The Bulldog

The BulldogThe Bulldog
The BulldogThe Bulldog
Bar, Eatery

3236 Magazine St
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70115-2341
United States

(504) 891-1516 | map
draftfreak.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.88
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
59
pDev:
14.69%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by dansteino:
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Reviewed by dansteino from Louisiana

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Solid beer selection, food, service and atmosphere. Seems better than it it probably is because we are in Beer Wasteland -- New Orleans -- home of quantity and not quality.

Several Rogue's on tap and by the bottle. Most of the Unibroue's and Samuel Smith's here too by the bottle. Couple other good beers -- Duvel, Celebrator.

There is always something worth drinking here.

Food is solid bar food. Chicken sandwiches are really good.

Bartenders are really good and nice -- just treat them right.

Still, fallen off a little since Big Glenn left. IMHO.
Feb 18, 2004
More User Ratings:
Photo of Redrover
Reviewed by Redrover from Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25
Another nice New Orleans institution that I waited to long to visit. As you enter, the bar is on your left and there is a kitchen and seating to the right and rear. So much wood that it reminds me of Wisconsin North Woods bar.

48 taps with almost all of them good to great. They use one of those electronic boards for what's on tap. It takes awhile to roll over, so for me, give me a paper menu : )

Our bartender was friendly and the other patrons were easy to chat with. We didn't try the food, but I would have no issues going back.

Note - This is one of the cleanest spots I visited in on this trip. Nicely done!
Apr 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Boone757 from Virginia

Sep 26, 2022
 
Rated: 4.29 by slasich from Pennsylvania

May 16, 2020
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Reviewed by slander from New York

3.86/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3.75
We walked over here to Bulldog from Miel Brewery, the starting point for a 0.5K run (yes, that’s a third of a mile, and I must say, the event poster for it was one of the funniest fucking things I’ve ever seen). Davo, er, damn, um, I mean ‘Mr. LeBoud’, as he is to be known in the south, says this is (like) the #2 beer bar in the city, but really, it’s on Magazine Street so it gets all the tourist traffic. It’s like saying John’s of Bleecker Street is the number #2 pizza place in NYC. Don’t get me wrong, John’s is no slouch, actually really good, but I mean, it’s on Bleecker Street in the heart of the Village (and the Blind Tiger one-two doesn’t hurt), but I digress. Someones need to assess this Bulldog situation, and well, we’re already here, so I guess we’ll get our drink on and see the what what and report back…

Walked up on this place and saw a cool corner outdoor space attached to something on the strip. A large hanging sign and the awning listing beer styles (Hefe-Weizen * Lagers * Porters * Stouts * Barley Wine * Ales * Pilsners). That’s promising, as I happen to like Porters, Stouts, & Barleywines. And in; let your eyes & mind adjust. It’s a short but deep single room place. Wood plank floors & walls, and a slat wood ceiling. Lots of Mardi Gras play (crowns, masks, & that colored foil garland type stuff, oh, and a metric shit ton of beads). Local scene prints, brewery pub signs, mirrors, & tins. Drop ball & gumdrop lamps, and spinny tops over the bar. Fans franning as they are prone to do. Flatscreen to the rear and the dogs playing poker collection of prints (yes, there is more than one). 8 bar table counter tables about the room on stools for the sitting at.

Slat wood topped ‘L’ shaped bar with a lip, dark wood panel base, & foot box to the left. Seating for 20 on swivel stools, we manage to cop the few just inside the door. A long row of 48 taps on phat piping on the barback fronting a logo’d mirror. Cupboards on the ends with swag, glassware, & growls, booze shelved below the bar, and a bottle & can cooler on the end. Up Above the barback mirror, flatscreens, chalk boarded things (specialty cocktails, happy hour hours, selected drafts), and an LED board slooooooooooowly displaying the 48 tap selections (beer, style, ABV, origin, & pricing).

47 beers up on tap just now; it’s an American craft beer forward list. 15 of them from Louisiana (NOLA, Tin Roof, Urban South, Parish, Dixie, Abita, Gnarly Barley, & Crying Eagle) which is mostly all I’m interested in right now as I want to sample the local wares. Parish Ghost in the Machine (Double IPA) because, hell yes, please, and Urban South Lime Cucumber Gose = Yum. Beers were in good shape. Seems they’ve adopted some important ‘beer server’ behaviors here.

And 60 bottles & 50 cans, or so they say. It’s a mix of craft local, regional, & from across the country, +macros, retros, imports, NA’s, Gluten Free, cider, hard seltzer, and whatever else the kids are into these days.

The food order area is over there (me, pointing) and the menu posted alongside. We split an order of Crawfish Banditos for the fuck of it; they were of the cheesy goo as was their destiny. I should have added wings when I had the chance. Yes, mistakes were made.

