Buck's Tavern/Ruby's Roadhouse

Buck's Place/Ruby's

Buck’s Tavern was built in 1917 by and for African Americans on the north shore. Buck’s attracted the same jazz greats as other social halls in the community such as the Dew Drop. The late jazz clarinetist George Lewis purchased the club in the late 1930’s according to a local relative, Virgil Lewis, in a Times-Picayune article dated November 10, 1996. The building remained in the Lewis family until 1969. At some point the tavern was referred to as Mabel’s Brown Derby.

In more recent history, the building was purchased in 1981 by Edward Deano Jr. and Patrick Clayton and renamed Ruby’s Rendezvous. They later leased the building and the name was changed again to Ruby’s Roadhouse. Today the music continues with a diverse genre of live music entertainers.