixed drinks and the worst food. i would give the food a NEGATIVE rating if i could. i honestly don't know how they get away with serving microwave junk food at new york prices. oh wait, i know - they serve it to really drunk people at 3 in the morning! you would seriously have to be really wasted to eat it - like a lucky dog. the whole thing is brilliant in a con artist kind of way. the owners are definitely laughing all the way to the bank over that.
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Review from Erin V.
New Orleans, LA
9/3/2011
This is fun bar, great selection of drinks, lots of space! I like upstairs the best, on the balcony of course, but inside is well ventilated and with lots of pool tables and casual atmosphere.
The food is typical bar food, not the best. I had chicken fingers and they were only good because I had a few beers. You have to order upstairs and pick it up upstairs- no waiter service. The fries weren't great either... But you come here for the bar and chill atmosphere so all of that worked for me. Great selection of local beers also which is a must! Because of the high ceilings the noise level is manageable and you can actually carry on a conversation. -
Review from Miss B.
New Orleans, LA
8/2/2011
As far as the bartenders go I've been totally unimpressed. I always have to wait around for them to finish chatting, texting, or whatever it is that is distracting them from doing their job. Pay cash if you can because you'll be waiting awhile to close your tab when it's that time. I had decent service downstairs one night so maybe it's just one or two bartenders.
However, their late night food makes up for the lousy service. The hummus wrap is amazing! Thanks for having vegetarian options so when I'm drunk I don't make worse decisions!
Their door guys are always overly nice, too. Maybe they should switch with a bartender or two? -
Review from Michael S.
New Orleans, LA
7/24/2011
Cheap drinks. Good people. Fantastic balcony. Great bartenders.
This is one of my favorite local bars in New Orleans. Balcony has a great happy hour and always has some form of beer on special for $2 (you just cant find that at too many places). The bartenders are always extremely nice, and typically nice enough tp push happhour back 30-45 minutes. If it's a nice night out, the balcony is a great place to unwind with a beer or two. -
Review from Jeff C.
Westwego, LA
4/14/2011 5 Check-ins Here
An enigma wrapped in a mystery.... that's how I would describe the Balcony. Does anybody else ever notice that the downstairs area crowd is soooo different from the upstairs area crowd???? I just find it amusing!
Usually when I am out on Magazine for the night, for some reason I always wind up here last. Which isn't a bad thing at all. For some reason I'm just drawn to it late at night.
The beer selection is decent, however being a whiskey drinker, I get a little bit miffed with the drink prices to cup size ratio. I don't want to feel like I'm doing a shot of Jack and coke when I order a WHOLE drink. grrrrr.
All in all I would say I still like the bar and the open kitchen is always good for late night calories!Listed in: EastBank Bar List
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Review from Marielle S.
New Orleans, LA
2/8/2011 19 Check-ins Here
I used to be such a fan of this bar. It had an awesome crowd and was always a good time. My friends and I even hung out here after last year's Saints super bowl win and had some pizza.
Lately, though, whenever I have gone, I have just felt out of place. The bar always seems way too crowded (which is great for the owners) and the kind of people that go there are just... different. It seems like more of a crowd that would hang out at Monkey Hill. That's not a horrible thing, but if I want to hang out with college kids, I'll go to a college bar.
Also, they removed the pool tables. I guess they are trying to attract a different crowd, but the friends I would go with would go specifically to shoot pool and have a beer or two. I have no idea why they would get rid of the pool tables. Weren't they making the place money?
Also, in place of the pool tables, they have just scattered small tables and chairs and added a few booths. It all just seems so out of place, now.
I would be glad to go back in the warmer months and hang out on the balcony upstairs, as I have in the past, but for now this is just a "one drink and go" type of place for me. -
Review from Feira T.
New Orleans, LA
2/10/2011 4 Check-ins Here
It's quite simple... I do not like the bartenders here.
Very rude and lazy towards a LOCAL crowd. The worst crowd they would get are the college kids who don't tip. I bartend as well, I've been doing so for 9yrs. I deal with a horrible crowd on bourbon. I deal with the people who are not from here and don't tip. Get your shit together, Balcony! -
Review from Shannon S.
