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Whether it’s for happy hour, dinner, Sunday Jazz Brunch, or one of the shows in the impressive theatre upstairs called The Ramp Room; on weekend nights, Little Gem Saloon at 445 S. Rampart St. is the place to go to enter into the era of early 20^th century jazz in New Orleans.  The 400 block of S. Rampart, where Little Gem proudly stands today, comprised part of the infamous “Storyville” neighborhood that brought us Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Buddy Bolden.  They made music that shook the world and brought New Orleans worldwide fame.  Today, in a beautifully restored building, you can experience anew the excitement that rocked the joint in 1904 when Buddy Bolden played there.  Kermit Ruffins picks up his trumpet, and he’s a direct descendant of Louis Armstrong, whose sponsor and employer, the Karnofsky Tailor Shop, was nearby.

Although attractive to tourists in the CBD, Little Gem doesn’t neglect the locals either.   In November, Little Gem is presenting a series called Bustin’ Out, bringing rising young artists to the club on Wednesdays at 9PM, with $3 drink specials and affordable beer and appetizers.

In the restaurant and bar, Little Gem serves small and large plates of contemporary Southern cuisine like crab fritters and barbecue shrimp, along with innovative hand-crafted cocktails.  What about poussin (chicken) and bread pudding on the Sunday brunch menu?  Louis Armstrong would have gone for the raw oysters for sure.  And so can you, right where he and Buddy Bolden played.