Le Bayou Restaurant & Oyster Bar

A very atmospheric spot right on Bourbon Street. The restaurant is located in a beautiful historic building that captures the true spirit of the French Quarter, complete with lively barkers outside. It’s a wonderful place to take a breather and grab a bite while exploring downtown. Despite being in a touristy area, the food is high quality and the prices are very fair for the location. The Louisiana cuisine is solid, and the cocktails are well-made. I especially loved the shrimp (served every which way!) and their signature baked oysters.

I like this the best on Bourbon street. Had the Cajun platter and it was good. The interior is great. Main floor is clean and the bar looks great. Bright and clean. We sat on the second floor balcony and it was perfect. Lights were dimmed so we could see Bourbon street below perfectly. Hurricane was 👍

We tried this spot after walking... what felt like forever...down bourbon street for dinner and dude was on the mic saying come on in as I was looking at the menu on the outside. He said it would be good so we decided to try them out. I was all over the place with what I wanted so the waitress said the shrimp and grits with fried green tomatoes were good and tonight was a good night to try them...so I did... husband had the bourbon street oysters. Needless to say, the shrimp and grits were really good and the tomato was a spin on the dish that was welcomed. Husband said the oysters were good but the bread that came with them, was cold so he didn't eat it. They had TV's on every wall and the noise from the games playing and music playing... apparently the Saints had a game and Bourbon Street was the place to be! Nevertheless, it was a complete vibe that we enjoyed. Our waitress was a pretty cool girl who told us to try a few different spots while in the area so I'm glad for the friendly service. I would try them again and some other items on the menu in the future so y'all give them a try and tell us what you think!

Fantastic service and even better food! Our server was Keiana and she not only had good suggestions on food and drinks, but made great conversation that enhanced our visit from great to phenomenal! Food was delicious and served in a timely fashion. Restaurant had an overall cozy feel with great drinks to go with the great food. 10/10 would absolutely stop by again! :)

Don’t sleep on this place! Food is legit and very good. We had the boudin balls and shrimp and grits. The shrimp and grits come with a fried green tomato’s and are amazing! Really nice bar tender and clean atmosphere

Mewh...only thing I would recommend is the Hurricane. Seems to be top 3 of offerings I've had over the years. I had the Crawfish Cakes off the starters menu...that's where I had to stop. Ths stuffing did not seem like what I would pair with Crawfish. If the apps are mediocre, why move on to a main course that's the same or worse. As stated first, the drinks were well maid. Balcony and indoor seating upststairs if you were having a party seems to be nice and accommodating. Hopefully the catered food is better than what we had.

Holy Moly 🤯 Best Shrimp and grits that we have had so far. The gumbo was crazy good. Our waitress was absolutely adorable. We can not wait to come back

Food was delicious. Was a bit quieter inside than alot of the other places on bourbon st. Waitress was an expert on asking if you’d like an upgrade.

The oysters were amazing, the service was better. I sat at the bar, was served by issi. He was on point, communicated, made sure everything I ordered was delivered. He made the experience worth while. If there was a 6 star option, I would choose it.

Modern looking spot in the heart of French Quarter. We came in after a self-guided stroll in the area and it looked quite inviting with their open doors and clean, modern decor - a contrast to the usual architecture you'd see in French Quarter. We were quickly seated and ordered the gumbo and a dozen oysters, paired with a hurricane daiquiri. The drink was wonderful albeit a little on the light side and the gumbo was phenomenal. The oysters were a little disappointing as there are definitely better oyster spots around the corner. The ambiance is very modern so if you're looking to sneak a quick break from the usual hectic, this is the place to be. tldr; friendly service, excellent gumbo, delicious drinks, not-very-good oysters

Stumbled across this place while walking on Bourbon St. this place is located in the heart of the French Quarters. I had a random craving for some oysters. This place did not disappoint. We sat at the bar and ordered half a dozen raw oysters with all the fixings. Shout out to Izzy who recommended the oyster toppings and for shucking them! The oysters came with horseradish, cocktail sauce, lemons, creole seasoning and different types of hot sauce. The oysters were different sizes but very fresh. Since the oyster bar is on Bourbon St. the atmosphere is pretty loud (I was still able to talk to friends and hear them ok). The service was great and everyone was very friendly and welcoming. I plan on going back before the end of my trip!

