AllWays Lounge & Marigny Theatre

It’s a dive bar. When we went, we had just missed the cabaret. There was a crazy big gross spider on the ceiling that kept us entertained. The spot was pretty dirty and didn’t seem to be in a super great part of town, but we had fun. Lots of hipsterish people, and it definitely trended younger. I’d go back, but it’s just OK.

There is always something shocking going on at this bar. if you’re going to New Orleans you have to go here at least once. but make sure you have your tetanus shot first.

My bf and I came to AllWays on the first night of our New Orleans stay and it definitely started our trip off on the best note! We came Sunday night because we had heard about the free dancing session/​lesson they have (at 8, I think?). We didn’t participate, but it was super fun to just sit and watch others. This also allowed us to grab a table and have seats when the live band started at 9. I believe they were The Trad Stars and they were awesome! All the seriously well-​practiced dancers on the dance floor were also awesome to watch. The atmosphere was really lively. The mixed drinks were not too great but I don’t think that’s really what this place is relying on anyway. Would definitely recommend coming on a Sunday evening!

Excellent show! Very entertaining and Bella Blue is amazing. My bachelorette party booked a private class with her earlier in the day and then we attended the Dirty Dime Peep Show that night. Full of fun and surprises. Everyone felt like the to activities were a perfect vibe for the party!

What a great spot for alternative entertainment. The neighborhood is on the edge between decent (not awesome) and sliding into a questionable area. The New Orleans ban on smoking indoors has done wonders, as the ceiling is of normal level, and there is not much circulation of the air, so I can see how it would become stagnant. The night I came was not packed, and there was an air of something missing, though I am not sure what. The setting is intimate, a few close tables, and then the bar. Service was decent. There are several alternative bars very nearby, but I would still be concerned for safety here.
The burlesque show was great, I really like the vibe of the evening. I enjoyed the evening, and though I will not be back every night, I would not mind putting this into the rotation of things I occasionally do.

I came here for a Burlesque show. I brought a bachelor party and everyone loved it. Tons of fun, great atmosphere, audience interaction, and excellent show. This was a great way to spend a Saturday night and I would recommend it to any small or large group.

Allways Lounge has free comedy throughout the week and other shows. I’ve been for the comedy a number of times and it is usually a mix and match of the same lineup. The comedians overall are pretty funny and they have varying routines and jokes.
The host for the event whips up vegetarian curry as well as free ice cream! This is definitely a great free event and great venue. With low priced drinks and plentiful seating, this is a great place to stop in if you are having dinner nearby at Kebab or St Roch market. They have a number of great paid and free events like their shows and their free swing dancing as well. Check it out at least once and choose for yourself!

I saw a stand up comedy show here and is a really good room. Every seat appears to have a great view. The room is set up well. You can have a person in every seat and not feel crammed in. I recommend going here. The area around it great for people watching and has a lot of bars/​restaurants.

What a fun little performance space hidden at the back of the bar!!!
Walk through the main bar and past the bathrooms and you’re at the box office. Through the wooden doors and voila — you’re in a theater space that probably seats 100 people and is handicapped accessible!
Rows of chairs from the main part and there is a slightly elevated back section with three rows of seats just in front of the area where the lights/​sound booth.
Rustic space — dimly lit, slightly worn around the edges but clean and exactly what you would anticipate as a community theater space in NOLA.
Friendly staff — the box office does accept cards as they use square.
I would definitely come here to see another show

This is not a review of any shows/​performers. The waitress (bartender?) was extremely rude to me, don’t know if it’s cause I’m a foreigner, or a girl, as she was extra nice to all American white guys around.

Much love for this lil cabaret… Sweet bartenders. Fun shows. Nice lighting. Smoking courtyard. Feel the southern love sugar

Little band on the corner of «no where» new orleans, but boy was it a good time. Every Sunday night they host swing dance lessons and that was such a great time. Great live music and great prices behind the bar. It was a little dive bar but it was an absolutely perfect night of swing dancing with my newest fiancé. I totally recommend checking out this diamond in the rough, especially on Sunday nights when they offer the Swing Dance lessons!

I love the AllWays. I’ve been going for about the past five years, and they seem to have gotten better over the years. They have great events (Esoterotica, live events, burlesque), and in a great location (there are a lot of great bars and restaurants within walking distance), and have friendly bartenders.
I’ve never had a bad experience here, even after Hurricane Isaac when the city didn’t have power and we ended up piling in here because it was one of the few places we could find open.

Great bar to meet all kinds of people and characters of NOLA, their live shows are a must, get there ahead of time if you want seating and to catch the whole show, they range from Burlesque to Drag.

