811 Conti Street
Guinness Tag: $4.50 | Overall Rating: 9.50
Today's Dedicated Pint: Marjory. Jersey City, NJ.
They laid its bones over a hundred years ago in the French Quarter as a single-family home and it was converted into a bar in the 1950's. The people running the Erin Rose like to promote themselves as "Local prices, Local chaos, Local love". We like to agree with them as they poured us the least expensive Guinness throughout the city by a longshot, the place filled up within seconds after opening its doors, and the Craic was abundant as the drinks started flowing. There's certainly a lot of charm here and it is our highest recommended Irish Pub throughout the entire state of Louisiana.
It's open 21 hours a day and as they're famous for a lot of things; the Frozen Irish Coffee is what many of the locals are popping in for, especially in the mornings to relieve the hangover from shutting the bar down just 3 hours prior. One time as we were walking in upon open there was a cute old man with a newspaper and some stories to tell. He told us about "Ruthie the Duck Lady" (who's pictured on the wall), a famous local lady known for riding around in roller-skates from bar to bar throughout the French Quarter accompanied by a duck! Not many people go down in history for anything so the fact that her legacy is known for that means she had to have been one hell of a cool person.
The Erin Rose has a Patina overload; you can't find a square inch on any of the walls or ceilings that isn't covered with some sort of decor. Everything is authentic with either uniqueness, history, or just plain neatness. Everything in here has that perfect touch of "used and abused" that allows you to come as you are and feel at home. The one thing it's missing is a Steel Tip Dart Board. They've got a couple of TVs for watching the games, an old cigarette machine for those desperate enough to pay for a pack, and you'll also find a bunch of police patches to honor those who protect us while we let our guards down. It gets crowded and rowdy here, much praise to those in uniform!
When you walk towards the back of the place you can find "killer po'boys", slot machines, one high-top table for resting, exposed brick, and a tiny toiletry. The floorboards have certainly seen better days, however, the creakiness and the worn-in aspect of them is what makes the place feel so cozy and nice; so, we hope they never re-do the flooring unless it's a "we gotta do it at this point" situation.
To brief back on the drinking side of things, the Erin Rose certainly delivers on both pricing and variety. They've got Bloody Mary's which seem to bring in flocks of people, Mimosas, and both Hot & Frozen Irish Coffees; all of which are below $4.00 before 2pm. Their Guinness pours only ring in at $4.50 as well which is certainly the best bang for your buck in the entire 5-mile square radius. They pour their Guinness well and they serve it to you in a traditional sized pint unlike a few of the other places around here.
If you're looking to indulge and loosen up a button or two then you're also in luck as they have the famous "Killer Po'boy's" on their menu; an "internationally famous New Orleans style sandwich". They serve food every day until midnight except for Tuesdays. You didn't hear it from us... but get the Grilled Cheese.
The bartenders and staff are second to nobody. The bartenders are professionals at creating a conversation and keeping it flowing amongst the crowd and throughout the shift. They know how to supply the Craic. They're engaging, they're polite, they're knowledgeable, and most of them will probably tell you to F-off if you're being a jerk (which is fantastic). They offer all the local beers you could want, and they provide an above average whiskey selection.
One of the best things about the Erin Rose aside from all of the amazing decor that exploded on the walls is the fact that it's a dog friendly Pub. Those who allow pups to enter the Pub are always good people as we always agree with the saying "if my dog doesn't trust you; I don't trust you". One of the only things that give the place a "meh" feel to it is that the countertop itself is very boring for something you'll be bending the elbows on for hours at a time. Perhaps that and the barstools; just our opinion but for anyone who likes to sip on 6 or 7 pints at a time like we do then sitting on a barstool without a backrest for that long can get a little back-breaking! Small potatoes.
All in all, this is the spot to stumble into if you're heading to New Orleans. It's got an abundance of patina, it's very easy on the wallet, it certainly has the Craic, and you are not going to leave disappointed. A fantastic Pub worthy of being on the top of the charts on our "Highest Rated Pub List". Here's to a hundred more years to the Erin Rose!
Slainte.