Oyster was to die for, great bbq shrimp (didn't know it came with cheese on it) my husband ate it and chicken gumbo.

WARNING - if you are looking for a place where you can eat and talk with your friends - this is not the place! Extremely loud inside, not because of the customers, but because the staff were trying to bring people in from the street and were using a microphone/speaker system. Came here in the day with some friends and there was 0 talking due to the volume of the staff over the microphone. Our server was very friendly The wait time to get our food was about 25 minutes - granted there were 3 other tables that were ahead of us. Overall food was not bad BUT the price is what you would expect on Bourbon Street. I got the Taste of the Bayou all very good and filling, but pricey for the portion. The bread that was provided for my dish and my friends tasted like 2 day old bread - hard and stale. Bathroom - its a bar/restaurant I understand that, but lord were the bathroom floors very sticky (shoes were making the sticky noise)

Came here the other night for a dinner with work friends. We had to find a server to be seated, then had to wait a few minutes while several tables were cleaned. When we ordered, our drinks were incorrect and food orders too. I would say the biggest draw is the balcony seating to people watch on Bourbon Street.

The gumbo was absolutely delicious, but the presentation and portions are truly disappointing. We also ordered a pasta that was ok, but all of our food came out like warm. Not to mention how extremely long our server took to take our order. Our food came out before our drinks. Truly sad. It was loud enough but not do over powering where were couldn't hear each other talk.

Food was reasonable. Service was friendly. Ambiance on balcony was good. Fun to watch Boubon Street crowd walking by below.

It wasn't very late when we went to this place and was surprised how empty it was. Probably because people were already partying but we just wanted to eat. I tried the chargrilled oysters for the first time ever and it was amazing!!! We got a free dessert for checking into Yelp too which I always love! I'm giving it 4 stars because our rice in our gumbo was not cooked. Can you imagine eating uncooked rice when you're starving?! It sucked but overall the rest of the food was good and our waitress was a sweet young lady.

It was very loud sitting inside. While they played the Lakers game on the TVs, there were drummers outside which made it hard to hear. But that's Bourbon street for ya! We all got the hurricane. Such a pretty drink! Also refreshing! We also shared raw oysters and the broiled. The raw one was better. Not bad! A few of us got the sampler as our meal. We all got a mix of the things: red beans and rice, jambalaya, etouffe, gumbo. You can pick 3 or 4. I did all of them except the beans and rice. I enjoyed the gumbo but wasn't a fan of the rest. My table mates liked the red beans and rice. Should've gotten that! Service was good. They were really attentive. We didn't wait long to get our drinks or food. It didn't get busy, but there are so many restaurants to choose from here. And I'm guessing these restaurants are open late anyway. Not a bad spot to stop for drinks before walking around!

Great service. Great food. Wonderful place to go in the French quarter the oysters were yummy

Great late night spot. After a night of drinking, I stopped by here to sober up. I tried the Charbroiled Oyesters, and my BF had the Gumbo. The service was a bit slow, but that's alright. We were people watching while we waited to have our server come by. Overall, I loved the dishes we had and would return.

