Mardi Gras in New York With Real New Orleans Soul at 1803 NYC

As Mardi Gras approaches, New York has no shortage of themed dinners and one-night parties. What remains rare is a place that commits to the spirit behind the celebration. At 1803 NYC, Mardi Gras is not confined to a single evening. It is part of a broader rhythm that blends food, music, and atmosphere into something closer to lived culture than costume.

Located in Tribeca, 1803 NYC has carved out a distinct identity by bringing the French Quarter to Manhattan in a way that feels intentional and consistent. Wrought-iron balconies overlook the dining room, live jazz fills the space weekly, and the menu draws directly from Cajun and Creole comfort cooking. The result is a setting that captures New Orleans energy.

At the heart of 1803 NYC is a menu designed for indulgence and sharing, especially during celebratory weeks like Mardi Gras. Signature dishes include a hearty jambalaya layered with shrimp, chicken, Italian sausage, and green onion, alongside charbroiled oysters freshly shucked and finished with melted Cajun butter.

Lunch and brunch bring their own draws, including a shrimp po’ boy and beignets, while Mardi Gras week introduces rotating specials such as a muffuletta sandwich and a low country seafood stew. Each dish leans into comfort and familiarity, echoing the kind of cooking that anchors gatherings back home in Louisiana.

For those hosting beyond the restaurant, 1803 NYC is also offering Mardi Gras catering options suitable for offices, house parties, and group celebrations. Available in half and full trays, the catering menu extends the experience outward, allowing the flavors of the Big Easy to travel well beyond Tribeca.

Downstairs, Bon Courage adds a more intimate dimension to the experience. The candlelit speakeasy channels late-night New Orleans with plush textures, cocktails, and live performances that feel closer to a velvet-curtained lounge than a traditional bar.

Bon Courage plays a central role during Mardi Gras week, serving as both a music venue and a gathering place where the energy shifts as the night unfolds. It is the kind of room that invites lingering, conversation, and spontaneous celebration, aligning naturally with the holiday’s social spirit.

Instead of building toward a single peak, 1803 NYC approaches Mardi Gras as a weeklong sequence of dining and live entertainment. Each night offers its own personality while remaining grounded in jazz and communal celebration.

• Friday, February 13
  Live Music from 6:00 to 9:00 pm featuring The Diego Voglion Trio at Bon Courage.
  

• Saturday, February 14
  Live music on both floors from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, with The Jane Irving Trio performing at Bon Courage and The Cindy Rainne Trio upstairs. The evening coincides with a Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner, pairing romance with rhythm.
  

• Sunday, February 15
  Weekend jazz from 12:00 to 3:00 pm with The Chino Pons Quartet, offering a daytime take on the New Orleans sound.
  

• Fat Tuesday, February 17
  A full Mardi Gras celebration featuring live jazz from a five-piece band led by Amos Hoffman from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Upstairs, a burlesque performance by Miss Frankie Eleanor and dancers runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, transforming the space into a Big Easy–style fête that leans into spectacle and tradition.

In a city that excels at reinvention, 1803 NYC stands out by committing to continuity. Mardi Gras here is not a novelty, but an extension of a larger identity that plays out through food, music, and space year-round. For New Yorkers craving something deeper than beads and buzzwords, it offers a version of the holiday that feels grounded, generous, and genuinely celebratory.