• MR. B'S IS BACK
If happy days aren't here again, nobody told our waiters at Mr. B's Bistro.

• MR. B'S IS BACK
If happy days aren't here again, nobody told our waiters at Mr. B's Bistro.

• WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG
The last restaurant review to appear in The Times-Picayune began with a reference to a bad storm. Its name was Cindy, a tropical storm that in July 2005 left New Orleanians to cope for days without electricity. It all seemed like such a hassle: the branches in the streets, the malfunctioning stop lights. Several of the new restaurants on my radar were closed as a result. La Crepe Nanou wasn't, so I reviewed it.

• 8 new cocktails
Swizzle Stick Bar

• Alcohol alfresco
The Bulldog

• Are you ready for a sports bar?
Cooter Brown's Tavern & Oyster Bar

• BEYOND THE BEIGNET
Doughnut-making is not a career for the late riser. Just consider that when Clint Williams arrived for work Monday at 7 a.m. at Coffee & in Marrero, he was late. By a lot.

• Dance the night away
Ampersand

• Drinking and drama, cocktails and comedy
Le Chat Noir

• Drink it in
In England and Ireland, they're called pubs, short for public houses, because they are often where the townsfolk gather not simply or even primarily to drink a pint, but to meet, mingle, converse and celebrate a sense of belonging.

• Famous drinks and where to get them
Arnaud's French 75 Bar

• Happy and gay
Bourbon Pub/Parade Disco

• Hotel bars that rock
The FQB

• Lagniappe's Bar Guide Contents
Tucked inside your Lagniappe this week is our take on 85 Great Places to Drink -- from the perfect place for a classic New Orleans cocktail to a hot-spot to dance all night. So, pull out this 24-page guide and let us tell you about great lounges, roadhouses and music halls. We'll help you answer that age-old question: Where should we go this weekend?

• Lounging with a view
The Green Room Bar

• Meet up after work
Lucy's Retired Surfer's Bar and Restaurant

• Metairie neighborhood joints
Gennaro's Bar

• No last-calls
Snake and Jake's Christmas Club Lounge

• Now serving: New on the scene
Garden District Pub

• Only-in-New-Orleans Bars
Bullet's Sports Bar

• Sing your heart out at Karaoke
Dino's Bar & Grill

• Sit and chat at these quiet spots
Clock Bar

• Take a sip without the smoke
Felipe's

• Eight great Tales of the Cocktail events
Tales of the Cocktail is a homegrown festival that has become arguably the premier event for cocktail and spirit professionals and enthusiasts. Tales began on Wednesday with its series of cocktail-related dinners, parties, tastings, seminars and tours, all of which explore cocktail culture and how it intersects with the culinary world. The festival runs through this weekend.