Perhaps the most popular spot in town for a sunset drink, Sundowners Bar and Restaurant (10 a.m.–10 p.m. daily), on the beach across the road from Chillies Hotel, draws a mellow crowd of tourists looking for good vibes and a good variety of drinks.

Another favored spot for a drink, the Purple Turtle (tel. 504/445-4483, 7 p.m.–midnight Mon.–Thurs., 7 p.m.–2 a.m. Fri.–Sat., 7–10 p.m. Sun.) is a tiny bar featuring a small porch area in back with hammock chairs overlooking the sea, popular with long-haired, laid-back types.

Nova’s is a new lounge-style bar (read: low-slung couches) with ’80s night on Wednesdays, techno/electronic music on Fridays, and Latin music on Saturdays. Happy hour is 7–8 p.m., when well drinks are just a buck.

Another newcomer to West End’s nightlife scene is Jamming, a small bar built out over the water’s edge, with reggae music and a relaxed vibe day and night (the relaxation aided, no doubt, by drink specials such as US$1.80 tequila shots).

Foster’s (tel. 504/377-6304, noon–midnight Mon.–Thurs., noon–2 a.m. Fri.–Sat., and noon–10 p.m. Sun.) is an unpretentious hangout that draws a jovial crowd of locals and expats as well as tourists on Friday and Saturday nights. The restaurant/bar is a two-story wooden contraption built on a dock over the water, with a couple of hammocks swinging between the wood beams. It’s a shame the place is empty the rest of the week. Happy hour is 4–6 p.m.

The restaurant Blue Channel (tel. 504/445-4133) has live music Wednesday–Saturday and frequently shows movies; details are posted on the board out front. Le Bistro also has live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

The second-floor bar at Sueño del Mar dive shop, a large white building at the southern end of town, is a fine place to nurse a drink and watch the sun take its invariably sublime daily plunge into the Caribbean. There’s also a large-screen TV to watch sports.

If you have the energy to keep going when everything closes down, try to track down a cab to take you to Hip Hop in Flowers Bay, near Coxen Hole—just don’t arrive before 2 a.m. or you’ll be the only one there.