Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29
On our final night in New Orleans, we visited Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29. Though this bar is ranked #80 in North America, it was by far our favorite bar of the trip.
Tip: Even if you have a reservation, ask to sit at the bar! Typically, if you’ve made a reservation, they will seat you at a table, which is what they tried to do for us when we arrived at Beachbum Berry’s. The dining room was empty when we got there (our reservation was for 4:30, right when they opened) and felt removed from the cocktail scene at the bar. The whole reason we came to Beachbum Berry’s was for the drinks, so we asked to be seated at the bar instead. And our experience was so much better because of it. While Beachbum Berry’s is an outstanding bar with fabulous drinks, the atmosphere of being at the bar made it a much more fun and memorable experience.
Overview: With an extensive cocktail menu, it would have been impossible for the two of us to try every drink. But the drinks we had were all amazing. We started with the Six Dive, which was a drink meant to be shared between two people (pictured here.) The Pandan Painkiller and the Missionary’s downfall are both delicious. And the Rum Barrel is one of the most wonderfully garnished drinks I’ve had. But what made the night truly memorable were all the fun little extras we got because we were at the bar. Our bartender was amazing and kept preparing shooter sized cocktails for everyone at the bar to take together - I think we had 3 or 4 while we were there. She also specially prepared J’s last drink of the night - a 151 Swizzle. It was a very high proof cocktail made with the now discontinued Lemon Hart 151 rum. She explained that they had a few bottles of Lemon Hart left, and then after that the drink would be gone. So J got one of the last 151 Swizzles ever!
We are big fans of Tiki drinks, which made this a really fun experience. Beachbum Berry is a real person, who owns the bar and is a cocktail historian. He’s spent his career scouring records to find and create original tiki drink recipes. His knowledge of and passion for Tiki Drinks definitely comes through at Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29.
My Assessment: This is a must visit bar, especially if you like Tiki Drinks. I’d make the trip to New Orleans again just to go back to Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29.