Napoleon Room

I remember playing bingo in the past and having fun, so I decided to come on a Sunday afternoon. It was reasonably priced at $15 and pretty darn fun. It is all non-smoking.

I've been coming to the Napoleon Room since a kid. In a way, it's hereditary: If your family has played bingo here and brought you as a kid, you usually grow up to play bingo here often. Many of the regulars who frequent here are family or very close friends. It is a very chill and laid back atmosphere. It can get noisy between and during games, but other than that it's a very relaxed space. One side of the hall is for those who smoke while the space near the concessions is a non-smoking area. Beware: If you're not a fan of cigarette smoke, stay far far away from the smoking area. Many people who visit are pretty much chain-smokers.The concessions is the best part about this spot. It has some of the best sandwiches, chicken salad and fried seafood plates. I typically get the half shrimp and half fish plate which comes with fries, a piece of garlic french bread and a tiny side salad = $13. The price is worth it, the seafood is fresh (sometimes, your own seasoning is needed) but they fry it crispy and the food is still tasty. They also have an assortment of beers and non-alcoholic beverages. Desserts such as brownie a la mode and funnel cake sticks are also served. A meal of the day is presented each day of the week as well. For instance, I went on yesterday (Tuesday) and it was meatloaf with various sides.The cool thing is that on your birthday, you can play bingo for free! Not only on the day of your birthday, but also the day before and the day after. You can play up to 2-3 games each day too, so it gives you a better chance to snag some extra pocket change. Who doesn't love free money? They also give you a free dessert on your birthday of your choice. (They used to give out miniature cakes with your name written in icing, but apparently not many people would order them, so they stopped) To get these freebies, all you have to do is go up to the glass window near the concessions and they will check your ID and give you your free birthday bingo packs. The best thing is that each day they call out the names of each person whose birthday it is over the mic. Which gives you a little bingo hall celebrity shout out action :) its super cute!My tips for the Napoleon Room:1. Bring cash! They don't take cards for anything and although they have an ATM, it costs $2.50 to withdraw.2. They can call numbers pretty quickly here, if this is your first time seriously playing bingo, come ready to mark fast. This is no elementary school game and many of the players take it super seriously and don't have time to "help" those who are slower. Friendly people are hit and miss here. They come to PLAY. And win.3. They have an elevator you can take through the portion where other businesses are in case you, or someone you bring is disabled, older or isn't a fan of the long flight of steps they have on the opposite side to get in.

Went to Napoleon Room Cafe for lunch at noon on Wednesday. The door was open but nobody was working and there was nobody in the restaurant. I called out but nobody answered, after 5 minutes I left.

BINGO!This is a bingo hall with some pretty stellar food options. It is on the second floor of a rather unassuming building on West Napoleon in Metairie. I love the nostalgia of this place. I love how people across all demographics show up here in their bingo best to support a good cause and be seen. The people are colorful, and the games are fun.When we first started going, we had no idea what to do or people were talking about. In what order are the games played, what are those people walking around selling? What the heck is a bonanza? I felt like a deer in the headlights as soon as I hit the door. There was a lot going on. It is a giant room with black and white floors. There is a food counter at one end and two Bingo boards on either side of the room People milled about; some in high heels and flashy dresses and some in slippers and pajama pants. Who knew there were so many clever ways to advertise you are a bingo lover on a t-shirt? Who knew that bingo markers come in every color imaginable? I was nervous I would crash and burn, I would probably play the wrong card at the wrong time and look like a fool, but bingo in a room full of expert players was on my bucket list, and it is a fundraiser for Mardi Gras Krewes, so I soldiered on.My husband went to get the packets. I grabbed a seat and tried to blend in. I failed. The people around me had a nose for the uninitiated. They immediately started explaining what extra games I needed to buy and how to play them. My husband brought the packets I told him to hand me some cash and sent him to buy some food at the counter. I obediently bought the extras and the ladies showed me how to mark my cards and prepare in advance for the games. I was glad that I did because the night bingo moves at an efficient pace. I bought markers in three colors because I wanted to put colorful dots on every page. (It is the little things.)The food was delicious, I especially liked the club sandwich and cheesecake. We had a blast. I have been probably 10 times since then and I always have fun. Only one issue, there is smoking inside on one half of the room. You have to walk through the smoking section to get to the restrooms. This leaves you smelling like cigarettes so dress accordingly. I wouldn't take anything that you cant wash the smell of smoke out of. Bingo here is a unique time burner and while it probably wont change the world, someone will eventually win that progressive jackpot and when I do, I'm going to get a fancy shirt and buy a bingo marker in every color!

First time going last night. Won't go again. The women who walk around were super nice and helped us soo much, but the caller at one point was calling 3 balls in about 3 seconds. Then they explain nothing as you are playing correctly. I let management know how I felt, very nicely. I got one of those blow smoke up your butt responses, "While I understand your frustration...blah, blah, blah" Then the caller is literally fighting with patrons from the mic. One girl carrying around pull tabs gets in a fight with another girl walking around with some. If you don't play Bingo very often, do NOT go here.

The people who play bingo here are really intense, so it can be kind of intimidating if you are a beginner. There are also so many people playing the odds aren't great.They have an awesome birthday special though. Each krewe offers a free pack the day before, on, and after your birthday. They are worth $10 and they have 1-2 games per day. They also give you a free desert on your actual birthday, which is really tasty.All of their food looked pretty good, better than I was expecting from a bingo hall.

Great place to come play bingo any time! Great atmosphere and great people! Food is delicious and not over priced! Plus I won big there as well!

They the best Fried Catfish and Fried Shrimp Plates.Plus check out the Daily Specials