Baton Rouge is notorious as a tough stay for the opposition. Most SEC teams dread the trip to Death Valley. However, it can be said that, if you can tough out the experience, the reward will be great. This holds true for one of Baton Rouge’s best restaurant, George’s.
Entering George’s, guests might feel a little out of their element. Unlike other restaurants, at George’s guests fill out their own ticket and, while doing so, have the workers of the restaurant yell at them. Guests should not worry, as the yelling is all in good fun and adds to the charm of the restaurant.
“It’s kind of fun and an entertaining little thing,” manager Mike Simpson said. “It usually catches people off guard the first time they come here, but after they see it they laugh, and they get used to it and see it’s just us having fun.”
If guests can survive some of the ribbing from the bartenders, they are in store for some of the best burgers and po’boys Baton Rouge has to offer.
“We won best po’boys, best burgers, best onion rings for basically five to ten years, depending when contests are going on,” Simpson said. “We are kind of known for our burgers and our po’boys. Basically nothing here is pre-made. We grind our own meat cut our own fries, make our own dressings. It’s all legit, good home-cooking.”
Taste of the Town recommends taking advantage of George’s seafood po’boys and, if available, the oyster po’boy.
“For me personally, it’s the oyster po’boy,” Simpson said. “It’s tough to get but when we have oysters it’s the best you’ll ever have.”
The ordering process is not the only thing guests will find different in George’s. The building is in the shape of a triangle, due to it being cut in half by the interstate, and upon entering guests will notice money stuck to the ceiling. The ceilings are one of many odd traditions that make George’s stand out among other bars and restaurants in Baton Rouge.
“It all just started one day, a guy from Florida came in and talked to the guy running the bar and asked if he could put money on the ceiling,” Simpson said. “We were like ‘sure if you want to man,’ and it just grew from there.”
George’s has been a timeless classic in Baton Rouge, and one of the things many guests appreciate is how the restaurant has kept its uniqueness over the years.
“I think what puts it above the rest is, it never changes,” said LSU alumna Cindy Taylor. “It is all just the Louisiana fare that you are accustomed to.”
Fans braving the trip to Death Valley should definitely check out George’s, one of the most traditional and unique restaurants in Baton Rouge.
“It is one of those places where you walk in and you have to check it out,” Simpson said. “You’ll know what we mean when we say it is unique.”
