Sazerac Bar

Holding the same name in which most people think was Americas first cocktail the Sazerac bar holds a dear place in my heart. It’s a legendary bar with Art Deco elegance & the bartenders are friendly & engaging. They are known for of course the Sazerac & the infamous (Torture your bartender when ordering during a rush) Ramos gin Fizz.
Great bar! Try the absinth service don’t be a pussy

If you want a pretty good Sazerac (not the best in the city) with a slightly older crowd in an environment that’s slightly depressing (on account of dim hotel lighting and no windows), then Sazerac bar is for you. Honestly, you’re there for the show and the name. The bartenders know what they’re doing and will do some fancy tricks while preparing your drinks. But I really couldn’t stay for more than one round because it felt like it was wintertime in the middle of May. Other than that, the décor is great, and of course, it’s a hotel bar so you get the hotel crowd as well.

Excellent drinks and service at this effortlessly classy, historic New Orleans bar.
After learning that my apartment is right around the corner from the late Governor Huey Long’s favorite bar, I had to come check it out. I stopped in for a drink on a Sunday night. The bar is located inside the Roosevelt Hotel, at the very end of the lovely lobby. (It is not the bar called «The Roosevelt Hotel Bar,» which has an entrance to the outside.)
I ordered the Ramos Gin Fizz. It was excellent. Though it was pretty pricey, I think it is worth it because of the unique experience of this old, storied bar. I really enjoyed the chic atmosphere of the bar, as well. The bartenders were very attentive and made great drinks.
I hope to come back to try their namesake drink!
⁵⁄₅

Th ambiance is nice, reminds me of a speakeasy which is a fun different place in crazy party New Orleans, the drinks are pretty expensive at $ 15 for a sazerac which was just okay.

Went with my boyfriend because we wanted to see the place and try the iconic NOLA cocktails. He ordered the Sazerac, and I had the Ramos gin fizz. The Sazerac was fine, but not my type of drink (although he really liked it), but that gin fizz was AMAZING. I want to find one that is comparable in NYC but I do not think I will be successful. I loved that drink. I could have had a few more, but unfortunately they were not in the budget. However, the bar (and the Roosevelt hotel as a whole) is beautiful, and steeped in history. The bartenders are also really nice and never once looked at us as though we were not upscale enough to be there. We thoroughly enjoyed being a little fancier than our 25 year old selves usually allow, and I would return immediately to get a gin fizz on our next NOLA trip!

This is a wonderful spot for a cocktail or two… or more. It’s located in the refined Roosevelt Hotel. The room is rather spacious and has inviting low lights.
I sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender and fellow patrons. Everyone was more than satisfied with their drinks. Seeing that it is the Sazerac Bar & it was my first time to the city, I had to have a Sazerac. It was smooth & delicious. That was followed by a recommended drink from the bartender. This drink had tequila, absinthe and crème de cacao. I like it even more than the Sazerac. They also have a nice selection of whisky and bourbon. (I noticed the pappy van winkle bottle).
I appreciate that the drinks come with complimentary snacks: popcorn, chips and some wasabi nut mixture.
I would recommend stopping by here. Just be aware that the drinks are on the pricier side — $ 16 and upwards for a cocktail, which is the average price at other cocktail bars of these likes.

Staying in the quarter and looking for something a bit more refined than the bustle of Bourbon Street? This is your place!
Settle down at a table and graze on complimentary snacks while you decide what to order. We tried the classic Sazerac, which was easily the best I had in New Orleans, and the punchy Gin Fizz, which was a uniquely creamy and sweet-​tart concoction that was all too easy to gulp down.
Though the crowd is lively (not as rowdy as Bourbon), the atmosphere is lavish – after all, this is the Roosevelt!

We rolled into this fancy art deco style bar in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel with a group of 20 and ordered 20 Sazeracs. The bartender never wavered, never panicked, near seem flustered, and just made a huge batch of Sazeracs, TWICE. I can’t remember his name, it was a long day of drinking…
The place had a corner with couches which our group took over to enjoy our cocktail, which, by the way was spectacular!
This i definitely a must do while in NoLa!
BTW, Most impressive bathrooms!

