The Chimes Restaurant & Bar — Louisiana / Pub, Baton Rouge
The Chimes has been the LSU University Lakes area's anchor restaurant since 1983. A pub with genuine Louisiana food credentials (100+ beers, excellent crawfish, and the full Cajun seafood menu) that has served the university community and the surrounding neighborhood through forty years of Tiger victories and occasional losses.
The crawfish boil. Live Louisiana crawfish in the spiced boiling pot, served by the pound on newspaper with corn and potatoes. Is the Chimes' signature and the experience that makes the restaurant a must for visitors encountering the Louisiana tradition for the first time.
The beer selection. Over 100 draft and bottled options, with genuine Louisiana craft beer representation alongside the international selections. Is the most serious in Baton Rouge and the reason the pub designation is earned rather than claimed.
The University Lakes location means the Chimes captures the full cross-section of Baton Rouge. LSU students, faculty, and the surrounding residential community all share the same crawfish tables, which is the specific democratic pleasure that the Louisiana boil tradition provides.
Best Occasion: Great for Group Birthdays
Crawfish by the pound for the group, 100 beers to choose from, and the LSU atmosphere. The birthday dinner that Tiger Nation provides.
Best Occasion: Works for Team Dinners
The crawfish boil as team-building. The communal newspaper table, the shared spiced pot, and the Louisiana tradition that breaks down hierarchies as effectively as any organized activity.