The Joint and Poland Avenue Neighborhood Gathering
Why is it significant?
Arrive at the rustic corner of Poland Avenue and Royal Street, anchored by The Joint, a beloved Bywater culinary and social institution.
Key Facts
| Place | The Joint and Poland Avenue Neighborhood Gathering |
|---|---|
| Address | 701 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117, United States |
| Geo Coordinates | 29.96550, -90.03880 |
| Part of Walk | Faubourg Marigny and Bywater Bohemian Arts Corridor: The Creative Pulse of New Orleans |
| Generated | Generated |
Arrive at the rustic corner of Poland Avenue and Royal Street, anchored by The Joint, a beloved Bywater culinary and social institution. Established in 2004 by Pete and Jenny Breen, this unpretentious smokehouse moved to this historic corner in 2012, quickly becoming the communal clubhouse for Bywater artists, musicians, writers, and long-time neighborhood residents who gather beneath its outdoor patio trees.
Look toward the eastern end of Poland Avenue: just two blocks away flows the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, universally known as the Industrial Canal, a 5.5-mile waterway completed in 1923 to connect the Mississippi River directly with Lake Pontchartrain.
Poland Avenue marks the historic eastern boundary of Bywater, where residential streets meet the industrial maritime infrastructure of the port. The aroma of slow-burning Louisiana white oak and pecan wood curls from The Joint's outdoor smokers, perfuming the air with the rich, savory scent of barbecue ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. The building itself is a classic New Orleans corner commercial structure, with broad wooden service awnings, polished concrete floors, and a welcoming neighborhood bar serving cold local Abita beer and Southern iced tea. Local blues trios occasionally set up in the courtyard corner, providing an impromptu musical backdrop as patrons savor slow-smoked meats beneath the stars. During the devastating flooding of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, when the Industrial Canal floodwalls failed catastrophically just down the road, this resilient neighborhood faced immense tragedy; yet Bywater's tight-knit community returned rapidly, banding together to rebuild historic timber homes, reopen neighborhood kitchens, and support displaced neighbors.
Sitting on the wooden deck listening to the friendly laughter of neighbors sharing platters of ribs as freight horns echo from the canal, the authentic warmth of Bywater hospitality is palpable. It represents the resilient communal heart that keeps New Orleans thriving.
Walk west along Dauphine Street toward the bohemian artist studios and quiet garden cottages.