Are you planning a trip or vacation to Baton Rouge? Or have you been hired for a new job and need to relocate here? Whatever your reason for coming, you probably want to know what there is to do on a Saturday night in Baton Rouge. Where are the best places to go out in Baton Rouge? What is the nightlife like?
We know this is an important question, and that’s why we’ve put together a list of our favorite bars and restaurants in Baton Rouge, so you never have to fret about finding things to do in Baton Rouge this weekend.
We’ve also added our two cents about all these great places, from the bars in Baton Rouge with live music to the restaurants with the best food. We hope you enjoy exploring the exciting city of Baton Rouge.
The Gregory is one of the latest additions to the Baton Rouge restaurant and nightlife scene. It’s the perfect spot to hit for a romantic evening date or girls’ night out, and it’s open for an upscale brunch or a midday meal as well.
At The Gregory, we specialize in classic Southern dishes to help you experience the authentic flavors of the true Deep South experience. We use fresh, local produce and cook in real Southern styles, enhanced by our traditional wood-stone oven, Spanish Josper oven and cast-iron grill.
The Gregory is located in The Watermark hotel in a historic downtown Baton Rouge neighborhood, not far from the Mississippi River and the State Capitol building. The restaurant combines the best of a full-kitchen feel and a traditional bar setting. The walls are covered in vintage mural paintings, making this a truly unique and can’t-miss dining experience the next time you’re in Baton Rouge.
Olive or Twist is an elegant cocktail bar that’s perfect for singles who are looking to socialize or even for couples who want a slightly more relaxed and less frenetic environment. The bar features an upscale environment where couples can spend a more intimate evening chatting and getting to know one another over high-quality cocktails and light snacks.
The bar maintains a code of conduct, to ensure everyone at the venue has the same experience in a calm and sophisticated environment. If that is your speed, Olive or Twist is a great spot for you to check out.
If you prefer more of a trendy, hipster environment, the Radio Bar might be just what you’re looking for. There’s a full bar there, as well as a patio where you can play Ping-Pong or throw darts with friends. Certainly this is a place you could come with a date, although it’s also a great place to bring a group of friends for a fun evening out together.
A fun feature offered at this bar is an app you can download onto your smartphone to vote and suggest music you’d like to play.
For those of us looking for a taste of England right in Baton Rouge, look no further than The Smiling Dog. It has the warm atmosphere of a cozy British pub and serves more than 100 different beers, so you can be sure to find exactly what you love. They’re also noted for their delicious burgers.
The Smiling Dog does a fabulous job of combining old-world charm with the best of Southern hospitality. This is a great place to come on a date or with a friend or two — or bring your dog out on the patio! You can sit and eat, drink and chat or grab a quick game of billiards while you’re here.
At The Bulldog, it’s all about the atmosphere. This bar offers great outdoor seating options that let patrons feel like they’re a part of the city nightlife, although there’s also cozy interior seating too.
The Bulldog offers a great selection of beers, but their food is also show-stopping, with a large menu of salads, appetizers, chicken, burgers and sandwiches.
People of all ages enjoy the food, drinks and atmosphere at The Bulldog, although it definitely tends to draw a younger crowd as the night wears on and the hour grows late.
Located in Mid City South, City Pork Brasserie and Bar offers an authentic Cajun/Creole dining experience that’s an essential part of any trip to Baton Rouge. Although this might be a little bit more of an expensive outing, the delicious food and fabulous service make it a great option for a special friend’s night out or a date night.
The brasserie is a full restaurant as well as a bar, offering an impressive variety of traditional Louisiana dishes cooked in a true Southern style. The bar is also well-stocked, and there’s sure to be a drink to suit everyone’s tastes. And in case you have a special event where you need the City Pork touch, the restaurant even caters.
Beausoleil is another Cajun/Creole restaurant in Mid City South that offers up the best in authentic Louisiana cuisine. Customers rave about every item on the menu, with many claiming no matter what you order, you can’t go wrong.
The atmosphere is a casual setting with a full restaurant and bar combination. The restaurant prides itself on serving local ingredients and presenting a true Southern experience.
If seafood is more your style, be sure to include a stop at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar on your Baton Rouge trip. This bar is one of the best places in the city for oysters. The menu almost exclusively features oysters, some served raw and others cooked. For the true oyster aficionado, the restaurant serves oysters in every imaginable way, and with every kind of topping.
