NOLA Culture Top Stories

Kermit Ruffin’s Mother-in-Law Lounge Latest to Close for Violating City Guidelines

After ignoring calls and warnings per the city, Kermit Ruffin’s Treme Mother-in-Law Lounge has been forced to shut down for violating the city’s COVID guidelines and regulations. From a spokesperson at City Hall, as reported by WWLTV, Kermit Ruffin’s bar has been operating solely as a bar and selling alcohol without proper licensing.

They also accredited some of the happenings underneath the N. Claiborne Bridge to Mother-in-Law Lounge, saying it caused “major problems.”


Mother-in-Law lounge was originally opened in 1994 by Ernie K-Doe, and has since been a staple and historical icon for the community. After Katrina, the lounge was hit with five and a half feet of water. The lounge reopened in late 2006, and transferred ownership a handful of times. In 2011, Kermit Ruffins agreed to lease the site, reopening on January 20, 2014.

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