The Schaeffer Hotel’s Dovetail Bar mixes modern with classic to provide the outer edge of the French Quarter with a place for coffee or cocktails
Inside the Schaeffer Hotel, Dovetail Bar starts by serving craft coffee in the morning and finishes its day shaking up craft cocktails. The menu mixes modern signatures with classics pours, giving visitors the opportunity to choose between approachable and ambitious. Beer and wine are also available for those looking to keep things a little more straightforward.
The space features some of the original woodwork from the original 1923 building, while its seagreen bar and neon lights serve to brighten things up. While hotel guests can be found inside from open to close, industry professionals are known for swinging by late in the evening as they wrap up or begin their nights.
Lead bartender Andy Pratt tells us…
Please describe Dovetail Bar as if you’re explaining the experience of walking through the doors and ordering your first drink.
Dovetail Bar is a great combination of modern and classic. The design is thoughtful and functional; minimal but not bare; an upscale experience but not pretentious. Behind the bar is one of the best teams in the city in terms of hospitality, creativity, and skill. The cocktail menu ranges from approachable to ambitious, and the wine program follows suit.
How would you describe Dovetail in a three-word text to a friend that you’re trying to convince to join you?
Espresso Martini shots.
Other than Dovetail Bar, what else is happening in the neighborhood that you’re in?
Over the last few years, Rampart street has become a destination corridor. Dovetail Bar and Jewel of the South offer some of the most exciting cocktails in the city. The restaurants here are nothing short of outstanding. Then to end the evening, there are great late-night spots to grab a nightcap.
Aside from Happy Hour, when is the best time to get to the bar?
We don’t have a “Happy Hour”, per se, but we are an industry bar and the last hour of service has been our bread and butter. We’ve become a destination for local hospitality workers looking for a good cocktail to end the night (or to start it). That camaraderie creates an excellent and welcoming vibe for any type of drinker.
On the flip side, another great time to visit the bar is in the morning. We have a craft coffee program that rivals our bar program.
Describe the average drinkers that you serve?
We get a wonderful mix of people at the bar. We are attached to the Schaeffer Hotel, so we have plenty of out-of-towners on any given day, but we have rapport with locals as well. We are also adjacent to the Saenger Theater, so we are packed with theater goers on show nights as well. In general, our clientele tend to be adventurous drinkers looking for flavor combinations they aren’t used to. That is where we thrive.
Please tell us more about your drink menu.
We like to bridge the gap between the approachable and the ambitious. We can make the classics, but we want to bring our guests at least one experience they have never had. With that in mind, our cocktail list always has a few drinks that are an easy sell (“if you like x classic, you should try y signature”), a few that are a little more adventurous (“I never thought of that flavor combo before”), and a few that are a little esoteric (“You put FISH SAUCE in a cocktail?!?!”).
What’s your signature drink–or your favorite drink currently on the menu–and why should I order it?
Sequoia. Inspired by a dish from local chef Andrew Lu with Get Your Mom and Dim Sum, this gin-based cocktail combines cucumbers, peanuts, sesame oil, lemon, ginger, and mint. It’s set up as an egg-white sour, but despite its heavy body, it is refreshing and delicate.
How much do drinks cost?
We like to have an offering for just about anyone. If you want a thoughtful cocktail or a curated glass of wine, it’ll run you about $12-$15. If you want a $4 beer, we got you there too. Recently, we added a “Half-glass and a pour” menu too. You’ve heard of boilermakers? We do ours with wine.
Is there anything to eat? If so – what’s your favorite dish on the menu?
Dovetail Bar doesn’t have a kitchen, but lucky for us, New Orleans has a plethora of talented chefs who ‘pop-up’ regularly at our venue. Some of our talented friends are Greta Sushi, Magic Burger, and Oh Boy Po’ Boys. Sometimes we run cocktail specials that pair with their menus.
What are the distinguishing features of Dovetail Bar?
The woodwork throughout the bar is one standout feature. The building Dovetail Bar calls home was built in 1923 to accommodate the J.P. Schaeffer Furniture Company. The heart pine wood floors from the original structure were repurposed into the bar’s interior design and furniture where you’ll find various types of dovetail joints. The sea-green bar top and neon light accents on the ceiling and bring a pop of color to the warm wood tones of the space. Another noticeable feature is the folding storefront doors that allow us to open the space to the street on a nice day. And last but not least, the mysterious bathroom window sparks a lot of patron chatter…
What’s that music we hear playing on the Dovetail Bar stereo?
It’s eclectic! Each bartender (and barista) behind the bar has their own vibe, and we encourage them to express themselves through the music. Some days you might hear an obscure experimental acid jazz album from the ‘70s or Future’s new album on release day.
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 8 am – 11 pm
Friday – Saturday: 8 am – 12 am
Reservations:
Walk-ins only.
Website:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dovetailnola
Address:
201 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70112