After dozens of trips over the years to New Orleans, the Spotted Cat is something you can rely on. Simply put, our recent night there started about the same time the band did, and although we had to wait out a few French Quarter stragglers who were quite annoying, before I knew it my girfriend and I had witnessed a truly authentic jazz set ? much looser, less polished and a litlle dirtier than what you get at Preservation Hall. We also managed to meet and and trade stories and drinks with some guys from the band and pretty much everyone else inside the place. Before we knew what happened, it was 3:30 a.m. It was my girlfriend's first-ever visit to NOLA and my umpteenth, and I felt like the place delivered both of our fondest memories of the trip. Try to meet Uncle Lionel if you go.
Pros: Real music from people born and raised in New Orleans, strong drinks, nice people.
Cons: None, except for the obvious lack of major parking that exists everywhere in NOLA, but who cares?
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