Since I had this meal 2 days ago, I haven't stopped reminiscing on the sweet sweet flavors that tantalized my tastebuds at this fine establishment. We had some first time oyster tasters with us. They had a great experience trying the different charbroiled oysters & raw oysters as they have a good variety of ways you can order. I couldn't pick a favorite, they're all so good!! We were also super impressed with how quickly they sat & served us considering how busy bourbon street can be during Mardi Gras. We ordered the following.. * Alligator bites - 10/10 tastes like super tender chicken nuggies * Cajun oysters - lemon, cajun deliciousness * Bourbon St oysters - bacony, creamy cheesy deliciousness with a hint of spinach * Raw oysters - fresh & juicy * Jambalaya pasta - so hearty & flavorful, hits all the spots * Ya Ya Shrimp - omg this sauce!! who knew combining pesto with Cajun was so heavenly This was the best meal I've had in New Orleans to date. Give them a try!!

Nice decore and clean establishment. On bourbon street so still have access to all the entertainment of people watching while dining. Tasty meals but they were a tad on the slow side when it came to actually receiving our food but overall good experience would eat there again. Waitress was very polite and helpful.

I stopped in while on Bourbon Street for lunch at the bar. I ordered a glass of wine and oysters on the half shell. Delicious!! These were some of the best oysters I had during my visit to NOLA and the service was great at the bar. The restaurant is very clean and has a huge bar area. Stop in for drinks and oysters for a truly authentic experience.

Stopped in here for a quick drink on a hot day while exploring the area. Kryschian (the bartender) was very nice and helpful. He pointed out some of the local favorites and didn't mind us basking in the air conditioning for a length of time for us to figure out a game plan for the day. The bar was spacious had a lot of southern charm. Would highly recommend giving this place a try when you're in the area! Enjoy!

We stopped here for some food before we started our Mardi Gras festivities in the French Quarter. The hostess kindly greeted us and promptly seated us at a table we preferred near the window. The restaurant had plenty of seating. A/C was full blast but the open windows made it not too freezing cold. Our waitress was right behind her and took our drink menus and gave quick rundown of some of their fav dishes. I opted to only have water so I can't speak on their drinks, but the food melted in our mouths. Great restaurant in the Quarters and we'll be back!

Our bar tender Daphne was awesome. Great stop on our pub crawl with our first (won't be last) charbroiled oysters. WOW! Worth the stop, great people watching.

Yesterday our group had the opportunity to dine at Le Bayou. We all had different menu items and all of them were excellent. In particular the Hot Roast Beef Po Boy. The beef was out of this world. Service was excellent. Definitely recommend a try here.

Stopped in last night to catch a football game. Sat at the bar with our bartender, Isadore, cracking jokes and serving his own unnamed drink. The drink was excellent and the food recommendations were on point! Hoping we can make it one more time before we leave town! Great service, highly recommend!

Love that this place is open late night (until 2am) and it's located right on Bourbon. We opted to sit in the window and it was definitely an experience. Almost like the street activities were at our table. To start we had 1/2 dozen oysters on the half shell and the Oysters Bourbon St. as well as the BBQ shrimp. All three were tasty, especially the Oysters Bourbon St. I opted for the Bourbon Julep to drink and the Cajun stuffed fish for my entree. The food was really good, and definitely a way better option than what else is open at that hour. My only critique is that service is pretty slow. There was only one other party in the restaurant with us and the wait time was kinda long.

Went here for a late dinner. With the doors open, it can definitely get loud from the street performers. Drummers were right out front and made for a very loud dinner inside the restaurant. The food was decent. The raw oysters were plump and fresh served on ice. The grilled oysters were not too bad, but they needed another minute or two on the heat. Chicken and andouille gumbo was tasty. Good texture, roux was dark and rich, and the rice was fluffy and soft to complement the dish. The Bourbon glazed chicken was good, and the shrimp po boy was average. Everything was good, but nothing really stood out. The service was friendly but slow for the number of guests in the restaurant at the time. Overall, it was good to try, but nothing would bring me back here. The convenience is nice if you are touring Bourbon Street and looking for something right along Bourbon. They do have upstairs patio seating available or downstairs inside.

