Poor House Bistro

I’m no expert on New Orleans and Cajun food but I like the food here! I personally had The Poor House which comes with ham and roast beef. Great of you like a ’meaty’ sandwich. Be prepared this thing will fall apart all over you. But messy be good too! I shared some of the crawfish pasta with someone. Creamy and yummy. AMA this is the best way to eat crawfish cuz otherwise they’re too hard to peel! Shrimp po boy was good but I prefer grilled instead of this mattered and deep fried way. And the fries were hella top salty. They actually got my order wings which I didn’t realize till the food was ready after 15 minutes. So I had to order again! But they made it the next priority so I’ll give them service points for that. Had a few drinks… vodka shots and wine. I know weird combination right? About $10 bucks each. And I enjoyed their live band. Cool courtyard and festive atmosphere. In fact, a few folks dancing. Mostly older folks here. I’ll come back on the right occasion.

Had dinner here on a Friday night and there was a live band! Seating was easy to find, the staff was so friendly and the vibes were great. We tried the jambalaya and the fried shrimp. Both were pretty good! The food came out quickly. Overall a great experience and I’d definitely visit again.

Great food. The fish was so flavorful and crispy. Really good clam chowder in large bowl. Coleslaw delightful. Wonderful creole music. Outdoor seating. Good shade.

I had an excellent experience the food is very delicious. If you want to take a drink see and hear a live music you have to visit this familiar place

Oh my goodness!!! This place is my new favorite local gem! The atmosphere alone is a reason worth going! I came here on a whim because I wanted to get a carryout. While standing there I had some help with what to chose from the menu and got invited to join a lovely table of amazing people including Jay the owner. Amazing human beings here and I wish I lived locally to come here more! The music is a great experience and the food is soo good! Highly recommend the crawfish pasta and jambalaya. I got to learn the history of this restaurant which was so fascinating. Definitely stop by for a good time!

We came upon this restaurant by accident. It turned out to be such a treasure! There was live music playing and the audience was so friendly to each other. The wait staff was really nice and helpful. The food was ok but the atmosphere more than made up for it

The SHRIMP AND GRITS!!!! What a perfect dish!! Literally... Made to perfection!! Creamy, cheesy deliciousness topped with fresh, plump, meaty shrimp. It was so good that I did a little happy dance after I finished eating!! This dish is hard to find in San Jose and I'm so glad that not only do they make it, but they do it fantastically!!!

Very friendly waitress Michelle and lovely authentic Cajun food. There was a band playing too. We enjoyed it.

First time to this restaurant, friend of a friend is a bartender there - Kimberly , so fun, eager to help , quick to laugh! Probably the best part of the restaurant. To be honest , I am 100% Creole so my back ground with their " Creole" food was tainted . I give them A for effort and if you don't know any better ...we'll it was pretty good We started with chicken / sausage gumbo , red beans and rice and a shrimp poboy. Not enough favor in the beans , gumbo was fair and the poboy was definitely large with lettuce and pickles ( it's called dressed in New Orleans) but the shrimp were small , no tomatoes and slathered with a mustard sauce . No Sir! Mayonnaise only , it did it a poor service . But, it was a beautiful day , we sat outside and they had a live band . The bottomless mimosas were delicious!

Amazing music, food and ambience!! Will definitely go again!! Do try the cocktails, they are the best!! Always carry change for tips

Good food. Good ambience. My son and husband loved it! Bottle of Cab $38 . Pricey as it's ok.

Fun place for local music. Great patio - checked out Eurotrash and had a great time. Nice shaded area, the standard cocktails and French fries plus some po-boys. Vegan here is the muffalata without the cheese. Pretty good.

came here on a weekend before the San Jose Sharks game. You order at the counter and they give you a beeper when your order is ready. They were playing live music which was cool while we hung out in the back with some friends. * my bf got the Red Beans & Rice - Simmered with ham hock, served with corn bread with andouille sausage for $18 * I ordered from the kids menu just because I love corn dogs. Corn dog served with french fries and a drink for $12. Some friends of ours got the (not pictured) Cajun popcorn - Tender shrimp corn meal coated with herbs & spices and fried, served with homemade creole remoulade for $16. This was tasty!

Prior to the game,we came here,there's live band and ambiance is filled with the smell of roasted garlic,i guess it's coming from next door.Staff are not that welcoming here,but we still gave it a try and ordered the simplest which is beignet.it was smothered with powdered sugar,without it,it was a tasteless dough,there's 3 in an order,we finished one and half,wasted our money.

