Are you looking for a great spot serving delicious food and drinks with a laid-back beach atmosphere and great vibes? If so, Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant located at 701 Tchoupitoulas Street and only a 15-minute drive from Tulane University's campus is the perfect spot for you! The tropical energy, zesty cocktails, coastal-inspired signature bites, outdoor courtyard, and nightlife make it a spectacular spot. This December, it will expand its current location adding more than 8,000 square feet of additional dining room space, private event space, upgraded courtyard dining, an additional balcony, and an elevator for added accessibility.
The tropical energy, zesty cocktails, coastal-inspired signature bites, outdoor courtyard, and nightlife make it a spectacular spot. This December, it will expand its current location adding more than 8,000 square feet of additional dining room space, private event space, upgraded courtyard dining, an additional balcony, and an elevator for added accessibility.
Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant first opened on Manhattan's Upper West Side in 1985. It quickly became a well-known hot spot for tourists, locals, and celebrities due to its fun upbeat environment. As a result, they established a strong enough legacy to expand into New Orleans. In 1992, Lucy's opened in the New Orleans Warehouse District taking on a new unique beach and surf bar concept. It quickly became a staple of the downtown nightlife scene and has since expanded to Mississippi and Aruba, with more locations hopefully coming in the future. They aim to be a destination to enjoy delicious food, killer drinks, and make unforgettable memories. They have gained extreme popularity over the years in the New Orleans area as they are just steps away from iconic attractions like the Caesars Superdome, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans Riverfront, and the New Orleans Convention Center.
Two drinks that they are especially known for are The Shark Attack and The Infamous Scorpion Shot. The Shark Attack is a drink consisting of vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and sour mix and puts on a whole show creating a "bloody" mess as the shark hits the drink. Not only is it visually appealing, but its interactive fun causes it to be a big hit! The Infamous Scorpion Shot is unlike anything you've ever heard of. This drink consists of a tequila shot with a real scorpion thrown into it, which is dipped in diesel and lit on fire. If you are brave enough to take this shot, you'll receive a t-shirt indicating that you survived the scorpion shot. Aside from these two well-known drinks, all of their clever-named cocktails have a tropical spin to them. In regard to food, there's something for everyone. Whether it is lunch, brunch, dinner, or late-night eats, their coastal-inspired menu includes sandwiches, tacos, salads, seafood, and so much more!
As for the BBQ pulled pork hash, the sunny-side-up egg was smothered in a flavorful sauce atop pieces of sweet and savory pulled pork, sautéed red potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and jalapeños. It was unbelievable. While visiting, I also got the opportunity to check out the renovations for the upcoming expansion. Even though Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant is already such an amazing spot, I believe their expansion will only enhance the restaurant experience and allow them to thrive even more than they have already! The courtyard and balcony look great, and I can’t wait to see the finished product! Overall, I was extremely satisfied with my experience here and without a doubt will be visiting in the future, especially to watch sporting events.
Aside from these two well-known drinks, all of their clever-named cocktails have a tropical spin to them. In regard to food, there's something for everyone. Whether it is lunch, brunch, dinner, or late-night eats, their coastal-inspired menu includes sandwiches, tacos, salads, seafood, and so much more!
This past week, I went to Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant to experience it for myself, and let me tell you, WOW did it exceed my expectations. The bustling atmosphere, amazing service, spectacular cocktails, and mouthwatering food made it quite a memorable experience. In regard to drinks, I obviously had to see what the Shark Attack drink was all about. It was such a fun and sweet drink, and the presentation definitely did not disappoint. I also tried the Palm Dragon drink which consists of Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum mixed with cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange curacao, and fresh lime juice. It was zesty and delicious! To start, I ordered "Lucy's Rock A Mole" which is their spin on chips and guacamole. The housemade creamy guacamole with queso fresco crumbles paired with crunchy fresh tortilla chips was delightful. For the main course, I tried their Shrimp Po’Boy as well as their BBQ Pulled Pork Hash from their brunch menu. The shrimp po’boy was insane. The perfectly fried and seasoned fresh gulf shrimp dressed with key lime aioli, lettuce, tomato, and pickles was on a crisp toasted bun and made for the most tasty bite. Even the hand-cut crispy fries were seasoned to perfection.
