Old Absinthe House

In the heart of the French Quarter, at the corner of Bourbon Street and Bienville, sits the stuff that legends are made of -- The Old Absinthe House. Many celebrities have been welcomed through our doors in the nearly two centuries since its opening -- including Oscar Wilde, P.T. Barnum, Mark Twain, Jenny Lind, Enrico Caruso, General Robert E Lee, Franklin Roosevelt, Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra.  Indeed, the walls throughout this incredible building are covered in the framed photographs of several of our famous patrons.  The building endures the name of Jean Lafitte's because of the rumored meeting of the Pirate Jean Lafitte and Andrew Jackson as they planned the victory of the battle of New Orleans on the second floor (now the newly-renovated Jean Lafitte's Bistro).  In fact, many of those who work here will be happy to share their Jean Lafitte Ghost Stories with you!  For those not familiar with Absinthe, it is a liquor made from, among other things, wormwood.  It is said to have a bitter, licorice flavor and is greenish/chartreuse in color.  Originally brought to popularity in Europe, Absinthe found quite a following here in New Orleans ... the little Paris of the New World.  Of course, when in New Orleans, the Absinthe House was the favorite spot for those who wished to imbibe the spirit.  The building now houses Tony Moran's Restaurant and Jean Lafitte Bistro .. and the front room is still the tavern known as Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House!