Last spring, wifey and I were lucky enough to spend a week in New Orleans. One of the most memorable nights of our trip was spent on a Wednesday at the Candlelight Lounge. I'd like to share our story. My friend Gil B comes to NOLA multiple times a year and has a strong connection with the Crescent City. This was on his short-list of places he recommended to experience something off the beaten path. We arrived by Uber at 10:30 for a 10 o'clock show, thinking we were late, but this place runs on New Orleans time--the lights were all up in this funky little cinder-block building, and there were only a handful of folks sitting at the bar and along the walls. We saw a table in the corner with pots covered in foil sitting on a hot plate, and a paper sign: "Don't Touch Call Gladys" At Gil's recommendation, we took advantage of their bottle service and requested a half-pint bottle of Seagrams gin at the bar. It is served with a luke-warm bottle of soda (we went for ginger ale), and a big red plastic bowl of ice and limes. It was perfect and refreshing on this warm night. We found a tiny table near the front and settled in. The next big group to walk in the door was a group of senior Japanese tourists, which all sat on the same side of a big long table. They seemed out of place, sitting all on one side of a big long table. Half the men in the group promptly fell asleep. Not the first time that night, we wondered what we'd gotten ourselves into. Gladys, it turns out, is the lively hostess for the night. She came by to make sure we felt welcome, and told us about the red beans and rice in case we were hungry. Slowly the musicians and additional guests streamed in, and after another half hour or so, the band started to warm up and get ready for the show. We were shocked and gleefully surprised, when one of the Japanese businessmen walks up to the stage with a trumpet case. He introduced himself to the band and asked if he could sit in, they were maybe more surprised than we were, but proceed to pull up a chair for him. When the brass band finally starts up, the tables are full, and a few folks are dancing, and the music is excellent. Wifey and I were thrilled to see that the older tourist was a genius on trumpet, kept up with the band perfectly, and rocked the house. The smile in his eyes as he was playing beamed through the room, he was clearly in his happy place, and he even stood up for a solo in the second song. For the third song, the band paused so Gladys could make an announcement: "In case y'all don't know, this is the third song, which means everybody dances. I'm on my feet all night, so I get to sit down, and the rest of all y'all get up. Everybody dances for the 3rd song." And so we did. And it was great. We danced for the song after that, and a few more as well. The band was on fire, and the whole room was feeling the music. I am sure that not every Wednesday night is as amazing as what we witnessed last April, but I'll sure as heck be back here if I'm every lucky enough to be in the Crescent City again. read more

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Service was fun. History and "feel" of the place are awesome. Music was wonderful - cuz I love brass.

The Candlelight Lounge is not one of those places you will necessarily find on Yelp, Tripadvisor, nor top 10 lists from newspapers and magazines but ask any local, and you will be sure to hear amazing tihngs about this place. I asked about a half dozen locals what to do, see, experience in New Orleans and the common answer among all was to check out the Candlelight Lounge on a Wednesday night. Wednesdays belong to the Treme Brass Band (as seen on the HBO show Treme). It is not a glamorous establishment nor is it located in the touristy zones of Bourbon Street but rather several blocks on in Treme. The cover here is $10 and that includes a free beans and rice bowl (try it, it is good - just be sure to add hot sauce). The drinks are cheap and well if you tip Gladys the server she will give you a surprise. This is not one of those places where you can expect to sit all night long. Gladys will hunt you down and grab you and everyone at your table to get up and dance in front of the band all night long. The vibe and the energy is contagious. You will dance all night long, meet plenty of people from the tables next to you and have a memorable night in New Orleans. This is the local hidden gem of New Orleans, don't ruin it. FYI, Treme Bass Band plays at midnight at DBA on Tuesdays in case you cannot make it here on Wednesdays. read more

Candlelight Lounge - two men in sailor's uniforms with a drum - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Very cool hole in the wall joint that features the Treme Brass Band on Wednesday nights in the famous Treme neighborhood...just a stones throw away from the French Quarter. To see this awesome band it was a $10 cover which is not bad to see/hear some bad ass jazz. There isn't an ATM here so you will need to bring cash for the cover but the bar accepts debit/credit cards. There is a woman tucked in the corner behind the door that you would miss if you don't look to your right when you walk in. Don't worry, you will not get away with not paying the cover as there is an awesome woman by the name of Gladys that will make sure you turn around and pay...lol. Gladys is very nice and makes sure the crowd is engaged while the band is playing. When I say engaged I mean not just sitting there...she wants everyone getting up shaking their ass while the band is grooving. She has no problem pulling you outta that seat and saying get yo ass up and dance (in a nice way of course). She pretty much takes everyone's drink orders in addition to making sure the place is rocking. At one point she had everyone out of their seat dancing to the band's grooves. One of the best things about this place is they serve complimentary homemade red beans. I have to say these were the best I've ever had! They give you a small bowl which includes ham hocks. I've never had a ham hock in my life until I came here and I actually liked it. My greedy ass had two bowls as it definitely helps soak the alcohol. This is definitely a place to check out if you are into jazz and having a good time while listening to it. read more

