Needless to say, this is a perfect place to be on St. Patrick's Day. A personal favorite of mine is a New Orleans twist on the Black & Tan or Half & Half: half-Guiness and half-Abita Amber, the obligatory local Louisiana brew. Despite its French Quarter location, O'Flaherty's still draws locals because of its unique atmosphere and amazing musical performances, which range from traditional Celtic to modern singer-songwriter originals. On the corner of Toulouse and Decatur in the French Quarter, O'Flaherty's is more than worth a stop.

Tel: 504-529-1317

"Where the Celtic Nations meet" is the theme of this fine drinking establishment in the heart of the French Quarter. I happened upon this bastion of Gaelic culture with a group of friends while looking for a place to throw darts. What I found was a truly memorable Irish pub that is known for good beer, warm food and the best "trad" (or traditional Irish music) in the southern United States (check with bartender for a schedule). O’Flaherty’s is a sort of Celtic complex including a courtyard, two separate pubs, a ballad room and a restaurant and after a couple of pints and some music, you can head over to the Celtic gift shop to pick up some souvenirs. All Celtic nations are honored here, Eire (Ireland), Alba (Scotland), Breizh (Brittany), Kernow (Cornwall), Cymru (Wales) and most recently incorporated into the family of nations, Galicia, but the predominance of Irish culture is felt all around. New Orleans is an immigrant’s city and the Irish (and Germans) have done their best to achieve a bit of respectability and influence in what is, in essence, a Latin town. O’Flaherty’s is a fine manifestation of this effort.