If you are in Baton Rouge on businesses or here for pleasure, I implore you to eat as much and as well as you can. If you waste your time by going to chain restaurants, it would be a shame. I am here to help you find the best places around Baton Rouge to eat.
You are in Louisiana, so Seafood is number one. Even if you aren't crazy about seafood, you should give it another shot, because no one cooks it like we do down here. I have compiled a list and short synopses of great seafood restaurants of in Baton Rouge below.
Louisiana Lagniappe is one of the best restaurants in our city. It is very pricey, but the outstanding service and food is worth it. This is a great place to have a business dinner and experience a Louisiana style atmosphere. If you want to get a table, get there early or late. Lagniappe does not take reservations. You will want to arrive at 5 sharp or around 8. It is packed any time between the two. The bar is fully stocked and can put out any cocktail that you desire. The wine list is elaborate and excellent as well. All of the menu items are great, but there are a few that cannot be passed up. The crab cakes are a MUST HAVE. They come in servings of two to an order and have a remoulade sauce on the side. A few entrees that you can't go wrong with are the Pontchartrain and the Louisianne. The Pontchartrain is a sauteed filet of fish, topped with a fried soft shell crap, and topped with Hollandaise sauce and honey roasted pecans. This dish is for the more adventurous eater. Not many people eat soft shell crab, but this dish is worth taking a chance on. The Louisianne is a filet of fish sauteed in lemon butter and topped with jumbo lump crab meat. A few other local favorites are the Barbecue Shrimp, the A La Roland, and the Char- Grilled Tuna. Louisiana Lagniappe also has daily specials that are always a surprising treat. Lagniappe is only open for dinner starting at 5:30 Mon-Thurs and at 5:00 Fri-Sat. Lagniappe is closed on Sundays.
If you need to drop the price down a little I recommend Mike Andersons. Mike Andersons is a well-known restaurant that has been in Baton Rouge for over 30 years. It is a favorite of many Baton Rouge patrons. Mike Andersons has grilled seafood items, but the big hit is the fried seafood platters. These platters have very large portion sizes and could easily be split with another person. There is a vast list of appetizers and a heavy focus on all kinds of grilled oysters. These are excellent and I recommend them. The bar is large and can supply you with many kinds of beer and any cocktail that you could ever want. The wine list is fairly diverse, but not as pricey as Lagniappe's. Mike Andersons has good quality food and service. It also has a private room for parties and business dinners. Mike Andersons serves both lunch and dinner. Mon- Thurs Mike's is opened from 11:00 am- 2:00 PM and then reopens from 5:00PM-9:00 PM. Fri- Sat they are open from 11:00 AM- 10:PM. On Sundays they open at 11:00 AM and close at 9:00 PM. Mike Anderson's takes reservations.
You wanna get casual? We can do that. There is Sammy's Grill on Highland Road, Georges on Perkins under the overpass (and a few other locations as well), and Brew-Bacher's on Bluebonnet (also has other locations in the area).
Sammy's Grill has grown exponentially in popularity over the last five years. If it is crawfish season, people will wait hours just to get a platter of their spicy mudbugs. Sammy's has a solid seafood selection as well as many other home-style options. This is a great place for out-of-towners to come if some people in their group want seafood and others want comfort food. I do not usually go to restaurants and order a salad as my meal, but Sammy's is the exception. The Tiger salad with the house dressing is one of the best salads I have ever eaten. The house dressing works well on any of their salads and should not be missed. On the other side of the health spectrum are the poboys. Sammy's does a great job with these. The fried seafood poboys are the best. Fried crawfish, shrimp, or oysters are wrapped in a a fresh French bread loaf, dressed with mayonaise, lettuce and tomatoes and it is just right. All of Sammy's fried seafood is fried to golden perfection and served in large portions with a side of fries and a slice of bread. You want italian? They have it. Sammy's has an excellent spaghetti and meat sauce This restaurant is for all kinds of eaters: healthy, risk taking, conservative, and even more. Anybody that goes to Sammy's will leave happy.
Let's get greasy. Georges under the overpass is a true hole in the wall. If you want to experience local people and dishes, don't pass this up. As soon as you walk in you will notice dollar bills all over the ceiling. I am not sure how this tradition was started, but it creates an atmosphere that only George's has. If you go there more than once in your time in Baton Rouge, you will probably see all the same people at the bar. The locals love it and it is their place. Avoid being obnoxious and they won't mind you at all. Georges has excellent burgers, poboys and sandwiches. Their cheeseburger is a classic American style burger on a sesame bun. The fries are fresh cut and have a great old-fashioned taste. They are great in ketchup or ranch sauce. Georges also has a killer chicken club sandwich.
Brew-Bacher's is not my favorite place in town, but they have a lot to offer and many locals like it. Brew- Bacher's is not a grease pit or a place where Louisiana atmosphere is thick. You order your food at the counter and cal your name when it is ready. Brew- Bacher's has a good classic burger as well as a burger smothered in mushrooms, gravy, and Swiss cheese. If you are going to get anything though, it should be the cheese fries. These delicious guilty pleasures are perfect dipped in a side of cold ranch. My major hold up with this place is the atmosphere. The atmosphere is not bad, it is just plain. The food is decently consistent and tasty, but it is not an overall cultural experience. If you want to go somewhere and have some Louisiana food without the experience this is the place for you.
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