Last-call sazeracs before boarding in Terminal 1
Gate-side in MSY Terminal 1, Bar Sazerac leans hard into classic New Orleans cocktails instead of just draft beer and vodka sodas. The namesake sazerac and the old fashioned are the drinks people actually talk about in Google and Yelp reviews. Figure on mid-$$ pricing for cocktails, with checks often landing around $15–$20 per drink once tax and tip hit.
The bar sits post-security near several B gates, with a compact horseshoe of maybe a dozen stools that fills up during the 3 p.m.–8 p.m. departure wave. There’s a limited snack lineup only – think bar mix and a couple of small bites, not a real meal – so eat elsewhere if you need dinner before that 7:30 p.m. flight. Rating runs about 3.5 stars overall, which tracks: solid drinks, airport pacing.
Order the sazerac first; multiple reviews call it “very decent for an airport bar,” and the old fashioned gets similar praise when the same bartender handles both. Expect house rye or bourbon by default, with upcharges if you call out a specific label. Beer and wine exist, but if you just want a basic lager, you’ll pay more here than at a standard $ bar a few gates away.
Watch out for value: several Yelp posts complain about $14–$17 cocktails poured into relatively small rocks glasses. Slow service also pops up when only one bartender is covering 10–12 stools plus to-go orders, especially during late-afternoon Delta and Southwest banks. If you see only a single person behind the bar and half the seats filled, add at least 15 minutes to whatever time you thought you needed.
Regulars mentioned on Google say they tip generously on the first round to keep refills moving when it’s slammed. Others grab their sazerac in a plastic to-go cup and walk it back to seats near gates B5–B9 for more space. If your flight boards in under 30 minutes, ask upfront how long a cocktail is likely to take before you commit.