The Will & The Way
French Quarter, New Orleans
Bar in New Orleans, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
A practical French Quarter pick for an easygoing drink stop, especially for dates or small celebrations that need a central room without turning into a full production. Choose it for location and low-friction planning rather than a documented spirit specialty, named cocktail program, or formal dining angle.
About The Will & The Way
The Will & The Way is a casual venue in New Orleans with a long daily schedule: it is listed as open from 12 PM to 1 AM every day. Plan around it as a flexible New Orleans stop rather than choosing it for a specific cuisine, menu format, beverage specialty, price point, or reservation setup.
This venue does not list a street address, neighborhood, menu, service format, or pricing, so keep the plan simple. It offers a casual dress code and daily 12 PM to 1 AM hours in New Orleans.
A casual New Orleans venue with late daily hours
Bookers comparing New Orleans options should note that The Will & The Way is in New Orleans, the dress code is casual, the hours run from 12 PM to 1 AM Monday through Sunday. That makes timing easier to plan, but it does not specify a particular dining style, cocktail program, food focus, or special-occasion format.
Do not choose it on the promise of a specific cuisine, dish, spirit specialty, happy hour, seating setup, or price point unless you have confirmed those details directly with the venue. If the decision depends on a specific experience, compare it with other New Orleans options before committing the full plan here.
Use it as part of a New Orleans route, not the only plan
For planning, pair this with broader New Orleans research rather than overbuilding the night around one stop. The Will & The Way is useful for timing and dress-code planning, but it does not specify a specific menu, price point, reservation policy, or service format.
If the group is building a wider New Orleans plan, keep other listings in the mix for different moods. Other New Orleans options to compare include Fritzel's European Jazz Pub, Hermes Bar, Pat O'Brien's, Peychaud's at The Celestine, The French 75 Bar.
Planning details
- Location
- 719 Toulouse St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA
- Website
- thewillandtheway.com
- Phone
- +1 504 354 1139
The take
The Take
The Vibe
The Will & The Way reads like an argument embedded in the French Quarter. The bar leans on the Quarter’s deep, plural drinking history—French, Spanish, Caribbean and West African influences that made cocktails part of daily life long before national trends. The writing foregrounds the surrounding urban fabric—iron balconies, narrow sidewalks and the steady hum of the street—which actively shapes the room. Bartending here treats the Sazerac, Vieux Carré and Ramos Gin Fizz as a vernacular to be honored or deliberately reworked, so the place feels rooted in local tradition and the particular character of New Orleans rather than a transplanted cocktail concept.
Best For
This bar is most suited to evening visits when the Quarter’s streets and rituals are in motion. It works well for date nights that value history and atmosphere, for after-work drinks that lean into serious cocktails, and for casual hangouts where conversation and craft cocktails share the night. The write-up emphasizes the inherited cocktail canon and the neighborhood setting, so guests who appreciate context—classic recipes, local storytelling and a bar that engages with the Quarter’s past—get the most out of a visit.
Ordering Tips
Order with an eye toward New Orleans tradition: the Sazerac, Vieux Carré and Ramos Gin Fizz are called out explicitly as the local baseline, so they’re reliable litmus tests of the bar’s approach. The copy also suggests the bartenders either honor that canon or push against it, so ask for the house take on a classic if you want a faithful rendition, or request a twist to see how the bar reinterprets the city’s cocktails. Given the emphasis on local ingredients and history, asking about the story behind a drink is a good way to start the evening.
Venue details
Ambiance
Laid-back atmosphere with plenty of nooks and crannies for relaxed reading, working, dating, or dining.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Cocktail Bar
- Late Night
- Open Until 2am
Signature Pours
- Saint Clare
- Sad Boy Club
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Peychaud's at The Celestine, Notable alternative
- Pat O'Brien's, Notable alternative
- Hermes Bar, Notable alternative
- Fritzel's European Jazz Pub, Notable alternative
- The French 75 Bar, Notable alternative
Bar context
How it compares in the French Quarter
The Will & The Way is the lower-friction choice when the goal is a casual central drink rather than a landmark New Orleans bar experience. The French 75 Bar is the stronger pick for a polished cocktail occasion, while Hermes Bar makes more sense when the group wants a classic restaurant-bar feel attached to a bigger dining night.
For atmosphere-first planning, Pat O'Brien's is better for a louder, more tourist-driven group night, Fritzel's European Jazz Pub is the better call when live music is the reason to go. The Will & The Way is more useful when conversation and flexibility matter more than a famous room or entertainment-led format.
Peychaud's at The Celestine is the closer cross-shop for a date or hotel-adjacent cocktail stop. Pick Peychaud's when the night needs a more composed setting; pick The Will & The Way when the plan is looser and the group wants an easy Quarter stop that can sit before or after dinner.
Explore New Orleans
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full The Will & The Way guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare The Will & The Way
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| The Will & The Way | New Orleans | No published awards |
| Peychaud's at The Celestine | New Orleans | No published awards |
| Pat O'Brien's | New Orleans | No published awards |
| Hermes Bar | New Orleans | No published awards |
| Fritzel's European Jazz Pub | New Orleans | No published awards |
| The French 75 Bar | New Orleans | Tales Spirited Awards 2026 - Best U.S. Restaurant Bar - Best U.S. Restaurant Bar (Top Four Finalist)Tales Spirited Awards 2026 - Best U.S. Restaurant Bar - Best U.S. Restaurant Bar (Top 10 Nominee)Top 500 Bars 2025 · #298 |
How The Will & The Way New Orleans compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation at The Will & The Way?
A reservation policy is not specified. The Will & The Way is in New Orleans, has a casual dress code, is listed as open daily from 12 PM to 1 AM. If reservations matter to your plan, confirm directly with the venue before going. Peychaud's at The Celestine is another New Orleans option to compare.
What's the crowd like at The Will & The Way?
The crowd is not described. The Will & The Way is a casual New Orleans venue with daily hours from 12 PM to 1 AM. Pat O'Brien's is another New Orleans option to compare if you are weighing different stops.
What's the best time to go to The Will & The Way?
The hours are 12 PM to 1 AM every day. Choose a time based on the rest of your New Orleans plan, confirm directly with the venue if timing, capacity, or a specific experience is important. Hermes Bar is another New Orleans option to compare.
Is The Will & The Way good for a date?
It does not specify a date-night setup, menu format, or service style. The Will & The Way is casual and open daily from 12 PM to 1 AM in New Orleans. The French 75 Bar is another New Orleans option to compare if you are planning a date.
Is the food good at The Will & The Way?
Cuisine, dishes, menu format, or pricing are not listed, so do not plan around a specific food offering unless you confirm it directly with the venue. Fritzel's European Jazz Pub is another New Orleans option to compare while planning.
Does The Will & The Way have happy hour deals?
Happy hour or deal information is not available. The schedule is 12 PM to 1 AM every day, the dress code is casual. If specials are important, check directly with the venue and compare with other New Orleans options such as Pat O'Brien's or Hermes Bar.