In regard to drinks, I obviously had to see what the Shark Attack drink was all about. It was such a fun and sweet drink, and the presentation definitely did not disappoint. I also tried the Palm Dragon drink which consists of Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum mixed with cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange curacao, and fresh lime juice. It was zesty and delicious!
As for the BBQ pulled pork hash, the sunny-side-up egg was smothered in a flavorful sauce atop pieces of sweet and savory pulled pork, sautéed red potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and jalapeños. It was unbelievable. While visiting, I also got the opportunity to check out the renovations for the upcoming expansion. Even though Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant is already such an amazing spot, I believe their expansion will only enhance the restaurant experience and allow them to thrive even more than they have already! The courtyard and balcony look great, and I can’t wait to see the finished product! Overall, I was extremely satisfied with my experience, and I'm super excited to visit again in the future, especially to watch sporting events.
To start, I ordered "Lucy's Rock A Mole" which is their spin on chips and guacamole. The housemade creamy guacamole with queso fresco crumbles paired with crunchy fresh tortilla chips was delightful. For the main course, I tried their Shrimp Po’Boy as well as their BBQ Pulled Pork Hash from their brunch menu. The shrimp po’boy was insane. The perfectly fried and seasoned fresh gulf shrimp dressed with key lime aioli, lettuce, tomato, and pickles was on a crisp toasted bun and made for the most tasty bite. Even the hand-cut crispy fries were seasoned to perfection.
Their decision to expand their location, which is happening in the near future, was one based on their customer's needs as well as bringing back an unused historical property. Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant prioritizes doing good while being good so continuously puts an extreme amount of time, effort, and consideration into its restaurant so that its values and experience can be unforgettable. The expansion will encompass the neighboring historic property located at 709 Tchoupitoulas Street. This Warehouse District building was built in the 1880s and has been around for quite some time so requires extensive renovations. Luckily, restaurant management has been working closely with the Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC) on this $3.5 million project led by Nicholas Musso from Musso Architects, so there is no doubt the finished product will be nothing less than spectacular. The expansion will also include more restrooms, additional storage, kitchen prep areas, and a corporate apartment which will help Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant tremendously.
“We are thrilled to not only have the opportunity to expand Lucy’s to better serve our customers but also bring this neglected historic property back into commerce,” said John Kirkendoll, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Kirkendoll Management, managing partner for the Warehouse District bar and restaurant. Kirkendoll added, “Not only will we have more space for dining, but we can also now host more of the celebrations that make our city so unique, including Mardi Gras and Krewe of Boo watch parties, gameday gatherings, convention events, and even weddings.”
Overall, I was extremely satisfied with my experience, and I'm super excited to visit again in the future, especially to watch sporting events.
Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant will remain open during regular hours for the remainder of the renovation and is hosting a HUGE grand opening block party on December 17! The Saints have a home football game that day against the Giants, so this is an even better excuse to grab your friends and check it out! At this block party, they plan on breaking in the new courtyard, balcony, and bars and will have free drinks and complimentary food! Doors open at 9 am and get ready for a jam-packed lineup. The lineup includes a bloody mary bar from 9:30-11:30 am in the courtyard, free cocktails and a complimentary gameday buffet upstairs from 11:30 am-3 pm, $1 oysters (while supplies last), free shots, and giveaways throughout the day, and a postgame party hosted by DJ Noisebox at 3 pm!
I advise you to go check it out and see what Lucy's is all about! I promise you will not be disappointed! For more information on Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, please visit LucysSurf.com, and to keep up with the latest news visit their Instagram and Facebook!
Luckily, restaurant management has been working closely with the Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC) on this $3.5 million project led by Nicholas Musso from Musso Architects, so there is no doubt the finished product will be nothing less than spectacular. The expansion will also include more restrooms, additional storage, kitchen prep areas, and a corporate apartment which will help Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant tremendously.