New Orleans: Snake 'N' Jake's Christmas Club Lounge

Not even the wrath of Hurricane Katrina could kill the gonzo soul of Snake ‘N’ Jake’s. This rat trap in the Crescent City’s Uptown section has built an irresistibly grungy reputation as the spot to crash land after you’re already wasted out of your mind. No matter what the clock says, it’s always 3 a.m. Even happy hour doesn’t start until 10 p.m. The interior is solar-eclipse dark, illuminated mostly by the string of glowing red Christmas lights that give the bar its name. Regulars liken the decadent atmosphere to Weimar-era Berlin or a speakeasy during Prohibition. The bartenders are admired for their skills at amateur pyrotechnic stunts and, although it’s close to Tulane University, the lounge is not overrun by bratty coeds. Rather, it’s the quirky gumbo of Dixie-fried intellectuals, winos, artists and homeboys that gives New Orleans its spice. Sometimes it’s spicier than expected. Topless women drink for free, and many still take the establishment up on the offer.

Photos: Tabitha Haggerty