First part of this REVIEW is for the 2nd floor event space. Formally known as Bourbon Vieux, Le Bayou is great for events....like a small wedding. Mine was there and it was awesome. The space the staff, the food are all top notch. Creole Cuisine will make things easier for an awesome time here. Hands down best wedding food ever...if you are fortunate enough to partake here you will agree. The balcony is huge for you and your guests too. I cannot express how great this venue is. Food downstairs is top notch. Some things are average, some above and some well above. New Orleans average is better than most cities food so keep that in mind. You won't miss with anything. So we always take a pic with the jester on the second floor. We did it for our wedding. And have done it each year minus pregnancy and Covid cancellations. We go early when nobody is there because our son is young for Bourbon street late afternoon and evening. Each time someone needs to escort us up there as it's not open yet. This most recent time was Johnny J. What a nice man. He took us up for our pic and we can't thank him enough. He's good people. See you in the fall!

Not bad! Love the servers here! They were all so nice, cracking jokes with us, positive energy. Loved it! The drinks were strong! I ordered the Taste of the Bayou with gumbo, jambalaya and red beans and rice. The gumbo was my favorite! Jambalaya was alright. It was nice and spicy and flavorful.

Very disappointing! Almost needed a steak knife to cut the red fish! Service was terrible! Will NEVER dine here again!

Wasn't sure if this place was gonna be good after reading the reviews... but we we decided to try it anyway as we really wanted the balcony seating. Holy smokes! Don't pass this place up! The food and service was excellent! A great introduction to New Orleans. We tried the Alligator Bites (amazing!) and Taste of the Bayou... so much flavor! We left full and very happy!

This place was pretty good. They are right on Bourbon street and have big windows that are good for people watching. The shrimp platter was a pretty good deal and had fries and crispy onion strings. Overall a good choice right by my hotel!

Numerous folks had told us to come here and we finally gave in and went and I wish we hadn't cause it was nothing that represents the great food that New Orleans has to offer. Granted we went the day before Fat Tuesday and yes they had a medical issue happen to a lady however before the medical issue the service was slooooooow! It took forever to get drinks, even longer to get food. I was jealous because the couple at the table who came in after us got their stuff before us but I waited patiently. So the gumbo come to the table and I had to laugh because this looked like the end of the pot gumbo. It was watery and full of rice with a piece of bread but that's it. And to add insult to injury it was cold. The waitress swore it just came out the kitchen but when you can stick your finger in the gumbo and no heat can be felt, it may have been sitting in the kitchen for awhile. Ordered 1/2 grilled oysters, half raw . . . Grilled Oysters weren't hot and this were far from great tasting oysters. However I held out hope on the poboy - but this was some of the smallest shrimp and it said blackened but I can't say I tasted a lick of seasoning. To say I'm disappointed is putting it mild. Why are we recommending this place because this wasn't worth the money spent.

Pro: drinks hurricane and bourbon julep was good. Cons: Ordered the blackened chicken jambalaya and husband had seafood platter combo. Seafood combo ok but greasy. When food arrived, the blackened chicken jambalaya was cold. Not just a little but refrigerator cold. Staff was not very attentive. Sent jambalaya back and it took another 15 minutes to come back, was same meal I sent back nuked to death. It was hot but dry chicken and dry sausage. Couldnt eat the meal. Waitress never came back to refresh drinks or check on us. We watched her walk out door and not come back. Had to ask several other waiters for our check. Would not recommend this place!!

We had a great time a dinner .. We met a new friend from Switzerland... The food was served fast. Drink was refreshing. Full of liquor!! The server was very attentive and accommodating... Oysters were very delightful ... Balcony sitting outside ... Exceptional ambiance ... Great welcome to New Orleans .., Now, the taste of the Bayou wasn't a good choice .. Only thing good was the Cajun Jambalaya...