Beer in hand and on walkabout, I venture to look in on the aforementioned outside space. Low brick column & fenced in on 2 sides, and a curved brick wall with a cool tap handle fountain thing going on to the rear. Alt direction brick flooring, and trees with strung white lighting peeking through. Nearly 2 dozen small roundies and a handful of long shared tables. Heat lamps, fans, a wall mounted flatscreen, & boards telling you about stuff. It’s a mess of kids this Saturday afternoon, but I suspect that’s to be expected.

Good selection and the beer was kept well. Okay, either I’m getting older or the scene is getting younger. True, it may not be where I’d be drinking (all the time) if I lived in town but it has its charms. Smells of old beer. Am thinking it’s someone else’s Peculier Pub.
Apr 03, 2020
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Reviewed by BalancingBrooms from California

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75
Busy place uptown. Pretty large selection of taps but not many unique beers in my opinion. Nice courtyard seating. Service is decent, just busy. Can be a bit loud inside for me.
Mar 07, 2019
 
Rated: 3.28 by Mdez from Virginia

Oct 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by godawgs from Louisiana

Oct 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Spreetaper from New York

Jul 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4.4 by Abbbp from Texas

Jun 28, 2016
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Rated by Intlpostman from California

3.86/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.25 | selection: 4
Cool place to sit out in the courtyard and have a beer. The. Eer selection was pretty solid, a good local and regional selection.
Feb 18, 2016
 
Rated: 4.49 by Dogleg from Pennsylvania

Dec 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.73 by Brevbin from Louisiana

Jul 10, 2015
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Reviewed by jbeervt from Vermont

3.66/5  rDev -5.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4 | food: 3.75
Lots of taps. Only a couple complaints: if you want to taste something, you literally get a sip, in a tiny paper cup. Also they have flights, I asked to sub one beer in the flight. They wouldn't do it, even though the beer I requested was cheaper than the one in the flight. I did have a good time while I was there and the staff was friendly.
Apr 24, 2015
 
Rated: 3.95 by Daniellobo from District of Columbia

Apr 11, 2015
 
Rated: 4.06 by MikeThumel from Illinois

Mar 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4.09 by jshusc from South Carolina

Mar 09, 2015
 
Rated: 4.15 by astronautjones from Michigan

Feb 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Robyn from South Carolina

Aug 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by PawPawPepperoni from Louisiana

Jul 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bpfrush from Wisconsin

Jun 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Missy82 from Indiana

Mar 20, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by sd123 from Georgia

Mar 19, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Dee13 from Canada (ON)

Feb 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Qdiver from Texas

Feb 14, 2014
Photo of thecommonman
Reviewed by thecommonman from California

3.74/5  rDev -3.6%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.75
Great draft list, college bar atmosphere.

Didn't serve the beer in proper glassware. They do take care of their draft lines. Beer tasted fresh.

I'd say the best bet is to stay away late-nights, and ask for a certain glass. It's worth a visit on Magazine St.
Jan 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by MrMaestoso from Louisiana

Nov 23, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by TOJO12 from Georgia

Oct 27, 2013
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Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -20.6%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
I swear I had read somewhere about the Bulldog being one of the best beer bars in NOLA. I was obviously wrong.

Pretty packed on 31/12, great day to be out in the courtyard overlooking Magazine street. Service is an issue here- order beer at the bar only, no table service, and order food at the kitchen. Annoying, but bartenders are pretty quick and efficient.

50 taps at the bar and nothing I I want to drink. Evil Twin Soft DK is out, and so is vintage Brooklyn Choco Stout. Lots of locals (Abita, Bayou Teche, Lazy Magnolia) plus bullshit galore (Harp, Bud Light, Hoegaarden, Kronenbourg).

Almost everything comes in 16-oz glasses, and I love that. Even my Ovila Quad! Very fair prices ($4.50-$7.50) but so-so quality, my Ovila tasted flat and old. The wife got a Lazy Magnolia Timber and it was fine, though.

Smoky-divey-sporty atmosphere I don't care for. Young people getting ready for the game... not very New Orleans overall, could be a sports bar in Anywhere, USA. Will not revisit.
Jan 03, 2013
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

3.59/5  rDev -7.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4
Visited The Bulldog on a suggestion from a friend who used to live in New Orleans. We went on Wednesday, which is pint night. This is definitely the best night to go, as you get to keep the pint glass for every beer that you order on tap starting at 6:00. I went home with 6 glasses that night, 4 of which were different. If you go in Wednesday,mi recommend getting their early as it got crowded quick!

Atmosphere was pretty good, we got there early and got a table outside on the patio. It's right in Magazine St so it's a good people watching spot. The I side if the bar was a bit crowded.