New Orleans, LA
9/26/2011 20 Check-ins Here
This is an ok dive bar that attracts very different crowds downstairs and upstairs but, being New Orleans, there is a bit of a mix where some of the usual upstairs folk will hang out downstairs and vice versa. The main point of this place is they have a balcony to sit on and serve food later than most other places in the immediate area so, as a last resort, you can always get something to eat here. I generally only find myself here when going from the Bulldog to another destination down the street and just decide to stop in for a drink. The draft beer certainly doesn't taste as good as the Bulldog's BUT the prices are a lot cheaper and they have some good daily rotating specials on bottled beer.
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Review from Joi B.
10/31/2010 1 Check-in Here
Never order a drink prepared by a bartender who replies, "Unfortunately," after being asked if they make such drinks there.
Balcony Bar should be 4-stars. After all, it's a bar in New Orleans. Automatic 3-stars as long as it's not a brightly lit frozen daiquiri joint on Decatur or Bourbon. But, 4-stars it is not.
First the good: Balcony Bar oozes charm. After all, you there are two fantastic levels of ultimate old saloon atmosphere. For the second floor bar, go up the winding wooden staircase that is so old, the middle of the stairs is forever imprinted with the footsteps of drinkers past. Venture past the kitchen (laugh at the photos of food they promise is delicious) and you can sit on the balcony, a perfect spot for a warm fall Saturday afternoon during Halloween weekend, which overlooks Magazine and Harmony Streets.
Now the bad: Do not order a bloody mary here. I didn't think it was possible to get a horrible bloody mary in this city, but you can at Balcony Bar. I didn't even finish mine. I get the whole, "I want to just pour you a shot or throw you a beer," thing, but I don't tolerate it very well, especially on an afternoon when the bar is hardly packed. If a bartender won't take pride in their drinks, well, you'd do best to move on and go to a bar where they do. I can say this, because I've busted my ass to pour the perfect martini when my bar was three people deep.
So, if you want a beer and a balcony, this is the bar to go to. If you want anything but this (or maybe a shot) go elsewhere. -
Review from Jules B.
11/6/2010
Great for a weeknight, late-night hangout with friends.
It's right across the street from the Bulldog, which gets insane on Wednesday nights, so my friends and I like to opt for Balcony Bar over it. The pizzas are also a best-kept secret, and you might not guess it, but they definitely rank above other bar food options in the area.
Cheap drinks, good pizza, balcony!, perfect location on Magazine, pool tables... Can't really go wrong. -
Review from Paul R.
6/15/2011
Geez, here is another New Orleans joint that I am divided about. It's not bad but....let's just say that I usually only end up here if friends of mine want to go. Expound on the details of this statement? I surely will....
The Balcony Bar certainly has its charm as it's become a staple for New Orleans Uptown dwellers and what better location than on Magazine St., where the cute boutique shops always look so inviting. If the weather permits, the sidewalks are congested with urbanites looking to spend some money and have a good time. Balcony Bar doesn't disappoint the locals, either. Their door is ALWAYS open and if you've got money, they've got a remedy for all your ills in the form of an intoxicating mixture. Take as directed by the bartender.
I've been here several times since I first found it in 2005 through some New Orleans natives. I think if you're used to the type of distinguished climate that, say, Polo Lounge or even Whiskey Blue might offer, this might not be your brand of nest. It's a cheap thrill; a great place if you're already in the area to drop in, take a load off and relax with a cool beverage amongst friends. Hell, you could even wander in alone and trade banter with the locals. Now, there is a treat.
