Outdoor seating at The Boot Bar & Grill will not return following a split vote on Monday morning, in which the New Orleans Board of Zoning Adjustments rejected the bar’s appeal to receive a permit for a sidewalk cafe.
The board voted 3-3 in support of the appeal. One of the board’s seven members was absent from the hearing. In the event of a tie, a motion is rejected, following Robert’s Rules of Order.
In early August, the New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits issued a violation to The Boot for having outside seating on a public sidewalk without a permit.
When the bar submitted a request for a permit, Safety and Permits rejected it due to local laws prohibiting bars from having sidewalk cafes in residential neighborhoods.
The Boot hired Zach Smith Consulting & Design, a local architecture and regulatory compliance firm, to appeal the decision.
The bar, which is popular among Tulane University students, issued a public call on Instagram prior to the hearing, encouraging its patrons to support the appeal at the Board of Zoning Adjustments hearing.
Decisions by the Board of Zoning Adjustments can be appealed to the Orleans Civil District Court within 30 days of the decision. Decisions cannot be appealed to the City Council.
Jimmiejam • Apr 21, 2026 at 5:18 pm
Something ain’t right at Tulane lately. Am I wrong?
Jimmiejam • Apr 21, 2026 at 5:17 pm
Let me guess the new police station across the street said it’s unsafe .
Jimmiejam • Apr 21, 2026 at 5:16 pm
This is what happens when The university president decides to get rid of a dean so he can do what he wants with no flak.