Twelve Mile Limit

Twelve Mile Limit, tucked away in an unassuming residential area off Tulane Ave. in Mid-City, might be the best neighborhood bar in New Orleans. It’s got all the makings of a great dive—the room is dim and bedecked with old show posters and Christmas lights, the ceilings are low, the jukebox is good, and the pool table is often covered up for nightly events. There’s a friendly, communal vibe, with mostly locals and regulars holding up the bar. It doesn’t hurt that the drinks are world-class, thanks to owner T. Cole Newton’s pedigree in the New Orleans cocktail scene.

On any given night of the week, you can find comedy open-mics, trivia nights, karaoke, and other events like Queer Craft Night, Sexy Bing-Oh, and more.

Styled as a cocktail dive bar, Twelve Mile undersells and over-delivers. Over the years, it has invested back into its neighborhood, installing solar panels and a battery storage system that decreases its carbon footprint and allows it to serve as a local charging station during power outages. It also partners with local non-profits and holds events for like-minded organizations and campaigns, and a percentage of its monthly sales supports affordable housing in the community.

While Twelve Mile may be far off the well-worn tourist trail in the city, what it offers is far more in line with the ethos of New Orleans and what the city prides itself on—creativity, acceptance, and irreverence, and a desire to sit down with friends, throw back a few cocktails, and just have a grand old time.