Crawl New Orleans: Haunted Bar Crawl with Shot Included

New Orleans keeps its darkest stories close. This French Quarter walking crawl mixes ghost tales, true crime, famous homes, and pub stops into a lively evening that lasts about 90 minutes to two hours. I like the friendly guides and the chance to hear stories at the very places tied to them. I also like the small-group limit of 28 people, which should make it easier to hear the guide in busy streets. The main caution is simple: the advertised shot has not always been provided, so confirm that detail before you book.

This is not a bus or carriage ride. You walk between stops, beginning at MRB Bar & Kitchen on St. Philip Street at 7:30 p.m. The stories can lean more toward gruesome crime than paranormal encounters, depending on the guide. Randy’s comic delivery, Tanya’s energy, Brian’s storytelling, and Alexander Adams’s vivid performances have all helped make this tour memorable, but one past group found its guide rude.

Key points to know before you book

• The Casket Girls begin the night: You hear the eerie story outside the Old Ursuline Convent Museum, the oldest building in the French Quarter.
• The Axeman story adds real danger: Decatur Street brings a notorious New Orleans crime tale rather than a simple ghost legend.
• LaLaurie Mansion connects history and television: You learn about the real events behind American Horror Story and the property’s celebrity links.
• It is a walking tour, not a vehicle ride: Plan for streets, pub entrances, and the pace of an evening stroll through the French Quarter.
• The shot needs checking: One alcoholic shot is listed as included, but a recent complaint says it was not supplied.
• Guides shape the experience: Alexander Adams, Tanya, Brian, and Randy have each drawn strong praise for their energy and storytelling.

What the $27 price really gets you

At $27 per person, this crawl sits in the affordable range for an evening activity in New Orleans. You are paying for a guide, access to historic pubs and haunted locations, exclusive drink specials, and the planned shot. You are not paying for a full evening of drinks.

That distinction matters. Alcoholic beverages are not included beyond the advertised shot, and you are encouraged to bring your own drink for the walk. New Orleans allows drinking outside in the French Quarter, according to the tour information, so you can buy a beverage as you go. Your final cost depends on how many pub drinks you choose.

I see the value mainly in the guiding. A self-guided walk can take you past the convent, Decatur Street, and LaLaurie Mansion, but it will not put the stories in the right order or add the theatrical details. A good guide turns a short walk into an evening with a clear mood and a local point of view.

The value drops if you expect several included drinks or a full paranormal investigation. This is a guided pub crawl with spooky stories, not a haunted-house attraction. Since the shot has been disputed, I would treat it as a possible bonus rather than the reason to book.

Starting at MRB Bar & Kitchen at 7:30 p.m.

The meeting point is MRB Bar & Kitchen, at 515 St. Philip Street. The tour starts at 7:30 p.m., a useful time for anyone who wants to eat beforehand and still enjoy the French Quarter after dark.

Arrive with enough time to locate the bar and check in. The activity is offered in English, and confirmation is sent at booking. The group can reach 28 people, so the experience may feel intimate with a small turnout but more public on a busy evening.

The evening format suits New Orleans well. You are not sealed inside a vehicle while someone points out distant buildings. You move through the French Quarter, stop at specific sites, and have chances to pause at pubs. One family described the pub breaks as a welcome part of the outing, especially because they gave the group time to rest.

Expect walking, standing, and street noise. The route details do not give a total distance, so wear comfortable shoes rather than treating this as a bar-to-bar crawl in dress shoes. Rain can also affect the plan. One group missed some stops during major rain, although the guide still kept the experience enjoyable.

The end point is listed generally as the French Quarter rather than one named bar. That gives the evening a useful open finish, since you can continue exploring or make your own dinner and drink plans nearby.

The Old Ursuline Convent and the Casket Girls

The first main story takes place outside the Old Ursuline Convent Museum. You do not receive admission to the museum, but the building itself supplies an atmospheric opening. It is identified as the oldest building in the French Quarter, which gives the Casket Girls story a strong setting.

The Casket Girls were young women sent from France to New Orleans in the eighteenth century. The name alone sounds like a ghost story, and the tale has gathered plenty of dark legend over the years. Here, the guide tells the story outside the building rather than taking you through museum rooms.

That arrangement is worth noting. You get the location and the tale, but not an indoor museum visit. If you want exhibits, artifacts, and a closer look at the convent, you would need to arrange that separately and pay admission.

I like this stop as an opener because it sets the tone without relying only on shock. You begin with an old building, a strange name, and a story tied to New Orleans’s colonial past. A strong guide can make the setting feel uneasy even before the crawl reaches its more violent tales.

Decatur Street and the Axeman of New Orleans

The next stop is Decatur Street, where the guide tells the story of the Axeman of New Orleans. The stop lasts about 15 minutes and has no admission charge.

This section shifts the mood from old legend to true crime. That change is important. The crawl is marketed as haunted, but the content can include real violence, unsolved crime, and gruesome details. One solo participant specifically expected more paranormal material and found the tour focused more on crime than ghosts.

I would book this stop if you enjoy the unsettling side of New Orleans history, including stories that challenge popular myths. I would think twice if you want a gentle ghost walk with mostly supernatural sightings. The title suggests spirits, but the actual balance can depend on the guide’s style and the group’s response.

Decatur Street is also a practical place for a pub crawl because it keeps you in the middle of the French Quarter. The route is not just a string of spooky addresses. It connects stories to streets where you can continue watching the city move around you.

The best guides appear to add humor and interpretation rather than simply reciting dates. Randy, for example, was praised for a funny, personal approach and for questioning familiar versions of French Quarter legends. That kind of storytelling can give you something more useful than a standard ghost script.

