Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

Backstory: Pirates Bootlegged Booze Here Way Back?

This crumblin’ oddity wedged between Bourbon Street bars looks its 300 years - we got cracks in the concrete facade and rustic wooden beams barely holding up the joint! But legend tells that infamous pirate/smuggler brothers Jean and Pierre Lafitte ran black market operations outta this very spot in early 1800s New Orleans!

Whether the Laffites stored contraband here or just schemed deals nearby, their outlaw legacy looms over America’s oldest continually-run bar, allegedly once their haunt. Grab grog under hurricane lamps glowin’ eerie green, and maybe a ghost or two of those scallywags remain watchin’ the front!

Hole-in-the-Wall Historic Ambiance Still Hooks Tourists

Yep, small, sweaty crowds still flock like pirates to Spanish doubloons! While dive bar darlings and nearby mega clubs own flashier corners of Bourbon Street, fans gawk at Laffite’s ramshackle relic vibe instead.

And when that rickety piano gets rollin’ with an evening singalong led by white-haired ragtime vets, the neon-lit room fills with feels as old-timers and hipsters alike holler harmonies fueled by Sazeracs and swirl-colored Hurricanes. It ain’t fancy, but the scene’s got funky character oozing from cracked floorboards!

Relax Over Local Legends - Or Create Your Own

So, whether you wanna channel your inner buccaneer kicking back where nefarious plots might’ve gone down centuries ago or soak up the quintessential NOLA atmosphere? Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop still fires up with that scrappy endurance trademark of this port city.

And their French 75 cocktails with bubbly and brandy have enough sparkle to inspire a few tall tales yourself! Just saunter the ancient sandstone walkway to the bar for a trip back through Big Easy time - where lively spirits and stick-to-your-ribs history flow freely as sweet liquor.

Yo ho ho, mes amis!