Service was non existent beyond behind the bar. Bartenders were pretty quick but in the two hours a was there I didn't see an employee working the floor inside or outside.

As for selection, they rotate about 40 different taps with a pretty good variety, from locals to exports. Bottle selection was decent but nothing special.

We didn't try any if the food but it looked like typical bar fare.

Overall it was a good trip. Bought 6 beers on tap and went home with 6 glasses and only about a $35 tab, tip included. Atmosphere and service isnt anything special but if you are in town and looking for a good tap selection, this one is worth checking out.
Aug 24, 2012
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Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Well I have to agree more with Far333 than Woodychandler on this one... The Bulldog is OK - well, maybe it's even very good (it's far better than the Balcony Bar right down the street) - but it's not great. It is, however, the best bar in mid-city, and maybe even be better than Cooter Brown's to the west (it seemed cleaner to me).

The outside is nice, displaying a kind of English pub feel with lanterns and everything; and I like all of the wood inside and the booths. Nice.

The beer selection only goes so far, however. There may be specialties, but a lot of it is generic stuff. On the other hand, generic stuff is what N'oleans is all about, so you can't discount that. And there are some gems that you can't find elsewhere. Other than that, it's just a collection of world beer (Belgium, France, Germany, UK).

As for the food, ayyiiee - hard to tell. Basic bar stuff. It seemed pretty good to me.

I'd stop back. That says a lot. Worth trying.
May 11, 2012
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Reviewed by ThePorterSorter from Oregon

3.43/5  rDev -11.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
We went out here on a limb that it was worth a visit, although their online available tap/bottle list didn't back up that claim.
The bar is a little out of the way (cab ride from downtown), but looks like a well established bar with a quaint outdoor patio. We arrived, but had a little trouble finding a beer to get excited about trying... However, the prices weren't bad! The bartender was off-putting and overbearing. It didn't take long to want a breath of fresh air (smoking bar) so we headed out to the patio. We loved the outdoor seating and tap handle waterfall. Unfortunately, the selection wasn't worth stickig around for... we left after sharing 1 pint. This bar is not worth stopping at to be honest.
Mar 13, 2012
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Reviewed by AdamBear from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
New Orleans seems to be a city that really supports its local craft beer movement. However, it doesn't seem to be a city that supports the nationwide craft beer movement as a whole. this bar seems to support both rather well.

Atmosphere: fairly large. typical bar with a nice out side area with a unique fountain of various tap handles pouring out water over a brick wall.

Service: The bartender was patient and helpful to my friends that didn't know as much about beer.

Selection: very large selection...most pleased about the Lousiana offerings.

Fair Value.

One more note: I found it very funny that you can order a beer, any beer, in a clear plastic cup and then take it out of the bar and drink it through the streets!
Aug 20, 2011
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Reviewed by asabreed from New York

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
Another surprise walking back from Mahony's after grabbing some Po Boys on Magazine Street. I knew I'd be a fan of this place walking in.

There's a long bar on the left, and though they have many taps, there are a lot of domestics and not a lot I was surprised to see or hadn't had before. Abita is, of course, represented very well, and I was thrilled to see there was a DIPA that I could try, which was actually really good.

But this is a bar where the ambiance is a lot of the experience. An old school feel for sure, but not at all feeling like a dive bar. Much of it's decked out in heavy wood, like the bar, with nice stools, nice tables, and not a ton of light coming through the windows. Cool things to look at hanging on the walls. Just a place where you immediately sit down at the bar and feel comfortable.

Again, though they have a good amount of taps, the selection isn't as broad as I'd hoped. But I did have a few brews, and if you don't live in Louisiana, chances are you'll find some things you haven't been able to try before (especially if you live in New York, like I do now).

I'll return in the future if and when I'm back in New Orleans, and I hope to also check out Bulldog Mid City also in the future.
Jun 26, 2011
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Reviewed by bound4er from Wisconsin

1.78/5  rDev -54.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 1 | selection: 1.5
Stopped in here on a recent business trip at the urging of a local. Lots and lots of taps but nothing stood out other than a couple of Rogue's brews. Ended up ordering a bottle of Duvel. The bartender opens it up and sets it on the bar without a glass. I look at her and she stares back until I finally ask her for a glass. She hastily finds one that is too dirty to serve a beer in. She does clean it without me needing to ask her. Unreal. At least it was 80 degrees and sunny out so we sat outside. Had it not been for the weather and beer garden, I would have left this place without ordering.
Mar 26, 2011
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Reviewed by imagese from California

1.75/5  rDev -54.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 2 | food: 4
Came in on a recent trip, and checked this place out during happy hour. Craft pitchers are supposed to be $2 off...