LaLaurie Mansion and the American Horror Story connection

The final listed stop is LaLaurie Mansion, with about 10 minutes devoted to the property. Admission is not included, and the experience takes place as an exterior stop.

The guide explains the real events associated with the mansion and connects them to the American Horror Story series. The television link will appeal to film and television fans, especially if you want to recognize a location made famous on screen.

The darker side is unavoidable here. The LaLaurie story involves cruelty and abuse, and the tour does not turn away from those facts. This is one of the places where the line between haunted history and true crime becomes thin. You should expect disturbing material, not just playful tales about friendly spirits.

The celebrity information adds another layer. The property has long attracted attention beyond its nineteenth-century story, and the guide includes information about notable connections to the house. Still, the stop is brief. Ten minutes is enough for an exterior explanation and photos, but not a full architectural or historical visit.

I would treat LaLaurie Mansion as a highlight for television fans and anyone drawn to New Orleans’s most infamous addresses. It is less suitable if you prefer light folklore or if you want to enter the building. The tour does not include admission.

The bars, drink rules, and the disputed shot

The crawl includes VIP access to haunted bars and exclusive drink specials. The exact bars are not named in the supplied details, so you should not book with a fixed list of venues in mind. The route may also be shaped by weather, crowds, or the guide’s decisions.

Drinks are not included in the price. You can bring a beverage on the walk, and you may buy drinks at the pubs along the way. This is a distinctly New Orleans feature, but it also means the low headline price can rise if you stop for several cocktails.

One alcoholic shot is listed as included. Yet a family booking in January 2026 said the promised shot was not provided. That conflict deserves attention. Ask at check-in or contact Crawl New Orleans before departure if the shot matters to you. Do not assume that a shot alone makes the $27 price a bargain.

The pub stops provide more than alcohol. They break up the walking and give you a chance to cool down, use the facilities, and talk with the group. One family found these pauses especially enjoyable. If you do not drink, the tour can still work, but the bar format remains part of the experience.

The guides are the main variable

Your guide may matter more than any individual stop. The strongest accounts describe guides who turn a familiar story into a performance. Alexander Adams was praised for vivid retellings that made the events feel immediate. Another account accidentally called him Andrew Adams, and the operator clarified his name as Alexander Adams.

Tanya was described as energetic and passionate. Brian earned praise as an excellent storyteller, with a style that kept the group engaged while moving between drinks and stories. Randy brought jokes and a willingness to question standard legends.

That range tells you something useful. This is not a tightly scripted museum lecture. The guide’s humor, interests, and comfort with dark material can shape the evening. You may get more crime, more folklore, or more paranormal talk depending on who leads the group.

There has been one serious negative account, involving a guide named Craig who was described as rude and insulting toward people in the group. It appears to be an isolated complaint among many positive ones, but it is still worth keeping in mind. A bar crawl depends on a relaxed social mood, and poor conduct from a guide can spoil the night quickly.

Who will enjoy this crawl most

I would recommend it to you if you want a low-cost evening introduction to the French Quarter, especially if you enjoy:

• True crime mixed with ghost stories
• Famous New Orleans buildings and locations
• Television and film connections
• A social walking tour with pub breaks
• Guides who use humor and theatrical storytelling
• An activity that works for friends, couples, and families with adult participants

Families should consider the subject matter before booking. The stories include serious violence and abuse, and the bar setting may not suit every family group. The tour information says most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. It is also near public transportation.

You may want another activity if you need a bus, carriage, or other vehicle. A previous party arrived expecting a bus tour after receiving incorrect information, then discovered that the activity was on foot. Confirm the format before you pay if walking is difficult or if you want a ride through the city.

Booking, cancellations, and practical planning

The tour is often booked about 14 days ahead, so reserve earlier if your dates are fixed. The activity is capped at 28 people, but the actual group size can vary. A small group will make the stories easier to follow and give you more room to interact with the guide.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 7:30 p.m. start time. Cancel inside that 24-hour window and you will not receive a refund. Changes inside the same window are not accepted.

The operator also requires a minimum number of participants. If that minimum is not reached and the tour is canceled, you will be offered another date or experience, or you will receive a full refund.

I would wear shoes suited to walking, bring a little cash or a payment card for drinks, and keep rain protection handy. Most of all, arrive expecting a social evening rather than a quiet supernatural investigation.

Should you book Crawl New Orleans?

Book this crawl if you want an entertaining French Quarter walk built around dark stories, famous addresses, and pub stops. The strongest guides, especially Alexander Adams, Tanya, Brian, and Randy, appear to bring real energy to the route. At $27, the basic price is fair if you value storytelling more than included alcohol.

Skip it if you want a vehicle tour, a museum visit, or a program focused almost entirely on ghost sightings. Also skip it if gruesome crime stories are not your thing. Before booking, confirm the shot and remember that all other drinks cost extra.

For the right audience, this is a lively way to meet New Orleans after sunset, with enough history, scandal, and local legend to keep the French Quarter from feeling like a backdrop.

FAQ

Where does the haunted bar crawl begin?

It begins at MRB Bar & Kitchen, 515 St. Philip Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 7:30 p.m.

How long does the experience last?

It lasts approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Is this a walking tour?

Yes. The experience takes you on foot through the French Quarter. It is not a bus or carriage tour.

Is one alcoholic shot included?

One alcoholic shot is listed as included, but one recent booking reported that the shot was not provided. Confirm this detail before you go if it matters to you.

Are other alcoholic drinks included?

No. Other alcoholic beverages are not included. You can bring a drink on the crawl and buy drinks during pub stops.

Are museum admissions included?

No. Admission to the Old Ursuline Convent Museum and LaLaurie Mansion is not included. The tour describes these locations from outside.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted and are not refunded.