The Napoleon House is one of the most atmospheric bars in the United States, operating in a building constructed in 1797 and looking, from the outside, as if it has not been painted since. The plaster is crumbling in all the right places. The ceiling fans turn slowly. Nessun Dorma plays quietly on the speakers. The Pimm's Cup — a British gin cocktail mixed with lemonade and cucumber — was popularised here and remains the house speciality.
The bar occupies the ground floor of what was meant to be Napoleon's American home. Whether you find the historical story charming or absurd, the result is a genuinely special place to drink. It is cool in summer, dim at all hours, and populated by a mix of locals who have been coming for decades and visitors who stumbled in and are very glad they did. Sit at the marble bar and order a Pimm's Cup; there is very little more New Orleans than this.