Poor House Bistro is tasty, Louisiana fare in a low key setting that has live music often! We went the day after Fat Tuesday and the jambalaya and shrimp po boy were tasty. It's tucked away from downtown and a perfect stop for a tasty, affordable, Cajun meal. Try the fried catfish app, it's the best I've ever had!

this place has been beloved for years by many of my friends and relatives so I was super excited to finally try it at its new location. And it totally lived up to the hype! There's plenty of seating outdoor and indoor, in the patio or spread out in the front. It's a great place to grab a bite before a sharks game and has a lot to offer to all types of pallets. I got the shrimp and grits and they were super creamy and delicious. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. Most of the table opted for the barbecue shrimp which they told me was the item to get and that was fantastic as well. Especially after you dip the bread in the sauce. Of course we ended with some beignets. I can't wait to come back and try more things. The crawfish pasta looked especially good.

Outdoor live music can't be beat! We grabbed a couple of drinks at the outdoor bar and some food and sat outside in the sun and enjoyed ourselves. I was bummed when they had to relocate, but happy they've found a great home that's just as cozy as the former location.

The service here is great, friendly, and attentive. The space has more than enough chairs and tables! I been here about two times now. For the two times I been here, never had any issue with my food. It was always tasty! I have definitely recommended this place to others and I plan to come back here again. The first time here, I had Fried Seafood Platter & Beignets. Very solid, can't go wrong with them! It was my first time trying beignets. The second time, as shown in my photo: I got a Fried Chicken Sandwich with Creole Slaw. Personally, not a fan of slaw so if I were to order this again, I will be asking for the french fries. My coworker got fries and was kind enough to share some with me and those fries were great. I hope whoever reads this gives this place a try!

I really love coming here for the drinks and the live music. It's always a fun time. I have tried several food items but they have been hit or miss for me. I guess I'm still figuring out the menu a bit as it is quite extensive! The service is typically fast and to the point.

Omg it's a favorite over the years. Super cute ambience, live music - but what brings me there every time is their deeply flavorful food. It's just no pretentiousness amazing authentic New Orleans fare. Their bbq shrimp platter is one that will make you soak every last drop with bread and leave a clean plate!! It's that good, don't leave without it. Everything I've tried here has always been great. Today I also got their muffuletta sandwich and WOW - the olive salad is the star and makes this Sicilian inspired sandwich shine. And it's massive! Even a half sandwich will be massive!!!! Also the owner was really nice, I was carrying all the trays and dropped some bread so he offered to bring us new. Also just the general vibe is super friendly. Oh and to your canine buddies too! New location now but somehow feels exactly the same which I'm so happy about!

I love this place! The food is delish! I usually get the blackened chicken wings. They have a nice spicy dry rub. This time I got the Drippins PoBoy. All I can say is that meat was so moist and flavorful! Another bonus is they have free live music on the weekends. You can tip the band - I always do! - what you think is fair. The music makes for a very fun environment. Lots of friendly people there just having a great time!

2nd visit and the experience did not get better I ordered the BBQ shrimp - although tasty, it was 9 shrimp for $25!! And plain toasted bread with no butter or garlic. My daughter had the crawfish pasta and it was tasty and a good portion. My son had the crawfish boil and it too was a sizeable portion. They had better luck with their choices than me . Drinks are served in an outside bar in plastic cups so I don't recommend a mixed drink.i ended up leaving hungry

Everything on the Menu is great. Please bring back the Chicken Parmesan sandwich... that was my favorite thing on the menu. Please message me when you guys bring it back or put it on a specials menu again. Thank. Great job Poor House.

We were walking around with our puppy looking for a spot to eat and stumbled upon Pour House in San Jose's Little Italy. We're new to the area, so had never been over here it was a great casual place. It looks like a little house with plenty of patio seating--both on the wraparound porch and a covered patio on the side that seemed set up for live music, complete with heaters and a walk-up bar. We went inside to order, and the girl at the counter was so, so nice. We got po' boys (mine with fried oysters--huge and definitely shareable), and they even made our dog some plain grilled chicken, which was such a thoughtful touch. She told us we could grab drinks at the outside bar, which had three on-theme cocktails: a Hurricane, Pimm's Cup, and Sazerac ( we tried all three and some beer). A couple of minutes later, she appeared again, just as friendly, along with another gentleman--maybe the owner or manager--who chatted with us about the restaurant. It had that real hospitality vibe that you never really get anymore. We were there on a Friday at an odd time between lunch and dinner, and while we ate on the covered patio, a musician started setting up, and the place began filling up fast. We had a great time and will definitely be back--thank you so much!

