A Baton Rouge Po-Boy You Should All Get to Know
Where can you find a Po-Boy in Baton Rouge filled with Bar-B-Q that will make you come back for more? It Jay’s Bar-B-Q of course! And what makes this establishment even more unique is the story of its long standing roots. As part of the Diversity Supplier initiative, LSU Athletics is featuring businesses that we use to provide a culinary culture for our student-athletes. This is a way for LSU Athletics to introduce our Tiger fans to some Baton Rouge history and great local eats!
Jay’s Bar-B-Q has been a local, family-owned favorite in Baton Rouge for over 66 years. The joint first opened in 1954, when Jay Prothro started the business in an old hot dog stand on Government street. Floyd Leblanc, one of Prothro’s first employees, vowed to continue Prothro’s great tradition when he purchased the restaurant in 1981.
Milton Leblanc, Floyd’s son, began working for his dad at age 14. He balanced his job while attending Capitol High School, where he played basketball in his junior year. Milton was able to play with LSU great Tyrone Black at Capitol, but chose to forgo his athletic career in his senior year in order to help his dad at Jay’s Bar-B-Q.
After Floyd’s death in 1991, Milton purchased Jay’s Bar-B-Q from the family in the following year. Milton claims the sliced beef sandwich as his favorite item on the menu, but his most beloved aspect of owning Jay’s Bar-B-Q is the opportunity to continue his father’s legacy. Jay’s Bar-B-Q still uses the same homestyle recipes: barbecue that is slowly smoked, shaved to maintain flavor, and served on pressed, toasted, homemade buns. What started as a hot dog stand in the 1950s is still home to classic barbecue in the great city of Baton Rouge, and Jay’s Bar-B-Q is here to stay.