One of the most amazing experiences of my adult life was had at Candlelight Lounge, on an otherwise ordinary Wednesday night, dancing and singing with Lionel Batiste and the Treme Brass Band. The night prior, I had gone with some NOLA natives to the Maple Leaf Bar to see The Rebirth Brass band, the group made famous by the HBO show, "Treme." While fun, the crowd was mostly college-aged, drunk, and obnoxious. Obviously I'm no expert, but there didn't seem to be much real New Orleans spirit in that room. It just felt like a good second line band playing at a rowdy college bar. The next night, my last in New Orleans, I decided to check Candlelight, which I was told was legendary, and would serve up a more 'authentic NOLA' experience. I didn't really know what that meant, and probably still don't. What I do know is that my night @ Candlelight was filled with more love and spirit than I had experienced in a long time. The crowd was diverse - 18 yr olds to 98 yr olds, hipster transplants to NOLA legends. The band played for what had to have been 4 hrs, with breaks in between for eating, chatting and drinking with the audience. Lionel Batiste (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Batiste), who comes every Wed to play with the band and dance with the ladies, entertained the crowd the entire night - sashaying around, looking dapper, being awesome. I'll never forget the moment I shared with him, dancing hand in hand, he, for some reason, w/ a child's parasol, which he was twirling in the air so casually - like a cooler, subtler Fred Astaire. If you have one night in NOLA - go here. If you have two nights, go here twice. I don't know if the other weekdays are as lively - but Wed is a sure bet. Dance with Lionel. read more

4 and a half years since my review, and as the city has gone through an incredible amount of change in those years, but still remains the same, the same goes for the Candlelight . Still sweaty, still great music, more musical nights, such as the added music on Sundays (anyone visiting should always be using the WWOZ.com music calendar). Treme brass band, no longer has the beloved Uncle Lionel, as he sadly passed last year, but the energy is just as high, and Ive still never known anyone to have anything less than a great time going to see music there. No longer free, it hasn't been in years, but what is...and still very much worth it read more

Maybe the best thing we did our week in NOLA was going to Candlelight Lounge on a Wednesday night. Crazy, crazy good music with the Treme Brass Band. Red beans and rice with hunks of roasted meat in it. Wendell Pierce (who plays trombonist Antoine Batiste on HBO's Treme) was standing at the bar studying the band and even shooting a little footage on his iPhone. A note about safety in the neighbourhood. IT'S JUST FINE. When our cabdriver dropped us off, he said, "Don't walk home from here!" As with other warnings about safety in black neighbourhoods, this comment was clearly motivated by racism and media-induced fear. We walked all the way to the Quarter that night, and felt no fear. The Treme is a sweet residential neighbourhood with real hospitality to it. read more

I had one of those magical New Orleans moments here during Jazz Fest. There were almost as many brass instruments in the room as there were people. Free white beans were being served and cheap drinks were flowing. The best part was that an informal group of brass musicians took to the stage to play one big song/instrument battle. Each set of players would take a turn to show off their skills on the particular instrument. It was a free form showcase of unbelievable talent. The whole place was dancing without a care in the world. read more

I agree with Jeff S. that most of the true NOLA institutions are disappearing due to lack of business (think Mother in Law Lounge) and that this place deserves attention and defending from the "scare tactics" of the FQ cabbies (most of whom actually live in Metairie anyway)! On Wednesday nights, this place is as good as it gets in New Orleans. Think Vaughan's Thursday nights before it became so overrun w/ tourists and you get the idea. You never know who's going to show up to sit in w/ the Treme Brass Band - but you know it's always going to be magical. Cheap drinks, check. Friendly barstaff, check. Real NOLA atmosphere, check. People outside dancing in the street, free red beans and rice and a kiss from Uncle Lionel - priceless! read more

We walked, on a Wed night, over to the Candlelight Lounge. Arriving just after 10 the Treme Brass Band just started. The tables were full, standing room only. I'm not sure how many locals hang out there, because it appeared full of tourists. The staff was attentive kept the tables cleaned and drinks flowing. After the 1st set they cleared out. Because the crowd was gone it was much more enjoyable listing to the 2nd set. We liked the band very much, but $10 to stand when drinks are similar to non cover places around NOLA? A lady working at our resort, a local, recommend the DBA on Frenchman, no cover and the Treme Brass Brass band plays there on Tuesday. read more