This place is amazing. The service is top notch. The bartender, Ray is a master mixologist and so very personable. The wait staff is very kind n the food(oysters) are to die for!!! Highly recommend this place. Bayou Baked OystersChargrilled Oysters

Stopped here for a late night snack while exploring the French Quarter. Service was EXCELLENT- I really enjoyed the bartender! He made the best Bloody Mary I've had in years. I ordered the charbroiled oysters at his recommendation. I now wish I would've had a full dozen instead of half!! They were wonderful. I am actually considering going back for a second round while I'm still here!

Alex was a wonderful bartender and definitely made the trip to LaBayou worth stopping by several times during the visit to New Orleans.

I cant say much about the entire menu, but Ive had the Gulf Shrimp Ya Ya a few times, and several years apart, and it is, without a doubt, the BEST shrimp dish ever. Like, ever, ever. The service is good, prices decent for being right on Bourbon, but really...fresh, large shrimp, penne pasta, pesto and magic. Amazingly good

Down bourbon street you will find a cute little place called me bayou. Though bourbon street is super busy daily this whole in the wall place is cool if you are hungry and want to chill as the parades and chaotic activity bustles on the street. Located - 503 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130 Nothing special about this place simple yet a great view of bourbon street. Menu consists of Cajun seafood. I ordered the po boys, the grits were delicious and creamy the po boy was average. The bread was a bit cold not fresh. Out of all the places I've eaten at in New Orleans, this was the most average. Service was decent food came out later than expected, I'm guessing do to the location being super busy but that's expected. All in all it was mediocre.

For this to be in the French quarter, the food wasn't bad. We got seated around 11pm, and it was smacked dab on bourbon street. We were kinda tipsy and hungry after a delayed delta flight... we had drinks before food. So we stopped at the first restaurant we saw, and this was it. The wait time was around 30-45 mins. It was a busy Friday on bourbon, so that was to be expected. Once we got seated, the waitress came pretty quickly. We ordered 3 hurricanes (great, strong and perfect to keep our buzz going) i love red beans and rice, and that's all i craved ever since touching down in Nola. Where else do you have such an amazing meal? Lol. So i ordered red beans and rice, which came with a smoked sausage, and i added on fried chicken tenders for an extra $5 i believe. We also got charbroiled oysters, which my sister enjoyed. She loved them, and they came with charred French bread which is always a win. They also ordered shrimp and grits, which came with a fried green tomato. The red beans and rice was good. I had no complaints. It was exactly what i needed to help offset the alcohol. They complained that the grits were a little watery at this establishment, but not bad. Not creamy or anything. Bug watery, and they enjoyed the shrimp. I would give this place 3.5 stars. And it's a solid place for a late night dinner. See pics below

I live and work in the French Quarter where there are a million places to eat! Today we wanted to try something new. Grilled chicken on a salad can be tricky especially when you're carrying out and walking several blocks. Chef stored the grilled chicken separately so that the greens were not wilted and soggy. The blue cheese dressing was the best I've ever had, not overpowering and perfect consistency. The greens, tomatoes and cucumbers were very fresh, bacon crispy and flavorful. I can't wait to try more of the menu which includes all the local fare that many visitors are seeking. Thank you for the best meal and service. Friendly staff with smiling faces, important

Sorry, but the service at this place sucks. We were seated, and after 10 minutes no one had come yet to bring us water or take our order, although 3 or 4 employees were just standing in the back of the place talking to each other. The couple at the table next to us said they had a similar experience. We walked out. This place is nothing special so there are other better options nearby.

Fantastic Alligator Po' Boy! And Raymond, the bartender, was amazing! I will definitely try some more dishes while I'm here.

We found it. Been here 5x and finally found our favorite spot. Thank you to the best server and person April.. you rocked it. Manager Alex took care of us all well! Food A++

Went here for dinner for a friend's birthday on the day we were leaving, smh, we should have visited our first day in town because I would have eaten here more than once. Everything we ordered was spectacular. Some of the best food I had my entire stay. The crab bisque soup, blkd redfish, jambalaya pasta, the gater salad (who puts gator in a salad, THEY DO!). Beyond that, the staff was one of the most friendly bunch of people ive ever met. Will DEFINITELY return.