I've never spent much time, if any, in the downstairs portion of this bar. Why?? Well, there is an abundance of smoke. It's like they replaced the air in there with smog from LA. The air is blue, no joke. You actually have to duck down under the clouds sometimes to see who you're speaking to or who has called you out. Most of the fellows you find in here are on the scary side, too. Ragged jean shorts, stained wife beater, busted croc sandals....you name it. Plus, they give you that 'evil eye'. You know what I'm talking about. Those cheesy spaghetti westerns where the hero drops in from a city up North; tumbleweeds rolling by as he ties off his horse. He steps through the swinging saloon doors and the drunkard on the harpsichord suddenly ceases the music, poker players drop their cards and all faces turn toward him in a chilling fashion. Then, the 'evil eye' makes its appearance. As if to ask 'what's up with this fella'?! He's only saved by a native of those parts, sometimes a scantily clad damsel who grabs him by the arm, ushering him upstairs while saying 'now, don't you mind them now, ya' here? You c'mon up these stairs and have a drink!' At least, that's how I feel when I'm downstairs. Oh yeah, don't interrupt the pool game going on, either because there is ALWAYS one going on.
Which brings me to upstairs. These stairs are narrow, short and go straight up. They should have a hostess at the foot of the stairwell that hands out complementary picks, grappling hooks, rope and boots. This is a steep incline. I can actually feel a change in air pressure upon my ascent. Stick to the handrail, continue to look down as missing a step can be easy and possibly fatal for you and others that are RIGHT BEHIND YOU! Once you get to the second floor, you receive a bumper sticker staking the claim that you 'made it to the top!' Just kidding on that last bit. Upstairs is where they make the tavern food and another bar is located in the center of the floor. I've often found the customers to be much different from the ghouls below and that's a good thing.
There is a nice iron balcony that wraps around the outside of this bar and I have to say, on a beautiful night, it's a real pleasure to hang out up there. Cool breeze, good friends, good drink, nice people. It's a lot of fun and it's here where this bar really begins to shine.
I have a gripe, though. For the sake of the gods, fix your bathrooms!! These bathrooms upstairs (are there any downstairs??) are terrifying. Maybe the women's restrooms are better. The men's restroom is a disgrace. I mean, I've seen better restrooms in the deep end of the Quarter. You know what I'm talking about! There isn't even a door! They give you this giant plank of wood that has all kinds of obscenities written on it, phone numbers calling for both genders and pictures to match! The intention is that if you want any sort of privacy, you pull that plank of wood behind you as it (sort of) cuts you off from the bar customers just behind it. God forbid anyone goes number 2. Check, please!
This is a traditional New Orleans Uptown staple that everyone should check out at least once in their lives. I used to have an affinity for it when I lived in Uptown (on St. Mary St.) but since I've been frequenting other places, this one has fallen down the list. It's just a place you need to go and experience, where the drinks are eclectic as the people who buy them and the doors never close! -
Review from Brooke B.
New Orleans, LA
11/17/2010
If you know me, you know I'm a fan of bars. I am the kind of person that feels that every bar has its place.
Where is Balcony Bar's place is in my heart.
This bar is equivalent to comfort food for me. No matter what time of day, no matter how large or small the crowd, no matter if I'm alone or with 15 friends, I always feel comfortable here.
Friendly patrons and bartenders make this an easy place to hang out even when you walk in along. (Arguably, though, that could be said of nearly every bar in the city. New Orleans is known for its openness and acceptance.)
There are televisions for watching sports or whatever and a pretty good jukebox too.
They have amazing bar food from quesadillas, pizza, hot wings and a lot more. There is a wide liquor selection, and the drink specials can't really be beat. I once sat at this bar for about 4 hours in the middle of the day, and paid a $12 bar tab. And we all know, I'm not a slow drinker.
I like to sit upstairs, either at the bar, or outside on their amazing balcony overlooking Magazine Street. But there is more seating, as well as pool tables on the first floor.
They do allow smoking, but other than that, it's a great bar to drink, people watch and just have a good time. -
Review from Alexis A.
Hennepin, MN
3/16/2011
This bar has no shortage of characters, both working in it, and patronizing it.
It can be annoying (and the balcony can be down right scary) when it's crowded, but drinks are decent, and they have some good grub.
There's a kitchen tucked back by the bathrooms on the second floor (can't order from the bars). The pizza is good. I'm not a fan of the hot wings. The loaded chili fries are pretty rediculous (ultimate drunk food), and the other stuff I've tried is average (cheese stix, poppers). The kitchen staff requires patience, as do some of the bartenders, but it's worth it! -
Review from Rodney H.
