Cafe Lafitte in Exile

Cafe Lafitte in Exile is a Bourbon Street institution with a history stretching back to the end of Prohibition in 1933. Originally opened as Café Lafitte at 941 Bourbon Street, it moved to its current home at 901 Bourbon after the original owner, Tom Caplinger, was forced to leave, adding “in Exile” to the name.

Its history is wonderfully colourful: during one period, patrons had to enter through the back door because the front was barricaded with barbed wire and sandbags to deter police raids. Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote were among its famous guests.

Today, it shares the claim as the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the US with White Horse Inn in Oakland. The bar now spans two floors, with outdoor seating on both and a wraparound balcony overlooking the French Quarter. Inside, photographs, artwork, and memorabilia tell the story, including the bar’s distinctive “eternal flame” sculpture. There’s also a huge outdoor screen for weekend music videos and football games.

Stop by for happy hour, a Hurricane, or one of the bar’s regular events, then return during Mardi Gras or Southern Decadence when Bourbon Street really comes alive.