The charbroiled oyster were so delicious. The service was great the people were so nice. I could eat there everyday. During the day it was not crowded so it was not loud in there. I would eat there again.

TASTE OF THE BAYOU Le Bayou was a typical restaurant in the French Quarter that had a dude outside luring customers in with praises of something. My wife was lured by her interest in trying the fried alligator. I hate to use the "gamey" description, but it was rather chewy and left something to be desired. It did not taste like chicken even though that is what my mind told me to expect once the food arrived. We ordered the taste of the bayou to share; it included: Chicken & Andouille Gumbo, Crawfish Étouffée, Red Beans & Rice, and Cajun Jambalaya. All were fairly bland and under seasoned. My wife had to douse all of it with salt to get a taste. I wouldn't say it was bad, but I wouldn't recommend it either. Ok if you're in a pinch, but there are several other food options in the vicinity.

Stopped in for lunch on a rainy day. Ordered the New Orleans sampler which overall was a good sample of four items. The gumbo was richly stocked and my favorite. Dirty rice and red beans and rice were also flavorful. Jambalaya a little disappointing not much flavor or crawfish. Service was great and there is a good vibe and drink selection. It's a good place to stop while visiting Bourbon Street.

I have been so excited to eat at Le Bayou, after waiting 7 years to return to NOLA. I was so disappointed to find out it had moved and was under new ownership. I came for the Shrimp and Grits Napoleon, it was terrible. The smallest shrimp I've had served at any restaurant, with an awful taste. I had a picture of the same dish when my son and I ate there the last visit-NO COMPARISON! I would not recommend this restaurant. After eating at Deanie's, where the food was amazing, for the same price, I know it's not the economy/Covid/availability of quality food/ or any other excuse. If one restaurant can have quality food, they all can.

The food and service was unexpectedly good here. My shrimp and grits were cooked to perfection. Accented with baby spinach and two breaded fried green tomatoes with a Cajun cream sauce! Perfection! My friend ordered lightly grilled redfish with asparagus which was also good. The hurricane drinks and chocolate mousse were all delicious! Very surprised and happy with this experience, especially since it was very late and we were looking for a good spot after enjoying a show at Saenger theatre!

Great food! Friendly bar service. The Fried Alligator appetizer was delicious and the Taste of the Bayou: Crawfish Etoufee, Cajun Jambalaya, Chicken & Andouille Gumbo and Red Beans & Rice were flavorful.

Chef Keith literally made all of my dreams come true with this chicken. Our flight got in late and we were all starving and stumbled upon Le Bayou. He made sure we were well taken care of and that we all left full and happy!!! I highlyyyy recommend eating here, you won't be disappointed.

Food is okay nothing special but still good for what it offers. Great place to sit and watch a sports game and grab a few drinks.

We were looking for a place with TV's because the NFL playoffs were taking place, and stumbled upon this spot! The ambiance is Bourbon street so just let your mind wonder... We found a spot at the bar and ordered a Hurricane. The bar tender said, "wrong place for that", but let me make you something else. If you want a Hurricane, you have to go to Pat Obrien's. So he made us his version of a long island N.O. Blue Storm he called it, and it was 4 out of 5, so pretty good, real juice and strong enough. We ordered some chargrilled oysters (2 doz) - Size was about the same as Florida oysters, taste was a freaking 10, so I ordered another dozen. I don't remember the name of the dish we got (my bad) too many N.O. Blue Storms I guess, but overall the food was good. The bar tenders were friendly, smiling, laughing, inviting, and so were the hostesses. This is not the place for a romantic dinner, but it is a total vibe with good oysters, and a break from Bourbon street smells and humans LOL.