Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc.

What Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc. does

Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc. is a privately held, family-owned hospitality company founded in 1933 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and currently led by third-generation owner and President Shelly Oechsner Waguespack. The company operates two physical locations: the original French Quarter flagship at 718 St. Peter Street, featuring three distinct bar environments (Main Bar, Patio with the landmark Flaming Fountain, and the Piano Lounge with dueling pianos), and a second venue inside Universal Orlando Resort's CityWalk, opened in February 1999 as an authentic reproduction of the New Orleans site. The business serves tourists, local patrons, and private-event customers seeking an iconic New Orleans bar experience centered on the world-famous Hurricane specialty cocktail, live entertainment, and Cajun-influenced food service.

The core product offering is on-premise beverage and food service, supported by signature experiential assets — the Flaming Fountain copper centerpiece, the dueling pianos program rooted in late-1890s ragtime tradition, and the Hurricane drink, which functions as a cultural trademark. There is no proprietary technology platform; the company's digital footprint is limited to a content website, an online merchandise storefront at shop.patobriens.com, and standard social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook. The company also offers private event hosting (corporate events, birthdays, bachelorette parties, receptions) at both locations, with a dedicated Private Event Sales Director and event-specific infrastructure including the Briar Suite in Orlando.

The revenue model is predominantly transaction-based on-premise consumption, supplemented by private-event bookings and merchandise sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed beyond a Thursday Happy Hour offering during summer months and a New Year's Eve cocktail reception priced at $165 per person. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via walk-in traffic and a corporate/franchise contact line, with the Universal Orlando CityWalk tenancy functioning as a critical distribution anchor for the Orlando location. The company received the Louisiana Restaurant Association's inaugural 2022 Icon of the Year Award.

Name

Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc.

Legal name

Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc.

Website

https://patobriens.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc. is a family-owned hospitality company founded in 1933, operating iconic New Orleans-style bars in the French Quarter and at Universal Orlando's CityWalk, serving tourists and event-goers with Hurricane cocktails, Cajun fare, and dueling pianos entertainment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bar and Restaurant Hospitality

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA)

Keywords

• Bar and restaurant services
• Specialty cocktail bar
• Live entertainment venue
• Private event hosting
• Branded merchandise store

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. On-premise beverage sales: The primary revenue stream comes from selling alcoholic beverages including their signature Hurricane drink, beer, and specialty drinks at the bar locations. Food sales from the restaurant complement beverage revenue.
2. Food service: Cajun fare served at the Courtyard Restaurant in Orlando and food service at the New Orleans location, with the kitchen closing at 9PM.
3. Private events: Revenue from private party bookings including birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events, social groups, receptions, and bachelorette parties. Private events director Jennifer Green manages bookings for New Orleans, with the Briar Suite and patio available for private events in Orlando.
4. Online merchandise store: Online store selling Pat O'Brien's branded merchandise and souvenirs, with 10% off for customers showing receipts from the bar or restaurant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc. operates two physical hospitality venues — a flagship bar in the New Orleans French Quarter (founded 1933) and a reproduction location at Universal Orlando Resort's CityWalk (opened 1999). The company sells alcoholic beverages, including the world-famous Hurricane specialty rum drink, alongside Cajun food service and live dueling pianos entertainment across three distinct bar environments (Main Bar, Patio Bar with the Flaming Fountain, and Piano Lounge). It also hosts private events and runs an online merchandise store.

Product overview

Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc. is a historic New Orleans bar established in 1933, now operating two locations in New Orleans, Louisiana and Orlando, Florida. The company operates three distinct bar venues at its flagship New Orleans location—the Main Bar, Patio Bar, and Piano Lounge—each offering a unique atmosphere. The flagship product is the world-famous 'Hurricane' specialty drink. The Orlando location replicates the New Orleans experience within Universal Orlando Resort's CityWalk. The business also operates an online merchandise store and offers private event services for corporate and social occasions. The company does not offer a software platform, API, or technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Bar

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Universal Orlando ResortcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 1999Pat O'Brien's Orlando operates as an authentic reproduction of the New Orleans original, located in CityWalk at Universal Orlando Resort. The partnership provides high tourist traffic exposure and cross-promotional opportunities with Universal Orlando's entertainment ecosystem.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tropical Isle: Iconic New Orleans French Quarter bar famous for the Hand Grenade specialty drink. Direct competitor in the on-premise specialty cocktail / tourist bar category in the same neighborhood, with similar live entertainment and souvenir merchandise offerings.
• Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar: Historic French Quarter bar (claimed oldest in the US) operating in a 200+ year old building with piano bar entertainment. Directly comparable as a historic New Orleans tourist bar with live music, on-premise beverage sales, and souvenir appeal.
• Bourbon House: New Orleans restaurant and bar focused on bourbon and American whiskey, located in the French Quarter. Comparable as an on-premise alcohol-forward New Orleans venue serving Cajun/American fare and premium cocktails to tourists and locals.
• The Bombay Club: New Orleans cocktail lounge in the French Quarter featuring martinis, live jazz, and Creole-influenced small plates. Comparable as a French Quarter craft cocktail and live entertainment venue targeting the same tourist and special-occasion customer base.
• Cat's Meow Karaoke Bar: French Quarter bar specializing in live entertainment (karaoke) with a strong tourist and bachelor/bachelorette party focus. Comparable as a high-traffic New Orleans entertainment bar monetizing ticketed/private group events and specialty drinks.

Broad incumbents

• Margaritaville Cafe (Jimmy Buffett's): Themed restaurant/bar chain built around a signature tropical drink and island atmosphere. Comparable as a destination bar concept monetizing a single iconic cocktail, with franchised/licensed expansion across multiple U.S. tourist markets.
• House of Blues: Music-forward restaurant and bar venue with live entertainment, Southern-inspired food, and a recognizable brand. Comparable as an experiential bar-and-live-music venue combining signature cocktails, food, and ticketed/private events.
• Hard Rock Cafe: Globally franchised themed bar/restaurant built around a music memorabilia brand with merchandise retail. Comparable as a destination bar with branded merchandise, multiple tourist-market locations, and a signature experiential identity.
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Themed restaurant chain operating in tourist destinations including Universal CityWalk. Comparable as a franchised, themed restaurant/bar with merchandise and presence at major tourist venues alongside Pat O'Brien's Orlando.

Regional players

• The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center hospitality tenants (e.g., Mulate's, Acme Oyster House): Acme Oyster House is a New Orleans restaurant/bar institution that has expanded regionally (e.g., to the Las Vegas Strip). Comparable as a multi-generation New Orleans hospitality brand pursuing a similar geographic-expansion pathway via franchise or second-location strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/patobriens
• Instagraminstagram.com/patobriens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pat O'Brien's Bar Inc.