The Alligator Bayou Bar is back. On Nov. 1, this long-thought-gone hangout had a grand reopening, where a crowd welcomed the old girl back with open arms, music and Cajun food. Though only open once a week, the bar has been a destination for locals for generations. The old building that houses it was moved from St. Gabriel in 1954 by owner Cornelius Williams, and served as a blues bar and hangout until the mid-70s. For the next 20 years, according to manager Jamie Brasset, “I don’t believe that it was known as much for music as it was for being ‘the Alligator Hilton.'” Still, in the past Alligator Bayou Bar has been host to the likes of Tout Les Soires, the Jambalaya Cajun Band, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Ernest Scott & the Funk Children, Lil’ Hub & the Wheels, as well as Willie Nelson and many other notable musicians. In 1993, Frank Bonifay and Jim Ragland purchased the land that the bar was on when they purchased the Alligator Bayou and Bluff Swamp area. The bar remained open up until 2006, when the popularity of the Alligator Bayou Tours exploded. Management found that they didn’t have the time to maintain the bar, and closed it. However, with the Bayou Tours on hold while Ascension Parish decides the fate of the bayou, Ragland and Bonifay decided to bring back the bar in the interim. Open 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Sunday nights, the bar features live music from the Blake Harlow Band, Debbie Landry and other local musicians. There is a $5 cover, and food is served. For band information and directions, call 677-8297 during the week, or, 673-4787 on Sundays.
Gator Bar gets going again
