Sitting in Poor Boy Lloyd’s, watching boats passing down the Mississippi River while being taken care of by a family staff, some may wonder why more University students are not sharing the same experience.
Many downtown restaurants are taking steps to attract more LSU students to their unique establishments.
All part of the Downtown Development District’s merchant listing, those taking steps include Pastime Lounge, Poor Boy Lloyd’s, Mortorano’s Italian Deli, Avoyelles Cafe and Avoyelles on the River.
Pastime Lounge, located on Nicholson Drive, used to be the only restaurant to serve alcohol to LSU students, said eight-year owner Randy Wesley.
Opened in the 1930s as a grocery store and then in the early 1940s as a restaurant, Pastime is the oldest restaurant-type establishment in Baton Rouge, Wesley said.
Many LSU students in the ’30s and ’40s worked at Pastime and spent leisure time there, he said. Then the next generation of students entered the work force and so on; the restaurant now is working on the fourth generation of LSU student patrons.
Reasonable prices naturally attract college students, and Pastime offers a 10 percent discount for LSU students with a student ID, Wesley said.
Although the discounts ran out years ago, seated at the bar are four middle-aged LSU graduates enjoying a Friday afternoon with friends.
      Bartender Dana Griffith said she has worked four days a week since 1989 at Pastime, and many patrons have monthly tabs because they are such regulars.
Tim Workman, a 49-year-old LSU graduate, said he came to Louisiana in 1973 and has been coming to Pastime ever since.
Wesley said it was once said, “You don’t graduate LSU until you graduate from Pastime.”
For Wesley, Pastime is a family tradition, having been in his family since 1964.
Past Nicholson Drive, down to Florida Boulevard, sits Poor Boy Lloyd’s, the oldest restaurant in Baton Rouge, never to be renamed or known for anything else since 1969 — said 14-year owner Fred Taylor.
Like Pastime, Poor Boy Lloyd’s has reasonably priced food but offers unique specials every day.
Taylor said many LSU football players are frequent patrons at his restaurant.
Traditions are an important aspect of life at Lloyd’s. The restaurant has old-time frozen mugs, Barq’s Root Beer in a bottle and a worn away check-out counter from after-dinner mints being slapped down for each customer after paying.
Down the street and around the corner to Third Street sits Mortorano’s Italian Deli, which only has been open for one year, but the owners do not lack knowledge of what family tradition means.
Co-owners Barbara Mortorano and husband Tom Means, natives of New Jersey, both said they are looking to hire LSU students at their relatively new restaurant.
Mortorano dances with patrons and takes pictures of guests to put on a menu for them to take home.
Mortorano’s has a wide variety of reasonably priced food and service that cannot be found at any chain or fast food restaurant.
“We addict people to our food,” Mortorano said.
Down the block on Third Street sits a more pricey but more modern college-atmosphere type of restaurant — Avoyelles on the River upstairs and Avoyelles Cafe downstairs.
Bartender Danyelle Dupre, a public relations and marketing senior, said they see a large crowd of LSU Law School students upstairs, enticed by the laid-back atmosphere, no cover charge and live music Friday and Saturday nights.
While the upstairs is more pricey than the other three, Avoyelles Cafe downstairs has poboys, specials and hot line lunches, Dupre said.
Whether it is Pastime under the Interstate, Lloyd’s overlooking the river, Mortorano’s dancing or Avoyelles relaxing up or downstairs, downtown offers unique LSU-driven alternatives to the usual restaurants seen on and around campus.