New Orleans, LA
10/1/2010
It doesn't compare to many bars within the city, but it's a chill place to spend a weeknight drinking. It's not worth the crowds on the weekends. Good drink specials, which is a big plus, and the balcony is a nice place to hang out and take in Magazine St.
However, those stairs are killer. I had a friend tumble all the way down them and had to spend the rest of the night in a hospital. Not really the bar's fault, though... -
Review from Erica F.
Chalmette, LA
8/28/2011
I have ordered from here several times and also had drinks on a Friday night. I love that they are open late all the time since i work downtown overnight and many places that deliver are greasy drunk food. Never any problems with the food I order and always still hot. I highly recommend this to all the Hotel guests that ask me for a late night place!! Thanks Balcony Bar.. loving the new menu also!!
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Review from Jen P.
New Orleans, LA
12/1/2010
Balcony bar is a combination of cheap drinks, everybody I know, and the chance to sit on a balcony and drink (which is one of my favorite and most dangerous pastimes). Other pros include good, greasy food, a prime location by every other place that I hang out, a large area in doors for the rainy/cold days, a decent amount of restrooms, and daily/ happy hour specials that make drinking even cheaper.
The fake-cons include the fact that it is smokey and that I will run into everyone I know within 20 minutes of being there. Depending on my level of intoxication, those can be turned around pretty quickly. The only real con (and the reason behind the four stars rather than five) is that the service at the bar is slow on the weekends and they can be very abrupt when you are trying to close your tab. -
Review from Le Thu N.
New Orleans, LA
Balcony Bar & Cafe is definitely a stable in the late night scene on Magazine St. for cheap drinks and good bar food. I was here last night with some out-of-town folks, and it was pretty slammed for a Friday night. I usually prefer to come on weekdays over weekends. Anyhoo, we opted to hangout upstairs instead of the downstairs area. The wait for our drinks were about 10-15 mins. That's pretty long. And their food is not gourmet food, but definitely hits the spot when you've had a couple drinks in the system.
During the fall/winter, I like lounging out on their balcony. But be warned, you must come early or else you'll luck out. The balcony seating goes fast, and those customers never leave either. So last night I was bit annoyed with how smokey it was inside. I mean, since they already have a balcony area, why not make the indoor area of upstairs smoke-free. That would be so fantastic!
And the bathrooms at Balcony, eeeek! The doors don't lock, they don't have enough toilet paper, for hand soap they just give you a little soap bar, and no napkins to whip your hands. Bathrooms are a big deal breaker on which bar I'll go to or not. Upgrade your bathrooms, puh-lezzzzze! -
Review from Johan B.
New Orleans, LA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome pizza and they deliver late. Only three stars cause they allow smoking inside.
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Review from Dana D.
10/31/2010
Balcony Bar is 2 blocks away from home...so, its great being able to walk (or stumble) home.
Get a beer, simple cocktail (like cranberry & vodka) or a shot. If you are looking for fancy, go to a snazzy hotel bar or an upscale bar. Bars like this are not classy & sophisticated, and thats all the charm. This place is a 2 story, 'dive-y' bar with an excellent location on Magazine, and 2 bars. The stairs are somewhat steep, so the drunk & clumsy might wanna stay downstairs. I have enjoyed bachelorette parties, New Years and other random weekend nights here and enjoy the laid back feeling here. -
Review from Jill S.
New Orleans, LA
7/25/2010
This is one of my go-to spots for a laid-back night, a good retreat after Bulldog is closed and the conversation's still going. I've never eaten anything here, and I don't have high expectations for the cuisine. I've also never hung out downstairs, which is always more empty than upstairs. Pool tables and games if that's your thing.
Up that rickety staircase, it's loud and bustling. Grab some real-estate at the square bar in the middle of the room while a friend starts scoping out the balcony outside. If you can't land a spot on the balcony, it's not worth staying, but somehow a spot always magically opens up before you've finished your first drink. Then kill a few hours enjoying the company and the view. -
Review from Jeff C.