After moving to New Orleans, the Sazerac quickly became my cocktail of choice, and no place makes a better Sazerac than the eponymous bar in the Roosevelt Hotel!
The bartenders at the Sazerac Bar are all extremely polite, professional, and most importantly — consistent! Everytime I come here for cocktails, I know I can expect a perfectly made Sazerac.
The ambience in the bar is excellent — classy, refined, a great place to have wonderful cocktails away from the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter or business district. Aside from the Sazerac, I’d also recommend trying their Ramos Gin Fizz cocktail as well — watching them make it is quite the show!
Prices are a bit on the high side (for a quality cocktail you get what you pay for, after all), otherwise I would probably be here every night!
OVERALL: ⁴⁄₅. A little pricey, but they make the best Sazerac in New Orleans, period!

The Sazerac Bar is one of those awesome places where the well-​dressed, professional staff could easily mix amazing cocktails in their sleep.
The décor in here is amazing. The place is easily one of the finest bars in New Orleans and maybe anywhere.
What is terrible, in fact downright filthy nasty disgusting about this place has nothing to do with the bar or its staff… It is some of the customers (gasp!)!
While many of the customers dress like they respect the place… When you roll up in the Sazerac Bar looking like you’ve spent the last two days passed out in a port-​o-​potty at the Talladega Super Speedway, you do bring the place down a bit.
Also, while many people here like meeting new people and watching the bartenders work their magic, there are a dedicated minority who can’t stop texting their miserable friends and coworkers back home, playing words with friends, and writing Unilocal reviews long enough to realize they could be having a full-​on amazing experience.
The reason this place is four stars and not five is that they allow the cultural malaise that I have described above to take place in their establishment.

the man behind the bar OMAR/​WILL made it all happen for us. I definitely knew the history of this bar before i walked in. This was just another day at the bar for me; just coz i was in NOLA, i walk in and order the Sazarec (obviously for someone who has not had it before and a first timer in NOLA). very simple preparation yet bold flavors not overpowering, the bitters work well with offsetting the Absinthe, i fancy the one made with cognac
Its still just another day at the bar until one of my friends ordered the Ramos Gin Fizz… the preparation is a treat to watch, so much precision goes into making this drink, anyone in NOLA has 16 dollars to spare… pls go and see this drink being made.
Next came the southern gentleman… this drink has found its place on my wall for parties at home, i will have to charge them for fresh blackberries :) i can still recall the flavors as i write this review… simply amazing… we stayed at the Roosevelt for 4 nights and after having this the first night, i went there every single night atleast to have one drink (i had more… thats a diff story… my wife doesnt know: P)
the credit to my experience/​joy definitely goes to the man behind the counter, i asked for him every time i went there. he usually works the nights there, great guy to talk to… has great creativity (i know all bartenders need to be creative to stand out) trust me… he has talent in the working… we had him create drinks to match our tastes that were not on the menu ans he surprised us… very unique preparations
The bar has great murels on the wall that transport into a different era, ample standing place near the bar, huge wooden seating tables and chair and couches makes it look like a club from the past. overall a great experience

The wife and I were in town for the weekend and our first order of business after unpacking our bags was to kick our trip off with a drink at the Sazerac Bar in the beautiful Roosevelt Hotel. We’d been to the Sazerac Bar on a previous trip and had been struck by its classy art deco style and well made namesake drink. Unlike our first visit, on this occasion, the bar was packed. We managed to luck out and grab two seats at the bar. It was as that point that our luck ran out.
I ordered a Sazerac ($ 15) made with Sazerac 6-​yr Rye, Peychaud’s bitters, sugar (I didn’t see if the bartender muddled it or used simple syrup), in an Herbsaint rinsed glass. The bartender put the ingredients in a shaker glass with an inadequate amount of ice. He gave it a few half-​hearted stirs and served it up in a glass that had been soaked with, but not properly drained of Herbsaint. My Sazerac was unbalanced as the anise note of the Herbsaint was the predominant aromatic and flavor profile. My drink was improperly chilled and as a result watered down. All in all, it tasted pretty awful and especially disappointing since we were in New Orleans in the Sazerac Bar and they were charging $ 15 for it! While I understand that the bar was busy, as far as drinks go, the Sazerac is not the most labor-​intensive, time consuming drink to make. It certainly isn’t a Ramos Gin Fizz! It was a serious 180 degrees from my previous experience with the same drink at the Sazerac Bar and was easily the worst cocktail and definitely the worst Sazerac I had while in town. Frankly, it felt to me that the Sazerac Bar had become a tourist trap and was just phoning it in. Next time we’re in town, we’ll pass on the Sazerac Bar.

