Houma bar named one of the best in US. Everything to know before you go

On the east side of Houma, at the base of the twin span bridge, sits a relatively unmarked building that made national news for the talented bands it brings to the city.

The Intracoastal Club was one of 27 bars named to the 2024 USA TODAY Bars of the Year list. The list was created by USA TODAY Network food writers across the country and includes everything from dives to classy joints. The Intracoastal Club's owner, Barry Bergeron, said the idea of being featured never crossed his mind.

"It's just unbelievable," said Bergeron. "It's something I'd have never thought of.... It's an honor."

The drinks ain't special, but the place is

The outside of the building, like much of the parish it resides in, is a worn and beaten structure that could be overlooked if it weren't for the mass of cars that park there after 8 p.m.

Stepping inside, patrons are transported to a trippy wonderland, like visiting Spongebob's Bikini Bottom during an acid trip. Jellyfish hang from the ceiling, leftover artwork from the Mardi Gras group named the Krewe of Tradition, which calls this bar home.

"We're not better than anyone else, but if you look at the interior of this place, you can see we are not like anyone else," Bergeron said. "And we don't want to be like anybody else. We are not in competition. We do our own damn thing."

The walls showcase local artwork next to portraits of famous musicians. No surface escapes the artistic patrons who've turned the place into a collaborative showcase. Even the central air conditioning unit couldn't avoid their touch, becoming "Cool Claudia."

Barry bought the bar on Nov. 16, 2016, changing it to the Intracoastal Club. He and his wife, Teena, both were musicians in their childhood and loved the nightclub scene. So when Barry was laid off from the oil field, he and Teena decided it was the time to pursue the dream of owning their own club.

The interior changed after Hurricane Ida tore through the town in 2021 and peeled the roof back. Barry was unsure if he could reopen. It was on the heels of the pandemic, and he was fearful of whether he could afford the more than $90,000 it would take to rebuild.

But The Intracoastal Club bounced back, and Barry attributes the club's success to his family, especially his son, Tony Bergeron, who sets up the gigs.

"Some of the things he pulls off, I wouldn't even begin to visualize where to start with the stuff," Barry Bergeron said, pointing to his son. "Without what he does, you wouldn't have the people coming in."

Bands from as far as Japan, like Otonana Trio, come to perform and drink with the locals. Other noteworthy bands to perform are Grammy Award-winner Louis Michot, Julian Primeaux, Jeff Pinkus, Dvne Hppy, Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Mattress, Paisley Fields, Faith Kelly and more.

While music is the centerpiece, the bar hosts plenty more. The 3,000-square-foot space has art nights, drag shows, performance artists, karaoke nights, video game tournaments and bar games, including pool tables and dart boards. This "Home for Misfit toys," as Gambit magazine dubbed it, was designated a "safe space" by the Human Rights Campaign.

Details: 8448 Main St. Houma, La.; 985-746-5028, www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100036361608282

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Houma club named a best bar in the US. Here's a look