Today is Fat Tuesday and the last chance to indulge yourself before the start of Lent. Celebrate at the many places around town that are having Mardi Gras parties, eating contests, dining and drink specials and more. If crawfish, gumbo and po' boys sound heavenly, then our guide will be just what you need. So get your beads out and get ready for a good time as you stuff yourself on some fine Creole cooking.
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Guide: Where to Celebrate on Fat Tuesday

The Barrelhouse Flat
Get in the mood by sipping on New Orleans-inspired cocktails such as the Sazerac, Absinthe Frappe, Vieux Carre and a Pimm’s Cup. Enjoy traditional fare like oyster po boys, gumbo and bacon beignets and listen to some jazz and funk by Gigs and the Northsiders.
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Brownstone Tavern & Grill
There’s no better way to celebrate Mardi Gras than with a crawfish boil. At Brownstone, enjoy an endless amount of crawfish along with red beans and rice, corn bread and a drink ticket for $30. Drink specials include $2 Hurricanes and Abita drafts.
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The Southern
A Mardi Gras party will feature a low country boil for $19, as well as a Dixieland band and $3 Abita beers. Tickets can be purchased online in advance for the boil but there is no cover for the event.
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Moonshine
Capture the authentic Mardi Gras experience with Moonshine’s Cajun Crawl even from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Feast on live crawfish direct from Louisiana for $7 per half pound basket or $12 per pound, as well as other Cajun delights like fresh gumbo for $3 per cup or $5 per bowl.
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Big Jones
A week-long menu in honor of Mardi Gras will feature items like barbecued shrimp, po boys, red beans and rice, and chicken and sausage jambalaya. For dessert, enjoy homemade king cake and calas. Those looking for a family-style feast can dine on A Cajun Country Ramble, ca. 1955 which offers four courses of Cajun cooking for the table. The cost of the meal is $25 per person.
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Frontier
Indulge in a Louisiana shrimp bowl on Fat Tuesday at 7 p.m. For $20, enjoy a shrimp boil complete with potatoes and corn, alongside additional specials including $4 Abitas, $5 Hurricanes, $6 Sazeracs and $2 char-grilled oysters.
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Cactus Bar & Grill
Take part in the third annual Crawfish Eating Contest for charity on Fat Tuesday. There is a $25 fee to enter the competition and the top three eaters will receive gift certificates to Cactus Bar and Grill. A portion of the entrance fees will be donated to the New Orleans Habitat for Humanity.
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Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club
Join Kit Kat Lounge for an extravagant Mardi Gras Masquerade Party and sip on half-priced martinis while chowing on half-priced appetizers. Enjoy live performances, tarot card readings and come dressed to impressed to win a $100 cash prize for the most uniquely decorated masque. Other specials include a “Mae West” chicken and waffle entrée served with a glass of bubbly for $12.95.
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City Winery
City Winery’s special Mardi Gras menu will feature gumbo and cabernets from around the world. Internationally regarded Foghorn Stringband will be on hand to play the tunes and songs of the American South.
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Toni Patisserie & Café
Get a taste of Mardi Gras and a stroke of good luck with a King Cake from Toni Patisserie and Café. Two types will be available through Fat Tuesday: a French style cake with puff pastry and almond filling ($17.95) and a New Orleans style cake made with yeast and cinnamon, covered with a powdered sugar glaze and decorated with colored sugar ($16.95).
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Franklin Tap
A special Mardi Gras-themed menu will be available in addition to the regular menu featuring crawfish etoufee ($12), seafood gumbo $5/$7) and shrimp po boys ($12). $1 from every dish will be donated to the New Orleans Habitat for Humanity.
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Shaw's Crab House
Let the good times roll at Shaw’s with specials including New Orleans crawfish, po boys, blackened or sautéed redfish with crawfish sauce, crawfish pot pie, jambalaya and seafood gumbo. To top it off, Oyster Hour is being extended on Fat Tuesday so enjoy half-priced oysters all day.
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Epic
Celebrate Fat Tuesday with specials in the Lounge that include a po boy burger ($12), grilled andouille sausage ($8) and housemade doughnuts ($8). Wash it all down with an Epic Hurricane for $8.
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Socca
A Cajun blowout will feature dinner specialties like blackened scallops ($24), andouille & crayfish gumbo ($20) and bananas foster croissant bread pudding ($8). Drink specials include Mint Juleps, Hurricanes, Sazeracs, Brandy Milk Punch, and Absinthe Frappes.
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RA Sushi Bar Restaurant
Put a little spin on classic Creole fare with a variety of specials from RA made just for the occasion. Mardi RA will feature dishes like the Spicy Chicken and Shishito Green Necklace, a noodle dish tossed with chicken and peppers; Chili Shrimp Roll; and Beef Kushiyaki, three beef skewers with peppers and tossed in teriyaki sauce. Cocktail specials will include $8 Southern Juleps or HurRAcanes.
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RJ Grunts
RJ Grunts will be offering a special Creole Crab Burger throughout the month of February, featuring a half pound of ground sirloin topped with sweet crab dip, Creole mayo, lettuce and beefsteak tomato and served with a side of creole gumbo sauce, cottage fries and a pickle. Those who dine on Fat Tuesday can enjoy half-priced Cajun chicken sandwiches.
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John Barleycorn
Enjoy Big Easy specials on Fat Tuesday such as $10 shrimp or chicken po boys with Cajun cottage fries or $8 chicken and Andouille sausage jambalaya. All day drink deals include $8 Hurricanes and $6 Abita Turbodog drafts.
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