Washington D.C., DC
11/6/2011
The balcony is the only thing this place has going for it. The bar downstairs and the bar upstairs are your usual run of the mill local dives with a pool table. The woman behind the bar was less than friendly. She wasn't rude, but she made you feel like you were bothering her to order a beer. The big problem I had with this place is that they have DIRTY TAP LINES. You can taste it in the beer, which totally ruins it. I thought maybe it was just the first beer I ordered but I ordered a different beer for my second and my wife order two different beers as well and all 4 of them had that nasty dirty tap line taste. It's a shame because they had a nice selection on tap.
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Review from mary ann c.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2010
We came in here around 4 pm on a Sunday so it was nice and mellow
the bartender was cool (Monica I think....) the service was fast (but again there were only a few people in there
they have a GREAT beer selection and the place was pretty big
drinks were cheap too
would totally come back for day drinksListed in: new orleans (because sometimes…
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Review from Adam O.
Houston, TX
5/4/2009
Magazine St gets my vote for my favorite street in New Orleans. If I found a job in New Orleans I would have to make sure I lived within striking distance.
One of the places that I always end up going is Balcony Bar. They have pretty good food, especially considering it is a bar. The bartenders... while not the most friendly people in the world... and maybe not always the most attentive... are pretty alright. The jukebox is fantastic, and there is something to be said about being able to hang out on a balcony overlooking Magazine St. -
Review from Mark C.
Rochester, NY
1/25/2010
Was there on a busy night, def a local hang out. No tourists really. Giving 1 star cause the bartender was an DB - he couldn't get a can open so he smashed it with a bottle opener, which soaked my face. Didn't apologize or offer a napkin - but obviously saw what happened. Kept on his marry way. I stood there glaring at him with grapefruit juice dripping down my face.... wanted to do a little more, but being non native, I let it slide... until now - 1 STAR
EEK! Me Thinks NOT -
Review from Rene d.
8/21/2009
It's a bar. Really, two bars: street level, where there's frat or thuggish looking guys with minimal social skills pretending to play pool/look cool; and upstairs - by climbing those treacherous stairs and you'll discover it's a raucous, free-wheeling place to hang with friends or drink on the cheap.
My friends ordered cheese fries, which showed up with a huge pile of mozzarella on top of fries. Inedible after the 1st two minutes because the layer of cheese became, for lack of a better description. 'dairy armour'.
Drink specials every day. Balcony for those who smoke/ogle people who walk by. Jukebox is stellar. Not a place to order a martini, but you can try...Listed in: A Magazine Street Stroll
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Review from Rico C.
New York, NY
7/30/2009
Rico like Balcony for reason of always $1.50 different beer when I go. Drink many Red Stripe one night and small tiny black man with bullet belt want to be my friend for pool table.
Rico like to go upstair to sit outside and put whistle on wimmen walkin on Magazine. Only think Rico no like is stairs. I fall two weeks and amigo with bullet belt help me.
Might bar girl there like Rico? -
Review from Christy L.
New Orleans, LA
Updated - 6/6/2009
Okay so I need to nudge the Balcony up to 4 stars for the sheer amount of fun I've been having there. If you can snag a table the night is yours. Outside is always packed on balmy nights and you may have to kick and elbow your way to get out there. The food takes FOREVER....if they tell you 10-20 minutes they really mean 30-45. The pizza is above average but I give everyone fair warning about the cheese fries and jalapeno poppers. Delicious as they may be they are so greasy I always wake up ( I never order their food at a reasonable hour) with a food baby in my stomach that can only be expelled in the form of summoning the porcelien gods.
Aside from that the jukebox is loaded with great tunes (MGMT, MIA, Arcade Fire) and the drinks are cheap.Listed in: Eat & Live like a local, In a pinch? Cheap and free., Garden District, Be a non-tourist, cocktail time
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2009
There are times when I love the Balcony and there are times I can't stand going in. The atmosphere… Read more »
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Review from Sean M.
Oakland, CA
10/24/2008
I'm writing a review purely from a take-out experience.
Horrible, horrible service. I ordered a pizza around 12:30 AM tonight, and they said it would take 45 minutes max. One hour later, nothing. Called in, the guy said it would be another five or ten minutes. Thirty minutes pass..nothing. So I call again-- and apparently he has no clue where the driver went. Canceled the meal promptly- DON'T order out from here. Apparently they're under new management so that could be one reason for such lackluster service. -
Review from Rocky K.