You can get drinks here as well, ordering from a menu of assorted cocktails and beers. There’s also live music on the weekends to enjoy as you sit and relax with friends over a tasty oyster dish.
Is St. Patrick’s Day your favorite holiday? Do you wish it could last all year long? If so, you’ll love the atmosphere at Happy’s Irish Pub. Located on Third Street, this Irish pub hosts St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on the 17th of every month. With a wide range of beers on tap and a fun atmosphere, this pub has something that will appeal to everyone.
Bistro Byronz is the definition of a casual, yet classy, neighborhood bistro — fun for adults and yet friendly enough for the whole family. It’s a great place to share a good meal, a drink and a good conversation. This welcoming atmosphere prides itself on being a Southern twist on a Parisian café, bringing all the sophistication of an NYC bistro while still incorporating the unmistakable flavors and style of the South.
Bistro Byronz also offers delivery and catering options so you can enjoy their delicious food at home or at your own event. And with four different locations, you’ll never find yourself too far away from one of these stylish, yet unpretentious, bistro restaurants.
One of the true unsung treasures of Baton Rouge, the Kalurah Street Grill is hidden away under the Perkins Road overpass. Don’t let its unassuming location fool you, however. This fabulous restaurant serves up a dining experience that is all about the delicious details. Their menu combines a unique blend of international and regional taste and flavors, mixing food elements from France, Spain, French Creole and more to create a one-of-a-kind eating experience.
The restaurant is set in a historic building and offers a casual dining experience that is welcoming to anyone. Whether you’re a Baton Rouge native or just visiting for a weekend, this is one spot you won’t want to miss.
Do you live in Baton Rouge, but just can’t teach yourself to enjoy Southern-style cooking, no matter how hard you try? If so, maybe sushi is more your style. Tsunami has a location in Baton Rouge as well as locations in Lafayette and New Orleans, and they’ve been making and serving delicious sushi for years. The menu is focused primarily on traditional sushi dishes such as sushi rolls, nigiri and sashimi, but they also have an assortment of other seafood dishes.
If you enjoy cooking classes and fun new experiences, you might also enjoy the sushi classes Tsunami offers regularly. Grab a few friends or family members and learn how to make sushi together.
For a truly unique night out, you absolutely can’t miss out on the party that happens at Rock-n-Sake. They have four locations, including one in Baton Rouge and others across Louisiana, and combine a unique blend of sushi bar and entertaining musical scene. Their menu is primarily focused on sushi, although they also have an assortment of other soups, salads, sides and sweets. And if the delicious food wasn’t enough, they also host a variety of fun events, such as ‘80s music nights with drink specials.
As much fun as it is to enjoy this unique bar and restaurant on any night of the week, it’s also fun to book a private party or to have Rock-n-Sake cater their yummy sushi rolls to your offsite event. They offer sushi classes as well, so you can gather a group of your friends and learn how to make this dish for yourself — either at one of their locations or somewhere offsite.
Dead Poet Nightclub provides an amazing luxury nightclub experience. Offering bottle service and private event space, it’s also one of the most intriguing music scenes in Baton Rouge, with live entertainment and the murals of dead musical poets lining the walls. Few nightclubs can offer the personality and style of Dead Poet Nightclub.
Looking for a nightlife scene that blends a bit of competition and athleticism? Baton Rouge’s Topgolf is just the place for you, with climate-controlled bays and complimentary clubs. Aim for various targets, score points and compete against your friends with a swing of the club at Topgolf. There’s also a sports bar and restaurant for those wanting a bite to eat.
Elegance, nostalgia and craft cocktails — that’s Hayride Scandal. With unique rooms styled after the Prohibition era and Victorian drawing rooms, Hayride Scandal is one of the most unique nightlife destinations in Baton Rouge. Grab a drink and travel back in time at this fashionable getaway.
As you can see, there’s no end to the exciting things to do in Baton Rouge at night. There are so many more bars and restaurants than are listed here, although this is certainly a good starting place. Try out these places, or do your own research and find new favorite spots that are slightly off the beaten track.
As you plan your business trip, vacation, romantic weekend getaway or even your move to Baton Rouge, we hope you’ll feel welcome at The Gregory. Located in the heart of downtown, we’re easy to find and convenient to get to. If you’re looking for an authentic Deep South dining experience, there’s no better place to go.
Make a reservation with us online today, or give us a call to do the same thing at 225-408-1800.
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