Commerce Building Roof Top Restaurant

I strongly believe BR needs more restaurants that take advantage of the river, whether by a rooftop or otherwise. It's so hard to do I realize because of many factors.

quote:

---

I agree baton rouge needs more things like this...especially local bars and restaurants... it also needs to block off third street and let people walk around with go cups on the weekends

---

They've talked about a Third Street entertainment district. The problem is the "Won't someone please think of the children?" crowd, who think that will turn Third Street into Bourbon Street, and people who operate bars in other parts of the city who think it will give downtown an advantage. They want an entertainment district for the Perkins Road Overpass area, for Tigerland, the North Gates, etc.

Curious to see who will run it, the set-up looks like it has potential.

Was in downtown BR the other night...and it was a ghost town. Hopefully a big name will draw people down there.

quote:

---

The problem is downtown BR is a pain in the arse to get to and no one actually lives down there.

---

Ehh, it's pretty easy to get to downtown. I-10, I-110, Government Street, Highland - they all take you downtown. And you've had all those nice apartments get built in the last year or so, so that helps.
Now, parking can be kind of a pain, if you don't know downtown.

quote:

---

no one actually lives down there.

---

You obviously haven't been there in years.

Downtown is slowly getting there. I think getting the Marriott flagged hotels will help supplement the existing apartments and get the weekday crowd kick started a bit more.

Geography and short sighted businesses are causing the current stall I think. Geography because of the 1-2 mile low disposable income circle that surrounds downtown to the East and South (15 miles to the north). Should be aided by further development of mid-city and the Nicholson corridor.

Businesses because the bar and restaurants downtown appear to not be interested in BEATING their competition in town and becoming a destination in their own right, they're all holding on waiting to be some mediocre cash cow pulling money from a flock of tourists that aren't coming.

To start: The beer heavy bars (Draft House/Happy's) don't serve food. This is in contrast to Bulldog/Londoner, and now Draft House has chosen to run 50% stocked since Spanish Town, and it's now July.

Blend and River Room can't beat any of the following outright: Lock and Key, Bin 77, Olive or Twist, Bacchus.

Huey's doesn't know what it wants to be. City Bar, 1913, and B&T's are clubs that will only pull money on weekends to begin with.

quote:

---

Downtown is slowly getting there. I think getting the Marriott flagged hotels will help supplement the existing apartments and get the weekday crowd kick started a bit more.

Geography and short sighted businesses are causing the current stall I think. Geography because of the 1-2 mile low disposable income circle that surrounds downtown to the East and South (15 miles to the north). Should be aided by further development of mid-city and the Nicholson corridor.

Businesses because the bar and restaurants downtown appear to not be interested in BEATING their competition in town and becoming a destination in their own right, they're all holding on waiting to be some mediocre cash cow pulling money from a flock of tourists that aren't coming.

To start: The beer heavy bars (Draft House/Happy's) don't serve food. This is in contrast to Bulldog/Londoner, and now Draft House has chosen to run 50% stocked since Spanish Town, and it's now July.

Blend and River Room can't beat any of the following outright: Lock and Key, Bin 77, Olive or Twist, Bacchus.

Huey's doesn't know what it wants to be. City Bar, 1913, and B&T's are clubs that will only pull money on weekends to begin with.

---

I lived in Spanish Town for the past 10 years. You're spot on.
I have no idea why Draft House didn't put in a little flattop grill and sell burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs. To me, that's a no brainer if you're going to have a beer/sports type bar. You need a happy hour place to get the folks who work downtown to stick around. Red Star used to fill that niche, too bad they closed.
I'm not a huge Walk-On's fan by any means, but it was a sad day when they announced they weren't opening up a downtown location. That would have made bank.
Blend is probably the best place downtown. They have a decent wine selection and good meat/cheese plates.
I'm hoping that Driftwood Cask and Barrel is a good addition. I get the feeling they want it to be like the Overpass Merchant.

quote:

---

You need a happy hour place to get the folks who work downtown to stick around.

---

Work downtown. Will confirm.

On the subject of the river, it's a shame that so much of the property that is adjacent (relatively speaking) to the river seems utterly oblivious to this fact. Businesses seem to almost intentionally turn their back on the river. There are parking garages and lots with some of the best views and locations in the city.

How does that Restaurant IPO do these days? Don't hear much and I haven't been in at least a year or so.

I haven't been to IPO in ages. Never was that impressed with the food. Is that bar above IPO still open? That has a pretty decent view of the river, but it seems to be missing something