Ordered food before checking out the beer list. The guy running the food portion was awesome. He made me feel like this was going to be a good experience. That QUICKLY faded...

The outside patio was packed, there were a few open tables inside, and a few stools open at the bar. Common sense made me assume there would be more than one bartender... WRONG. Once I got a beer list, I was not pleased at all. Very standard craft choices for people not really into craft beer, and most were basic ambers. Thankfully they had NOLA's stout as a "special tap", so I decided to try that and one other stout before ordering a pitcher. Once I got the bartender's attention, she talked to me like I was wasting her time. She gave me two samples in 2oz plastic cups, and stormed off. Once she finally appeared again, I ordered a pitcher, and she pulled it out of a fridge, filled it, slammed it down with two glasses, and barked out the price. Based on the price of the other NOLA beers, it seemed high, so I asked about the happy hour, and she said "I took the dollar off!", then stormed off again. My bad, I guess NOLA isn't craft beer?

Anyway, I took the pitcher over, and proceded to pour the beer. It appeared that there was some ice formed around the lip of the pitcher, and a piece flew onto the table. After getting the food, and drinking half a pint, I looked down, and the supposed ice piece was still there. I looked closer, and to my unpleasant surprise, IT WAS GLASS!!! The lip of the pitcher was chipped to hell.

I went to the food window to ask for a manager, since there was NO WAY I was going back to talk to the bartender. A few minutes later, the manager came out, I told him what was wrong, and basically got an "oh, that happens" response. He got another pitcher and two new pints, then rinsed out the old pitcher and put it back in the fridge. WOW!!!

NO WAY I'll ever step foot in this place again, well, unless I want to drink chips of glass
Jan 11, 2011
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Reviewed by Chincino from Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
I visited the Bulldog during a visit to New Orleans in the spring of 2005 when I was there for the Jazz Festival. I had been to NOLA a few times prior to this visit and locals had told me on more than one occasion to check it out so we decided to do so prior to going to the Jazz Festival.

The atmosphere was fun, vibrant, and had a "young" feel to it. During my visit, there seemed to be a diverse crowd-with lots of tourists like myself presumably there for the Jazz Festival as well as a good-size college crowd of students from Tulane and Loyola. The people we met while waiting for a table were locals and they informed us that this was one of the better places to grab a brew or two in NOLA.

I believe my friend had an Abita Purple Haze and I had a Rogue Dead Guy Ale (or possibly another beer from Rogue). The beers on tap were fresh which was nice on a humid day.

The service was good once we were able to grab seats at the bar. We didn't try the food while we were there. Having lived in the southeast for a few years, the Bulldog was one of the few places with a decent beer selection I encountered during my time there. I would recommend checking it out if you are in New Orleans.
Nov 26, 2010
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Reviewed by BeerDreadz from Florida

3.91/5  rDev +0.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Pros:

Fun place to have beer
Good selection of beer
The bartenders know more about beer than you expect.
Food is pretty good
They have a pretty nice location.

Cons:

Sometimes the crows can be too "college"
Service speed is really average.
It's hard to get a good table especially if it is later night.

Notes:

On Wednesday nights they do "keep the pint night" ,were u can keep the pint glass or bring it back for animal charites(most of my glassware is from the bulldog). Dogs are accepted.
Jun 08, 2010
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Reviewed by Yetiman420 from Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -5.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 4
My wife and I stopped in for a beer to kill 30 minutes for a table to become available at a nearby restaurant.

On Magazine street in the heart of the wonderful garden district. If you're coming in from out of town, take the St. Charles street car to the Garden District and plan on roaming around a bit. The Where magazine available at most hotels will have a map of magazine street and all the shops (if that's your thing).

While they have quite a few taps, the quality is lacking. I went with Stone Arrogant Bastard and the wife had a bottle of Duchesse de Bourgogne.

More of a college crowd than the edgy local crowd at the avenue or tourists at bars in the quarter.
Jan 05, 2010
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Reviewed by Stoffel from Texas

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
I really like this place. Even visiting as tourists, we felt like we had just walked into our neighborhood bar.

The service was good, just a bit slow but it was busy while we were there. That said, I did notice them taking the time to explain a bit about the different beers to customers who didn't have much beer knowledge.

The selection was ok. A broad selection of taps, and a cooler with a couple of good brews in it. Most of the tap selection wasn't anything that you wont find at other beer bars, but the broad range of those selections was impressive.

I really like how they donate money to the SPCA, and that it is animal friendly. If its your kind of charity, you can donate directly to the SPCA when you close out. That puts them in a step above the average beer bar for me.
May 10, 2009
The Bulldog in New Orleans, LA
Place rating: 3.88 out of 5 with 59 ratings