What a great night I had at Candlelight Lounge. Got there just after 10pm on a Wed (after spending the day in Cajun Country and hauling ass back to NOLA just so we could get here) and it was already packed but if you go to the back area by the big fan and free beans and rice, there's a lot of room. It was hot and sweaty. The overall atmosphere was just. f*cking. great. Everyone was in a good mood, no attitudes from locals and visitors alike. I danced up a storm with a couple of the locals in the bar; I wish I remembered their names. Sat outside, chatted with people, had some gumbo, got some Tee Eva's mini pecan pie. The band was awesome. So much good vibes and energy coming from them. Just typing this review and remembering is putting the biggest smile on my face. Lots of people were dancing, but also lots of people taking pics (me included). Once the band was done, me and the bf stayed around for more drinks. I danced some more with the locals when they put some tunes on the jukebox. They invited us to Congo Sq the next day. But after a while they started asking the tourists to leave...think it was time for "local time". I wish we had something as good as this in Toronto. read more

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This place was really cool. We were a little reluctant walking there from where we were staying, as we had heard that Treme was a little unsafe at night, however we felt perfectly safe walking to the lounge. Later on, when we wanted to get money out of the nearest ATM, one of the guys working at the lounge offered to take us there, which was really cool of him. The place itself has an awesome painting on the front wall outside, and inside has a full bar and plenty of seating. We went to see the Treme brass band who we heard were amazing, and we were blown away. They started at 10 and were still playing when we left at 12, having only taken a 10 minute break. Each musician in that band is amazing, and everyone in the audience is pulled up for a dance at some point. This place on a Wednesday night is a must visit for anyone wanting to get a proper taste of New Orleans. read more

Genuine - from the heart and soul - music, food, people. The real deal in New Orleans. Why pay overpriced tourist fees in the French Quarter when the real thing is in Treme! read more

I loved the place and the people I've met there . I also loved the food and the music , and the fact that it was in the Tremendous in a street that is not turistic at all .. I put 4 stars only because it's just not for everyone .. you've got to be ready to be dancing in a simple and sweaty environment .. I loved it . And the owners are great people !! read more

This place is a dive. Their "shtick" is that they sell an "authentic Treme experience" to white idiots who don't know any better and will allow themselves to get ripped off because they hate themselves for being white and want to ingratiate themselves to black people who hate them too. The drinks are lousy, overpriced, and served in plastic cups - points for authenticity I guess! As for the food...Family Dollar up the road sells tins of red beans and packs of hot dogs at least as flavorful as these. The layout of the club makes no sense with the band all shoved up against the bar with about 14 inches of dance floor that must be cut through if you should be so dumb as to want to order a drink. There is a massive hole in the back of the room where the "food" is (you must be determined if you wish to reach it because this requires squeezing past the band and the "dance floor") while the area adjacent to the front door, where the band logically should be situated, is sparsely populated by tables that offer a rotten view of the not-stage. Just don't bother. Trust me on this. $10 is an absurd amount of money to pay to get into this dump, $5 only slightly less outrageous. You will notice, if you do go there for some odd reason, that there are ZERO neighborhood people paying to get in. The only people who pay the cover are WHITE tourists who are despised by the owners. I have lived in the hood off an on for a couple years now and this place SUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKS! read more

Made an account just to review this place. The bartenders were so nice - it's was late on a weekday and they wound up giving us extra crawfish they had - just for coming in. Can't wait to go back here. read more

I really wanted to love this place after the rave reviews of Wed night experiences with the Treme Brass Band, and I did for about 5 minutes, but then we were targeted as tourists and it went down hill from there. It seemed like the music is probably really great some nights but when we went it seemed like they were phoning it in. And while the drinks were strong, the whole experience seemed like a hustle from the bartender getting us to dance to the guy getting me to play the washboard so my husband would take a photo and tip. I wouldn't even have minded the hustle so much if it had been a better crowd -or any crowd-it was practically empt which may have made it feel more obvious. Really disappointing. read more

Strange evening here last Wed. Maybe this was a great place once, but now it felt like a total scam. Even the band looked embarrassed. (and they should, they were too good for this). Local people obviously knew about this. Only tourists in the audience. 10 $ cover. And a pushy waitress who didn't leave us alone since we wouldn't get up and dance at her command. She just stood and stared at us. Weird and uncomfortable. If this sounds like fun to you, I really recommend it. read more

"Treme Brass Band" on Wednesday is a bunch of high school students... sure, they are great for high school students but they are certainly NOT the Treme Brass Band..... totally taking advantage of tourists here... really disappointing. read more

