Maple Leaf Bar

The Maple Leaf Bar is a long-established music bar at 8316 Oak Street in the Carrollton neighbourhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the Uptown part of the city, well away from the tourist core of the French Quarter. It has operated since the 1970s and is regarded as a home for the city's funk, brass band, rhythm and blues and roots-rock scenes. The room has a pressed-tin ceiling, a dark wood bar and a modest stage, and it tends to be hot, crowded and sweaty during popular shows, which is part of its local character. A regular programme of bands plays most nights, usually starting late in the evening, with sets that often begin around ten and run past midnight. Brass bands and funk groups are a staple, and a long-running weekly brass-band night has made the bar a reference point for the genre. Sunday afternoons have traditionally featured poetry readings, a local ritual that stands apart from the weekend crowds. Cover charges are typically in the range of ten to twenty US dollars for most shows, though special bookings can cost more, and the venue adds the charge at the door rather than offering tables or reservations. The drinks programme is straightforward, with beer, spirits, cocktails and shots at moderate prices, and a rear patio provides space away from the music. The crowd is dominated by locals, students from nearby universities such as Tulane and Loyola, musicians and visitors who have made the streetcar trip Uptown, mostly adults in their twenties through fifties. Casual dress is normal and the door is relaxed beyond checking ID. Because the Oak Street area is residential and commercial rather than a nightlife district, transport matters: the St. Charles streetcar and a short ride or walk cover most of the distance from the Quarter, and rideshare is common late at night. There is no bottle service. The best nights are those with a favourite band on the calendar, and arriving a little before the headline start is the way to secure a place with a view of the stage.