It's late on Sunday evening and after a long hangout out and around town for Sunday Funday I stumble to the guilty pleasure of Shadyside which is "Le Mardi Gras".
The combination of dark lighting, random chandeliers, persistent lingering of smoke, a strong double drink for cold hard cash along with random trinkets from old school NOLA, personally allows me to envision what I image a 1920s opium den to look like.
I call it a guilty pleasure as it's not a place for the mainstream crowd. Rather, it is a place where you can smoke that drunken cigarette [or pack] in peace without fear of smelling of smoke when you get home to the Mrs, as you will, by even stepping one foot into the den, will require you to air out your clothes for a week.
A guilty pleasure where you can disappear into the barstool as a shadow creature, knocking back an $8 long island that unapologetically reminds you of exactly how much liquor is in it.
A guilty pleasure that does not discriminate what you do at your day job and will take a stripper dollar bill as likely as a crispy new $20 from the ATM and doesn't care if you queue up the old school jukebox with nothing but old time Frank Sinatra songs.
In essence, a deliciously sinful event and a local favorite for many more years to come.
Pros:
1. Smoking Bar
2. Cash Only
3. Superstrong drinks that will make you black out
4. Great bar tenders
5. Oldies but goodies juke box
Cons:
1. Smoking Bar
2. Cash Only
3. Superstrong drinks that will make you black out
See you there on a Sunday at last call.