«O Sazerac, with your deep hue of sanguine, enriching my hemoglobin with life.» –Me
I had one of these classic cocktails on my first trip to NOLA years ago and fell in love. The mix of bitter Peychaud, sweet sugar, and bite of rye just felt right in this city. So on the latest trip I wanted to try the ‘best of best’ Sazerac houses to pick my one ‘best of the best of the best’ cocktail. Many were good, fewer were great, and only one topped them all. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, the winner was… drumroll please… Sazerac Bar!
Go figure, with a name like Sazerac Bar, the place should live up to its name and it did. You could tell the bartenders mix so many of these that the recipe has hit perfection. The blend of ingredients is optimal. However, what really did it for me was the simple touch of placing the lemon peel on the rim of the glass. That way I could still extract all of the citrus oils into my drink on my own. No way I would do that if the peel was already in the beverage.
While the cocktail itself won the prize, the bar itself didn’t win me over. Maybe it was because of the busy weekend night where finding a seat was difficult. The location is absolutely stunning, classy, yet came off a bit stuffy. Having said that, check this spot out during the quieter periods when you can still chat up the bartenders. You’ll get the perfect drink.

If you’re feeling fancy and romantic, take a trip to Sazerac Bar! Located inside the luxurious Roosevelt Hotel, Sazerac adds an iconic sensuality to your experience. The bar is spacious, and has numerous comfy seating options. The menu is full of classic drinks like the eponymous Sazerac, which is made with Sazerac 6 year rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, and sugar in a Herbsaint rinsed glass… But, it’s basically pure whiskey thats got me feelin pretty! They also have a Pink Squirrel, which features crème de almond, light cream de cacao, and more crème! It’s really tasty, and definitely on my list to try again. Sazerac is a perfect place to stop through after a romantic date, before going home. I think a nice visit to Sazerac would be the perfect end to a date, as well as the perfect beginning to another story.

As part of the entire «Nola experience» me, my husband and another couple recently shared in December, this was our very first stop.
Why, might you ask?
Because the drinks are ridiculously expensive and we wanted to remember them!
Each one meticulously made with love by super handsome bartenders who clearly went to school for their craft. Just watching them create our delightful drinks was worth the bill.
I felt really underdressed though. If I could change one thing about my experience here, I would have worn something fancier. Otherwise, check it out and be prepared for a very large crowd.

Not a fan of drinking your cocktails out of fish bowls? No interest in guzzling frozen, alcohol infused cough medicine out of plastic hand grenades? Then perhaps you should make your way over to Sazerac Bar, tucked inside the Roosevelt Hotel.
When you walk into Sazerac, it’s as if you’ve walked into a bar frozen in time. In the early part of the 20^th Century, Sazerac was a hotbed for political activity. Aesthetically, the essence of that time is captured in the wood-​paneled walls, the recessed ceiling, and art-​deco inspired mirrors. Though I saw several people wearing jeans and other casual attire, sometimes dressing the part came make the experience all the richer. If there was ever a place to dress up for, it would be this one.
The cocktail menu at Sazerac is both innovative and rooted in the classics. Modern cocktails like the Southern Gentleman (Bourbon, blackberries, muddled mint, and simple syrup) sit along side New Orleans classics like the Ramos Gin Fizz (gin, cream, egg whites, sugar, orange flower water, and club soda). Not only were these cocktails tasty, but also beautifully presented. In sampling these drinks, we remarked how the alcohol wasn’t front and center like others we had tried. Rather, the careful combination and proper measurements of the ingredients allowed for highly balanced drinks. And if you’re a serious bourbon drinker, Sazerac has some of the most sought after blends in the country, boasting several makes of Pappy Van Winkle behind the bar.
I would have loved to try more of what Sazerac had to offer, but the price point is extremely high. While it’s nice to treat yourself every now and again, doing it at the Sazerac Bar won’t get you very far. Despite walking out considerably lighter in the wallet area, the experience at Sazerac was well worth it.

The Sazerac Bar sure has a way to make a gal feel fancy, especially after spending a lot of the trip on Bourbon Street.
If you feel like you smell and can’t handle another sweet cocktail in a plastic glass, do yourself a favor and go back to your hotel to clean up and then treat yourself to a cocktail or two at the Sazerac.
My friend and I spent about an hour sipping on our superbly made cocktails in a classic, yet swanky atmosphere. Sure you are paying a little more, but it is so worth it for their quality concoctions.
My prickly pear consisting of Grey Goose Le Poire Vodka, Chambord, fresh citrus and ginger beer was so well worth the $ 15 I paid.
For a moment during my NOLA trip I was classy. Shortly thereafter I made my epic return to the Bourbon Street antics.