Awesome local lounge where the Treme Brass Band can be found. Be careful, our taxi driver pointed out several times this isn't the safest area to walk around. read more

Loved it! Gladys was our cocktail waitress and she was awesome and friendly. $5 cover on Wednesday nights got us the Treme Brass band, which were fab, and a free bowl of white beans and rice, which was piggy and delicious. Beers and wells were $5. Only complaints? Band was supposed to start at 9pm...and didn't start until 10:30, which means we got 30 minutes of music before we had to go back to put our kids to bed. Also, white hipsters (I am white but no hipster) have invaded and while they are chic and good looking, I wonder what the place would have looked like a couple years ago, more diverse probably. In Treme, so ya, maybe drive or cab it. read more

What we would call a small working mans club in the UK. No bingo here though, just sweet brass band jazz on a Wednesday night with the Treme Brass Band. Touristy but doesn't feel it. A must visit. read more

The positive is that staff is friendly. Problem is that the drinks are overpriced and the place is set up like a basement and not in a good way. Wouldn't recommend this place unless an event is at this location. read more

I thought the employees at the candlelight lounge were friendly. A little to friendly with the female guests. When showing how to use instruments to play along with music they seemed to get a little to close as far as I was concerned. Maybe the father complex coming out of my personality. I came to see Tremme perform, not a bunch of sit ins. The band played like they didn't know each others next moves. No trombone(sit in for half of first set),lead trumpet played 30 seconds worth of second set. Sit in sax player had no clue. Sit in trumpet player was excellent. For me, not worth time traveled or even the money to view this event read more

Smoky but great music! Very different scene from rest of French Quarter, less tourists and more locals and hipsters.

This place is open for business and it was one of the most down-home, memorable experiences we had in NOLA. Gladys is a wonderful host and not only does she take care you, she gets you up dancing to show your appreciation of the music. It was our lucky night to see the historic Tremé Brass Brand live! It's as good as it gets!!! Highly recommended to have an authentic experience and avoid the tourist trap spots in the quarter!!! read more

Kindest, friendliest staff I've ever met - anywhere, not just New Orleans. Great atmosphere, cheap drinks, crawfish! This place is a must.

Authentic New Orleans! This place is what it is and doesn't even try to be anything else. The band is awesome and the drinks are strong. A must for any trip to NOLA read more

This Place has reopened.. NOT CLOSED!!!! Starting Feb 7, 2016.. Big Chief Kevin and The Flaming Arrows .. Playing every Sunday night 7pm- ? Don't miss true tradition n culture of New Orleans Prettiest Mardi Gras Indians! read more

If you want the "Real Deal " this is it. We were welcomed and treated like family right from the start. My wife ,son and daughter-in law and I were looking for the feel of New Orleans music and no disappointment here. The band was excellent and the service grand. We were told that we were going to dance. Now I don;t dance but dance I did that night. I thought my son would die laughing. We saw the lead trumpet player bringing a young lady horn player up and work with her ,teaching what he knew and passing the skill. She was great. We felt the time passed too quickly and before you knew it was time to go. if I return to New Orleans will return and see my friends. If you go there certainly the Candlelight Lounge MUST BE on the list of places to experience. read more

I am a little puzzled by the review that said how good the music was, how attentive the staff was, but complained about a $10 cover charge.. musicians must be paid- they have rent or mortgages, children, bills, etc..just like the rest of us- the Candle Light Lounge is the only place left in the historic Treme where you can hear great music, soak up a little local flavor, have your server drop your drink off and then take a spin on the dance floor, maybe pull you up with them to dance. And I, for one, would find the lack of a seat no problem, cause when Treme is blowing, you are not sitting down anyway- and, if she failed to spot locals in the Candle Light, I suggest when she gets back to Indiana, , she see her eye doctor. read more

For all those who don't know, "Uncle Lionel" Batiste passed away on Sunday, July 8. It's so heartening to read all of your fond memories of him and of how he made your visit to New Orleans and the Candlelight special, and so saddening to know that the joy, music, and love he shared with so many is now lost. But there is solace in knowing how many of you have carried your memories of him back home with you and shared stories of his larger-than-life persona with those you know and love. The man knew how to live a full life, and I think nothing would make him happier. read more

You must go here and you must listen to the Treme Brass Band. The atmosphere, the music, the cheap drinks. Don't waste you night on Frenchmen's Street on Wednesdays (unless you are seeing Walter Wolfman Washington) and Fridays. This is the place to be--hands down. read more

candlelight lounge is not closed. about to listen to the treme brass band while drinking a pint of old grandad. come live your best life. they were renovating people. read more

Candlelight Lounge - Boom. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana