Church should always be this cool. Situated in the Catholic church that is now Hotel Peter and Paul, the Elysian Bar is a cafe, bar, and restaurant in a jewel box setting. An all-American wine list, storied cocktails, and Mediterranean nibbles add up to something special. And the bar shares a pedigree with Bacchanal.

Decorated in early Storyville, the Burgundy Bar is the kind of place where morals tend to slip, even in the middle of a weekday afternoon. Sexy setting, ice cold beer, potent cocktails, occasional burlesque shows — it all adds up to a great reason to duck off Canal Street.

Named after what many consider to be the world’s first mixed drink, the Sazerac Bar is (almost) as famous as its potable namesake. The vibe is luxe, from the Paul Ninas murals flanking the African walnut bar to the elegant bar stools and plush banquettes usually spilling over with imbibers. It’s not like any other bar in New Orleans.

It’s not exactly a rooftop bar, because it’s just inside, but the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river sure feel top of the world. Observatory 11 at the Westin manages to be more than a convention hotel bar, thanks to the swank setting and the live music that gives it a true New Orleans sense of place.

Best news ever, Abigail Gullo, bar keep extraordinaire, is done gallivanting (for now) and back home behind the newly renovated bar at Loa, the impossibly chic artsy bar at the boutique International House Hotel. Her list draws from coastal cities that have intersected with New Orleans, from Sicily to Senegal, Venice to Vietnam, Haiti, and Havana.

This suave bar for grown-ups at the Windsor Court Hotel is one of the best spots in town for music, martinis, and conversation. The Polo Club Lounge feels like a private club, but the welcome mat is out for all. Comfy seating, terrific bartenders, and strong drinks add up to an elegant good time.

There’s nothing common about the Commons Club at the Virgin Hotel New Orleans. Virgin Hotel’s bar and restaurant is made up of a handful of themed spaces, including the ultra sexy Shag Room and bar area, a riot of colors and textures and art that spreads across the walls and up the stairs to the second floor. The experience ups the ante with local chef Alex Harrell’s simple menu of elevated seasonal cuisine and a starry rooftop bar.

The brand new Four Seasons brings the revered brand to New Orleans with not one but three bars to explore. The showpiece is the gorgeous lobby level Chandelier Bar, home to a 15,000-piece light and glass installation. Expect $18 drinks that — thankfully — satisfy. For food, head to Miss River for New Orleans cuisine or to Chemin a La Mer on the fifth floor for Parisian-style steak, a raw bar, and copious offerings of local seafood.

This newly debuted bar at the Parkview Guest House Uptown is a former parlor turned into a small jewel box of a space for wine, craft cocktails, and classics. Owners Liz and Terry Creel transformed the guest house when they bought it in 2009, and the Gilded Perch is their latest coup — a wonderful neighborhood addition, too.

The Bayou Bar in the restored Pontchartrain Hotel is important for many reasons, top of the list being that it’s where the New Orleans Saints football franchise was christened in 1966. Beyond that, in a hotel with great spaces, including Jack Rose and the Hot Tin rooftop bar, Bayou Bar is a tavern that beckons with a burnished yet approachable interior design. An intimate scene for outstanding music (no cover!) makes this a special spot.

Impossibly tropical, Paradise Lounge is an extension of San Lorenzo, the Hotel Saint Vincent’s signature, all-day restaurant, named for the patron saint of cooks. Order from the menu at the bar, take a seat on the patio, and enjoy half-off wines on Mondays.

The Chloe, formerly a bed and breakfast called the Avenue Inn, is set back from the street, a lovely 19th-century mansion at 4125 St. Charles Avenue. Newly redesigned by the LeBlanc + Smith restaurant group, there’s a roomy outdoor space and live music on some weekends (check their Instagram account). There’s a pool and patio bar and a perfectly dark hideaway in the lobby that provides a chill space to unwind after touring the city.