Sazerac Bar is the definition of class. Located in the Roosevelt — a gorgeous, historic, glamorous spot — we walked in for a cocktail each and all I could think was, «Man, I’m not dressed right for this visit.»
But then I saw a person holding a leftover hand grenade container next to me and felt okay again.
As I glanced at the menu, I announced to my friend that I was «definitely ordering the French 75.» A bartender standing nearby quickly replied with, «So one French 75?» Impressive! I didn’t think I was within earshot.
So yes, my $ 14 gin cocktail was among the top cocktails I’ve had lately, and I did my very best not to spill it on myself. Failed on that front of course, but ah well.
I’d say you should add the Sazerac to your must-​visit list if you’re a NOLA first-​timer. You may not wish to casually pocket a branded Roosevelt Hotel paper napkin from the hotel bathroom like I did, but you will surely enjoy your drink.

Stopped into this famous bar for a craft cocktail on our visit with friends to NOLA. The Roosevelt Hotel Lobby alone was worth the walk (BEAUTIFUL at Christmas time).
Unfortunately I was disappointed with the Sazerac Bar itself. First of all lets talk about the seating. Clearly it’s a popular place and no seats to be had anywhere, nor any control over the situation… so you can wait patiently for a guest or group to leave only the be line jumped by someone who just walked in.
I ordered the one of their Christmas cocktails (forgot the name), same as my friend. We each had different bar tenders. Mine came out completely different. Tried to get the bartenders attention to ask but he just ignored me. Not sure if it was the noise or how busy they were.
I’m afraid for a $ 15.00 drink that’s supposed to be craft prepared with pride, I was less than pleased.
I left disappointed in my visit to the Sazerac.

Friendly bartenders and a great atmosphere make the Sazerac bar a must see!
This bar is from the 1930s and it shows. From the dark wood, the murals of folks enjoying Mardi Gras in the 30’s to the dim lights, this place is a classic.
The drinks are top notch, made with pride, and worth every penny.
Try a French 75 with cognac or a gin fizz made with egg white. Delicious!
Make sure to talk to the outstanding bartenders in their tuxedos and ask about the bullet hole in the wall… a must!
Great spot inside the Roosevelt Hotel… a classic!

Ah the Saz. It’s my favorite bar of all New Orleans. It’s intimate atmosphere, classy yet comfy wide seating, dark lighting, low-​medium voice tones, and world class cocktail menu that represents N.O.
I recommend coming on a Sunday night where there is less of a crowd, voices are kept low, drinks are made on time and service pays excellent attention to you and your group. The music is more clear and the dress attire isn’t as strict.
Of course I had to order the famous Sazerac which is the staple of N.O. And the official drink. For $ 13 this cocktail is not only a must-​have but it’s also one of those slow sipping drinks that’ll have you relaxed and feeling the vibes of the bar that much more.
The next time I visit I just may stay at the Roosevelt so that I don’t have to walk as far!

~~~Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt Hotel~~~
~~~The Sazerac Cocktail~~~
~~The Official Cocktail of New Orleans~~
~Some Agree As America’s Oldest Cocktail~
So during one of our night caps, our bartender at our hotel and one of the patrons mentioned The Sazerac, as NOLA’s official cocktail (thanks to Senator E.R. Murray (D-​New Orleans) and The Louisiana Legislature in 2008).
Pretty much any bartender in New Orleans can whip you up a tasty glass of this famous cocktail. There are several variations of this cocktail due to what was available in terms of ingredients during certain periods in time.
The name of the cocktail came from the original brand of Cognac brandy used, the Sazerac de Forge et Fils. The main ingredients consists of a Cognac or Rye Whiskey, sometimes Bourbon base. Sugar or simple syrup’s added, along with a wash of absinthe, Peychaud’s Bitters, or Herbsaint as a substitute.
We made our way here because of its history. It was explained to us that the cocktail was originally created at The Merchant’s Coffee Exchange, which became known as The Sazerac House. In 1949, The Sazerac House moved into The Roosevelt Hotel and changed its name to Sazerac Bar. The bar and hotel was shut down in 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina but completely renovated and reopened in 2005.
They offered a handful of popular cocktails specific to NOLA. They even had two versions of the Sazerac Cocktail. I had the 1840 Sazerac (original version), while my friend ordered The Hemingway. Both cocktails were quite tasty. If you like your cocktail strong, order the Sazerac (one drink’s enough). The Hemingway’s on the sweeter side, definitely a lady’s drink, in my opinion.
We heard there are live entertainment during certain evenings here. We were only in town for two full days but definitely plan to make a re-​visit trip.