In the spring of 1973, Houlihan's Old Place, more commonly known as just "Houlihan's", opened at 315 Bourbon Street in the old Oriental Laundry building. It was one of the "new" places, a part of a renaissance in the French Quarter at a time the "old" places were losing-- or had already lost-- their charm. And up-and-coming Fat City in suburban Metairie was starting to give tired old Bourbon a run for its money in nightclub entertainment.
Chain restaurateurs Gilbert-Robinson chose the name when they opened the original location in Kansas City in a spot once occupied by a Houlihan's Haberdashery. Since the architect hadn't yet been given a name, he simply entered "Tom Houlihan's old place" in the space on the blueprint. The story goes that, in exchange for using his name, a table in the middle of the restaurant was kept empty, reserved for him and bearing a plaque with his name. He never sat at it, nor did he ever even visit the restaurant.
After the laundry proprietor abandoned the Bourbon Street building in the 1960s, it had been occupied for a time by a restaurant on its left side and a nightclub on the right. Houlihan's mostly preserved this division by making its right half a bar and lounge with an oyster bar.
Houlihan's was part of the influx of restaurants vying to fill a niche between fast food and fine dining, and whose decor was largely made up of a curated collection of antiquities and unusual artifacts. The idea, it seemed, was to give patrons something quirky and interesting to look at while at the same time losing track of how long it had been since they'd placed an order.
The menu featured a broad selection of trendy offerings: Appetizers, sandwiches, salads, burgers, steak, seafood, crepes, omelets. Rounding things out were espresso, desserts and soda fountain beverages. A wine list contained a few dozen domestic selections and including, cheekily, "our only imports" Mateus Rose, Blue Nun and Riunite Lambrusco.
Houlihan's became a popular destination for casual dining that felt a little more upscale than it actually was. Prices were reasonable enough that the prom crowd could afford to go there, while at the same time a guy could take a first date there and not be perceived as a cheapskate. It was equally popular for lunch and dinner.
In the latter half of the 1970s, you could always count on trendy casual dining places including a few must-haves. Two that immediately spring to mind are frozen strawberry daiquiris, and a fresh spinach salad with mushrooms tossed in a warm bacon dressing, often prepared tableside.
Houlihan's other calling card, not usually seen at this level of dining, was its French onion soup. It was served in a bowl too hot to touch with the traditional thick canopy of cheese melted over it. Paired with a sandwich and a drink, you could get out of there for under ten dollars, tax and tip included.
What Houlihan's patrons remember as its real ace-in-the-hole was the oyster bar. During certain hours, raw oysters could be had-- only while standing at the oyster bar-- for ten cents each. That and a cold draft beer in a tall glass, paradise.
The chain continues to operate across the country today, but has dropped the "Old Place". The Bourbon Street location, however, shut down rather abruptly in Spring 1996, the space subsequently occupied by a "gentlemen's club".
Houlihan's Old Place: American, 315 Bourbon St, New Orleans (French Quarter) - 523-7412 (do not call) map