WHAT TO DRINK: Frozen Irish Coffee at Finn McCool’s.
Although Finn McCool’s is ostensibly an Irish pub, the soul of this seafoam-green shotgun house is still New Orleans. Sure, it’s got framed Magners t-shirts, Jameson signs made from old barrels, and “Slaínte” painted in green Celtic font on its walls, but it also serves alligator po-boys and salmon fries with creole mustard. The most Irish thing about this bar is its obsession with soccer: games from tournaments around the world are broadcast on six flat-screen LCD televisions at all times of the day. It’s especially popular with New Orleans’ “football”-loving expat community.
However, you don’t have to be a soccer fan to come here and grab some shade and an ice-cold drink. Yes, there’s Guinness on tap, and they have their own version of Pimm’s Cup called “Finn’s Cup.” But our favorite drink at Finn McCool’s is their cool and creamy frozen Irish coffee. This coffee and cream-based blended frozen drink is laced with Irish rum and topped with a generous puff of whipped cream. It’s an addictive rush of sugar, caffeine, and booze that hits all the right notes on a characteristically hot and muggy Louisiana day.