Welcome to New Orleans for the 2022 Final Four.
Yes, we know all y’all like the color blue: Villanova, Kansas, Duke and North Carolina all have blue in their uniforms. In Louisiana, we kind of prefer black and gold because of the New Orleans Saints, or maybe purple and gold for the LSU Tigers.
We expect two great Final Four games on Saturday and then the national championship game Monday, all in our Caesars Superdome. You guys behave.
In New Orleans, we know how to throw a party, feed you well and treat you right. If you don’t have a ticket to see the Wildcats, Jayhawks, Dookies, or Tar Heels, let an experienced native tell you where you can watch the Final Four games in New Orleans.
Some places have bigger TVs than others.
Some are neighborhood spots.
Trust me though, they’ll all treat you right. By the way, there is no way I can say one of these establishments is better than the other. That would be like picking whether I like crab, alligator, shrimp, or crawfish better.
So let’s just list ‘em it by proximity to the Dome. Plus, since LA online sports betting is live, it just adds to the potential excitement of a great sports weekend.
Walk-On’s, 1009 Poydras Street
This place is just a half-mile from the Superdome, so if your team wins you’ll be right in line to get out after the game and enjoy the party.
Walk-On’s Bistreaux (putting “Eaux” is our way of putting the sound oh at the end of everything) has a great backstory. A couple of LSU basketball players – yes, you guessed it, walk-ons who rarely played – started a business, a sports bar and grill. It took off with spots all over the South now. It’s a little corporate, but it’s a good spot.
Must Get at Walk-On’s Bistreaux:
You’re like, Shrimp and grits? Yes. Shrimp and grits. Big thick shrimp and some buttery grits, will melt your heart. For dessert, give the Krispy Kreme bread pudding a dunk.
Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill, Harrah’s Casino
The Manning family is sacred in New Orleans. Every local is following the next one in line, Arch, he’s a quarterback at Newman High School, the grandson of Archie and nephew to NFL legends Peyton and Eli.
The Manning Sports Bar is located inside Harrah’s Casino. It is a sports bar to the max. 30 flat-screen televisions, including two 13-foot mega screens. There’s Manning memorabilia all over the place. This place is a mile from the Dome.
Must Get at Manning Sports Bar:
The menu is kind of basic, but here’s the best thing, most entrees are served with fresh Zapp’s potato chips. These potato chips are kettle cooked in Gramercy, LA and come in a variety of flavors, including Voodoo (too sweet for me) and Craw-tators (Best Chip on Planet).
Tracey’s, 2604 Magazine
This place is a New Orleans institution, about two miles from the Superdome. It’s located in the Irish Channel, one of the many neighborhoods in New Orleans.
It’s not too far from another great bar, the Bulldog Uptown, not to be confused with the Bulldog Mid-City. Tracey’s is famous for having the first color TV in the neighborhood back in the day. It’s an Irish pub that caters to a local clientele.
Must Get at Tracey’s:
Now is your chance to try a fried softshell crab if they have any available. You eat the whole thing shell and all. Also, it sounds funny, but the hamburger po-boy.
Picture a hamburger on a long roll dressed to go. Ok, for outsiders, saying you want your po-boy “dressed” means with shredded lettuce, tomato and fixings.
Bruno’s Tavern, 7538 Maple Street
You can’t walk from the Dome here, but you’ll not find a better bar in the city. 10 big TVs for your basketball-viewing pleasure. If you’re here for the championship game on Monday, that means it’s red beans and rice day. They claim the best cheese fries in town, and I don’t rank them first, but they’re up there.
Must Get at Bruno’s Tavern:
Debris fries. That’s right, hurricanes roll through and there is debris everywhere. These are debris fries. Little bits of chopped-up roast beef over waffle fries and two types of cheese.
Oh, the drink to try is the Irish Trash Can. It’s Red Bull and liquor(s). It’s Green.
Cooter Browns, 509 S. Carrolton Avenue
This Uptown place is five miles away from the Dome, so you’ll need a ride. They have 17 televisions to watch the game, and only 400 different beer selections (only). Be careful, because there’s a different beer menu at the front bar than there is at the back bar. It’ll all make sense when you walk in.
On Saturday, they’ll have hot boiled crawfish. You don’t have to suck the heads if you don’t want. But (insider tip) do eat the veggies that come with the crawfish.
Must Get at Cooter Browns:
The Oyster basket. Get your fried oysters, ask for some lemon wedges and Tabasco sauce. Squeeze the lemons into a paper cup, drop in a dollop of Tabasco. Dip that fried oyster in, swirl it around….boom, you’ve just tasted New Orleans.
