Photos by Chelsea Caldwell
The State Bar & Grub is bringing a new atmosphere and—soon—a mouth-watering dinner menu to LSU’s North Gates area.
Housed where the old Louie’s Café once stood, The State officially opened last week. What once was a diner is now unrecognizable: This bar is softly lit and intimate.
Owner Shane Courrege says his goal for the floor design was to create plenty of seating that would offer privacy without feeling completely secluded from the rest of the bar.
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Dark mahogany booths and bar stools sit atop black-and-white checkered floor tiles. A rustic mural by local artist Gabriel Saint fills the entire back wall of the bar. An adjacent wall—composed entirely of mirrors—faces the dance floor.
The State will barrel-age several spirits for two to four weeks, as well as offer a selection of cocktails and shrub drinks, Courrege says. The Boulevardier, a Negroni-like cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth and Campari, is currently in the barrels.
The bar hasn’t obtained permits to serve food yet, but the owners are toying with the idea of a gourmet grilled cheese menu, Courrege says. The “Bird Reynolds” is just one of the recipes he has up his sleeve—a combination of hickory smoked chicken, Colby jack and provolone cheese, spicy coleslaw and bacon on thick-cut, buttery sourdough topped with house-made barbecue sauce.
“Most of our sandwich ideas are just classics revamped for the best taste possible,” he says.
Though The State Bar & Grub won’t feature any live bands, Courrege says he and his partners might provide a DJ on LSU game days. Courrege, who also owns Duvic’s and and The Spanish Moon, says he’s glad to bring nightlife back to the LSU area—but students aren’t the only target audience.
“My first job in the [bar] business was in that area, and a lot of bars have closed or moved over the years,” he says. “I’m happy to be back.”
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After spending more than a year working on the concept, Courrege says the grand opening last week was a huge relief.
“It wasn’t without hiccups, but it’s been great,” he says. “The feedback has been great and I’m excited to see where the future takes us.”
The State Bar & Grub is at 209 W. State Street. Temporary hours are 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Saturday. Permanent hours of 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Friday and 6 p.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday will take effect when the bar starts serving lunch and dinner.