Old Absinthe House, New Orleans

The Old Absinthe House, whose façade bears the grandeur of history, is a legendary bar on the corner of Bourbon and Bienville Streets in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Erected in 1807, the building originally housed a family-owned importing firm but transformed over the years into one of the city's most iconic drinking establishments.

Famed for introducing absinthe to America, the bar became a haven where the enchanting, anise-flavored spirit was served in the traditional Parisian style. It was Oscar Wilde who famously remarked about the effects of absinthe: "After the first glass [of absinthe], you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they are, and that is the most horrible thing in the world." Once banned in the United States, absinthe is now legal, and you can enjoy this infamous libation without any restrictions.

The Old Absinthe House has withstood the test of time, enduring events such as Prohibition, when it was forced to reinvent itself to maintain operations. Today, its storied walls are lined with memorabilia, photographs, and mementos that echo the countless conversations, deals, and debates that have transpired over its storied counters.

Visitors are immediately swept up in the ambiance of the past, surrounded by the original copper-topped bar, wooden fixtures, and marble fountains once used to drip water over sugar cubes into glasses of absinthe. The House's history as a rendezvous for politicians, pirates, artists, and celebrities throughout the centuries adds a rich, eclectic layer to the patron's experience.