Cat Circus.
A puuurrrrrrfect way to spend a Friday night. The purrrrformers, though a bit catty, were very tail-​ented and put the crowd into quite a fur-​vur of excitement. A glass of cat-​bernet in hand, I was whisker-​ed away by the musical puurrrrformance of the Rockats. There was no paws in the excitement. Cats.
Overall Grade: Meow

Truly a secret gift to Nola!
8:00 pm Swingin’ Sundays! Free Dance lesson 8PM. Live band 9 – 12
The live music just seduces your lazy sunday to get you hot hot hot on the dance floor
On Sundays between 7 pm-​till midnight! An underground Rock and Rolling New Orleans Burlesque Ambassader! Dr. sick and his band of pirates host a fabulous night of swing dance and finely cheap drinks! (served by the amazing and wonderfull GOGO MCGREGOR)
. You can get a lesson earlier for free and just fake it like I did!
(I highly advise If you are not from here, take a cab to and from the bar.)

AllWays sits roughly at the northwest corner of the Marigny/​Bywater area of New Orleans, a part of the city that has become a nexus for creativity, gentrification, anti-​gentrification, property values, beautiful new parks, old parks with charming but deteriorating facilities swapped out for renovation (hint: these can be the same park), gutter-​punks, various other controversies, and bars that don’t serve large plastic flutes of spiked Hawaiian Punch or «huge-​ass» anything.
With its neighborhood set in context, Allways can claim full membership. The atmosphere is properly dark, crowded, and lively, but not in the Sugar-​Bowl-​fans-​posting-​sexual-​assualt-​video-​of-​themselves way. It’s a much more interesting boisterousness.
Walk in, and a comfortable U-​shaped bar wraps around the barkeep on the right. On the left is a small stage where performers perpetuate the cabaret tradition by engaging the audience intimately with song or monologue. There’s a small outside patio further back, and more significantly a small theater where a growing number of noteworthy productions have been staged (most recent as of this review, «The Normal Heart.»)
The term «cabaret» is used here with some reservation, as AllWays’ stage is not in a separate space. The bar is contiguous with the back of the house and door to the street is usually open. (A proper cabaret wraps the audience in a dark cocoon with no distractions and where the focus is channeled fully to the performers.) But after the closure of Le Chat Noir across town, every cabaret stage matters. I wish AllWays success in helping New Orleans keep this art form alive. In that spirit, I give five stars.

A great little spot to catch local music. We were entertained by a couple of brass bands and the talented ska band, The Local Skank. I found my way on stage with them for some crowd participation.
We waited more than 20 minutes for our cab back to the hotel so plan for that. The ALLways Lounge is a fantastic local bar with local bands, with friendly locals, and awesome bartenders. A great respite from the touristy Quarter and the sometimes frenetic Frenchmen St.

This is a great small and intimate theater for some great shows. I’m mostly been here for burlesque shows, and that’s always a fun time. The drinks are well priced and the bartenders and other staff are always nice. The bathrooms are always clean too. It’s a nice and quiet place to hang out when there isn’t a show.
I also like this place because its smoke free and well air-​conditioned (even when its packed).
Pro-​tip: If you show up early for a show, go across the street to Kukhnya, Borracho, or any of the other local eateries for food, and come back to a smoke free environment.

Here are the facts: I was on a pub crawl. I was with 3 gorgeous females. And we ended up here– not on the pub crawl. Does this add up? Well, kind of– Lucky man+great drinks+great times= easy 5 star review. Lemme cut to the chase:
We were on the pub crawl and started walking down the street. OK, we didn’t make it far, as we heard this music from a whoknowswhat. But the music was intriguing. Now, call me a dick or what not, but we decided to go in, and I shit you not, I think the security guard was a gypsy. All I know is I was not willing to f with her, and I would have willingly paid her 2x the cover to not get messed with. It was THAT real deal.
Cover was $ 5, and the place had a decent crowd. The one thing I will not forget was the music. I was informed it was a type of brass band style. If you are a James Bond fan, the only thing I can compare it to are the scenes in «Live and Let Die» when they are in New Orleans and the bands are playing after the agent gets killed (should be right near the beginning). So, in a drunken stupor, I was starting to have flashbacks.
The actual place was cool– dim lit– with a stage, and a dance floor, a bar area, some private booths, and a backroom to get your freak on (or whatever you wanna call it). We grabbed some drinks (which were on the cheap, mind you), and got a front row seat. Oh yea, and those of you who do not know me, I am not big on the dancing thing (ie dropping CMs in dance lessons, etc. etc. etc…). But the music here captivated me. Hell, there was this scruffy looking guy wearing jeans and flip flops shredding every instrument he played. What a badass.
Long story short, we watched 3 – 4 bands of all styles, and danced and drank the night away here. OK, I kinda danced, but I at least drank smore. Everyone there was so friendly, and it was great! Nothing stuck up about this place at all. I loved it! It seemed like they all knew how to have a great time, which helped us stay there for the rest of the evening.
I would like to note though, the men’s restroom looked like a crime scene. I am not sure if that was supposed to be like that or not– but a stall door that was hanging on one hinge and a toilet with blood all over it… Well, let’s just say I did not use that stall! On the plus side, the sinks were cool looking!
For a $ 5 cover and getting to see some of my great friends, this could not be beat! The best bang for the buck in my opinion if you want to hear live music and have a good time. This is what immersing yourself in local culture is all about right here!