San Bruno, CA
8/27/2009
Drunk, messy, fratty, sometimes douchey crowd.
The balcony itself is enjoyable. A group of us came and it was nice to sit outside to simmer down after Mardi Gras mess.
The cooks came out and started flirting with our, well, drunk and messy friend. It was entertaining, but our friend/acquaintance got annoying real quick. -
Review from Zachary A.
New Orleans, LA
Updated - 9/2/2010
as far as my previous reviews standing, yes, except all the pool tables and other games are gone. More seating. Better Jukebox (internet; largely unfiltered). The Turks in the kitchen are funny and awesome.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/7/2009
Note i am reviewing the bar, not the food. My previous review still stands, with one accent: the… Read more »
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Review from John P.
Alpharetta, GA
2/26/2010
Watched Super Bowl 44 here and stopped in on the Saturday night before. Not a "sports bar" by any means, but the TVs were big and the place was packed. Wonder why? :)
Saturday was a college-kid crowd so I was skeptical, but the game-watching experience was good. Nice old Magazine street setting, and a great Balcony (another surprise!) from which to watch the limited uptown mayhem after the Tracy Porter interception in the 4th Quarter. Everyone was friendly, food was served in a reasonable length of time, overall good experience. -
Review from betsy s.
New Orleans, LA
Updated - 10/23/2010
The veggie pizza has saved this place for me. There is no reason to stay here if you aren't on the balcony, but once you're out there, it's great :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/17/2010
There are so many great bars with tasty food and friendly bartenders that I don't know why anyone… Read more »
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Review from Shawanda M.
Atlanta, GA
11/7/2010
middle of the day...$4 margaritas.
sitting at a bar w/friends. bartender is doing shots.
jukebox. we're the ONLY people using the jukebox to play everything from: the chili peppers, the temptations, erykah badu, the cranberries...the list of random music goes on.
fun times. -
Review from C. R.
San Diego, CA
8/2/2011
Super great late night snack.Ordered a pizza and wings.Great customer service as welll.
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Review from Paddy H.
New Orleans, LA
7/12/2011
I did like the Balcony bar, I liked Jenny a nice blonde haired bartender, very polite, very sweet, efficient and fun, she was and is on the whole a pretty cool bartender. I liked Rachael again a very efficient and personable bartender, the other bartenders seemed OK, all but one, that I can only say was and is the worst bartender that has ever served me in my life and I have been to thousands of bars all around the World. I believe her name is Vera!
Vera pretty much spoilt my Balcony experience, at first she seemed OK albeit a little arrogant. I was always polite and always tipped my regular 20% or more tip. I had never even spoken to Vera other than to politely order a drink. Never been rude, never acted up, never been drunk and disorderly. Vera started to give me the 'stink eye', giving me what can only be described as contemptuous, scornful and surly looks. I came in to the Balcony bar to have a relaxing drink and a bite to eat (I love Gyro's) and cool off in the AC after a hard day's work. I dont need someone leering at me contemptuously! Especially the bar tender.
She made me feel like I had killed her favorite pet. She had absolutely no reason to be treating me this rudely. She acts like a complete smuck. One day after work I went in for a pint of Guiness and a Gyro and she was behind the bar, I politely ordered a beer and ate the Gyro and fries that I had purchased from their kitchen, Vera was reading a newspaper, I started to watch a TV show on one of the TV monitors around the bar with subtitles as the
volume was turned down (No problem). Vera looks up from her newspaper at me then goes to the till, picks up the TV remote and changes the channel on the TV that I am watching then looks at me with a rather surly expression and goes back to reading her news paper at the other end of the bar. No where near being able to watch the TV. It was pretty obvious she was just doing this to upset me. A little while later she left the bar I assume to use the
bathroom, I finished my drink and food and left without saying anything (What do you say to someone like that) She didnt turn the TV over to watch a specific channel she changed the channel to delierately upset a patron of the bar. I dont wanna go back to the Balcony bar whilst she is working there for food or drinks. They need to get rid of Vera!
