Jewel of the South to open ambitious French Quarter bar residency
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The team behind Jewel of the South are opening a pop-up bar in the French Quarter with theatrical, immersive production design and a rotating cast of guest bartenders, managing partner John Stubbs tells Axios New Orleans.
Why it matters: It'll be one big cultural exchange opportunity, with New Orleans' cocktail culture at the center.
Zoom in: The Cocktail Hour is set to open for 30 weeks only beginning Oct. 29 at 1104 Decatur St., a massive French Quarter space that formerly housed Margaritaville.
- The first floor of the building will house The Cocktail Hour on one side and a spinoff restaurant from the Turkey and the Wolf team, called just And the Wolf, on the other.
- Guests will find full bars on the first and second levels, plus a courtyard and an expansive upstairs balcony.
- Live music will be part of the programming, and the immersive design is scheduled to update throughout the residency in time with five of "New Orleans' cultural seasons," Stubbs says.
What they're saying: "We've been thinking a lot about how we can make the guest shift experience better," says Stubbs.
- "A lot of these guest shifts where we and other cocktail bars around the world will travel to each other … allow for this cultural exchange opportunity."
- But those experiences often fall short of immersing visitors in the city they visit, he adds.
- The Cocktail Hour seeks to change that.
Flashback: Jewel of the South began The Cocktail Hour as pop-ups during the pandemic, creating opportunities for New Orleanians to "visit" other cities with a stop at the French Quarter bar.
- The Decatur Street edition ramps that original concept up significantly.
Behind the scenes: Star bartender Deke Dunne of Washington, D.C., bar Allegory has joined the Jewel team as creative director for The Cocktail Hour.
- He'll work with the visiting bartenders to create cocktails for the New Orleans bar and focus on the immersive elements alongside Derek Brown.
- Jewel of the South's team, led by Chris Hannah, will manage The Cocktail Hour's three bars. Visiting bartenders will experience New Orleans throughout the week, then join the team behind the bar for three nights.
What we're watching: Jewel of the South has the Decatur Street space for a year, with options to renew should they choose to, Stubbs says.
If you go: The Cocktail Hour opens nightly beginning Oct. 29, 5pm to 11pm.
- The first floor restaurant, And the Wolf, will be open daily from 11am to 11pm, with much of the menu still in development.