Nostalgia

1984. New Orleans. Warehouse District.

Twenty-five international exhibits introduced thousands to sushi (at the Japanese Pavilion) or an IMAX theater (the Canadian Pavilion). A 10-car monorail circulated overhead. A walk-though “Kid Wash” did for overheated humans what automated car washes do for cars.

There were nightly fireworks shows and dozens of places to eat and drink, with regular music-inspired silliness like the recurring mass “chicken dance” at a German beer garden.

Kinda pricey, though.

2015. New Orleans. Warehouse District.

As patios and outdoor dining areas proliferate across the downtown restaurant and bar scene, a new project taking shape will bring an indoor beer garden to the Warehouse District later this summer.

Tchoupitoulas Beer Garden is scheduled to open in mid-August at 840 Tchoupitoulas St. as a year-round, Oktoberfest-inspired drinking hall, with 22-ounce steins, brats and bar games among other features.

The address was previously the wine bar and restaurant Bouche, and the same owner, Joseph Logreco, is behind the new venture. But Tchoupitoulas Beer Garden is shaping up as a much different concept.

Modeled after traditional German beer gardens — though in this case under a roof — it will spread across some 4,400 square feet of brick-lined space, trimmed with Bavarian banners and awnings. There will be a pair of beer bars, a kitchen serving sausage, pretzels and other traditional German street food and seating at the sort of long, narrow picnic tables common to beer gardens.

I'm sure it won't be cheap either.  But you can pay in "tokens" for.. some reason.  Only thing missing is a monorail.