Cafe Lafitte in Exile

Cafe Lafitte in Exile is a bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans that has operated continuously since 1933, claiming to be the oldest gay bar in the United States. It opened as Cafe Lafitte at the end of Prohibition in the historic building now known as Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, tied to the 18th century pirate Jean Lafitte. When founder Tom Caplinger lost that lease, he reopened nearby at 901 Bourbon Street and added "in Exile" to the name. Through the 1950s and 1960s it was New Orleans' premier gay bar, even as patrons faced police harassment and public stigma. Its Bourbon Street balcony and eternal flame remain landmarks of LGBTQ+ nightlife history.