Bayou Bar / Live Music Venue / Restaurant

Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC –

Whether stopping in for the jambalaya ‘n’ grits or a Bloody Mary made with pickled okra, hungry diners are guaranteed to taste the flavors of New Orleans at Bayou – where they’re equally assured of hearing live jazz or rock emanating from the upstairs stage.

Due to its proximity to both George Washington University and the State Department, the venue attracts a mix of khaki-clad post-grads and older politicos, along with southern transplants itching for the sounds and smells of home.

Folk art, vintage music posters, and historic photos of the Big Easy cover the deep purple walls of the dining area, while stools dotted with fleur-de-lis line a small wooden bar.

It’s not unusual to find a few beaded necklaces hanging from the iron chandeliers, though that’s probably as close to Mardis Gras as the Oxford-wearing professors enjoying lunchtime po’boys ever get.

The upstairs performance space, however, draws enthusiastic students and music lovers ready to party, the open floor often filling to capacity when live acts take the stage.

A much bigger second bar keeps revelers well supplied in Hurricanes – a powerful punch of passion fruit and rum – as intimate groups settle into red leather booths to channel a warm night on Bourbon Street.

Potent cocktails, authentic food, and a chance to dance like they do in the French Quarter all make Bayou a place to let the good times roll – or, as the locals say, “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”