Kajun’s bartender Chris Wecklein once told me, “Everyone loves to sing.” As someone who has worked Kajun’s daily karaoke for three years, he ought to know. The fun starts each day at 5 p.m. until no one wants to sing or drink anymore. As you can imagine, the singing often ends late at this divey spot. It’s hard to leave a place where you can combine your love of belting out Journey or Taylor Swift with $7 PBR pitchers. The “777” happy hour (7 a.m-7 p.m, 7 days a week) and Jell-O shots keep everyone’s voices lubricated and nerves fortified. It doesn’t matter what kind of singer you are; everyone gets a cheer at Kajun’s.
Locals also know the bar’s owner, JoAnn, as one of the people profiled in the blog Nine Lives and the musical it inspired, both of which followed the paths of nine New Orleanians from Hurricane Betsy through Hurricane Katrina. You can buy copies of the blog or CD in the vending machine near the back of the bar, and if JoAnn is there, she will happily sign them Chris sang on the CD, so make sure to get his signature as well. If you are just starting your night, the vending machine also provides cigarettes, beef jerky, Altoids and Advil. No matter what kind of night/morning awaits you, you can always leave Kajun’s prepared.