I was excited to be downtown at lunch time and we chose to drive to Little Italy to try The Poor House Bistro. We loved the food during our visits to New Orleans, so maybe our standard was a bit high. We were both disappointed. Since we are supporters of the area, we will try again and hopefully upgrade this review. You might not be greeted as you enter. Just proceed to the back of the restaurant to order and also pick up your order. Outdoor seating is scattered but ample. There are tables in front of the restaurant and also along the side. You can sometimes find live music on the side patio. The patio decor is lovely featuring a Sicilian carriage. Parking can be a challenge.

With few and far between Nawlins food spots in the bay, this place can fill your need for some Creole cooking If you're in the San Jose area. The menu has the usual suspects from jambalaya n gumbo to fried catfish n po' boys sammies n muffaletas and of course beignets to top it all off! They also have a bar in the patio and a speakeasy under the Italian museum next door. Order food at the cashier, grab a pager, order a Hurricane or Michelada at the bar, plop a seat at one of many seats and enjoy! Come on a Sunday and watch the game while having some Creole cuisine and some dranks to boot. Wooooohweeeeeee!

A very late review for a place that reopened last year after their crazy relocation that moved the actual building a few blocks away from their old location. A staple location in the area, I'm just glad they were able to get things situated to get things up and running again. A constant pre-Shark's game favorite to hop in to grab some food before the game. Can't really go wrong with anything on the menu.. the Po'boy sandwiches are a crowd favorite as well as many of their creole dishes. Finish your meal off with some bread pudding or some beignets.. and you're off and ready to enjoy the rest of your day. The new location has plenty of outdoor seating and the food is prepared quickly. Friendly people and great place to hang out.

F A N T A S T I C! Great vibe - excellent service = (thanks Kennedy and staff), and delicious food! Friendly, engaging patrons = We were in San Jose to see the Sharks vs the Kraken. Even wearing opposing team jerseys, we were welcomed and treated like friends. We opted to dine in their heated outdoor patio area. What a delightful option especially since we don't experience this amazing weather where we reside! The food was delicious and plentiful! Mr. Wonderful had the catfish Po'Boy and it was massive. I had a house salad and a cup of red beans and rice - the servings, also generous. *John - Thanks for recommending The Poor House Bistro! You were 100% spot on! We'll definitely be back. Congratulations Sharks!

Poor House Bistro is essentially a historic house tucked into Little Italy, San Jose. I've only been here once but I'll have to make it back out again. After taking a trip to New Orleans earlier in the year, I had to give this place a try. The person who took my order and who may have been the owner was really friendly as he sifted through all of our orders (I came with a large party of approximately 10 people). I ended up ordering the special - crawfish etoufee and it was absolutely delicious. The roux gave it such great flavor and there was a ton of crawfish meat. Paired with their rice, it was just the perfect meal. There was plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors on a hot summer day, but if you have a big party, outdoors is the best option - just be aware of flies that'll be zooming to taste the delicious food. The place is a little hidden but definitely give it a try - it'll be a delicious meal.

What a way to spend a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Poor House Bistro, great food, live music, good conversations, laughter, best of times to be had. Cutsomer service was out of this world, staff along with the owner were kind. Thank you for restoring the faith, that in going out to grab a bite to eat, can be a fabulous experience.

Love Poor House Bistro. Long time favorite. Great food, music and friendly staff! Not to mention the backyard bar and Abita beer on tap.

Music, food and atmosphere was amazing. Staff/ service was pleasant and accommodating. Will be back again!

I almost choked on the Shrimp and Grits. The chef did not remove the tails on the shrimp, why? Was I suppose to dig through the grits to remove the tails. Such a bad experience. I won't eat there again, but the music is good.

Every time we visit san jose we stop by! This time i gt a shrimp po boy with cajun fries and some clam chowder on the specials menu I dislike the beignets (too thick) Every time the foods a hit no matter what overall

Very quaint place. Delicious food, loved the shrimp po'boy and their gumbo. Always enjoy going there for lunch. Friendly service.

Because Henry's high life was closed came next door! It was really nice the people are all so nice will definitely come again

I was referred by my friend Bruce who promotes festivals. I ordered the $25 shrimp, not the best trust me, I've had better, Only 9. The place was empty the cashier was not very friendly. Terrible piece of real estate whoever planned it, no Parking. Not a great place to refer to my friends. One of the musicians setting up, Rich said its a minimum wage gig. They're right it is a poor house.

Awesome spot on a Sunday afternoon. Rocking live band. Nice older crowd. Fun space. This is currently my favorite bar in San Jose.

I loved PHB at the old location. They serve rich, authentic New Orleans food, and the live music is amazing. I was excited about trying the new location, but my doctor has placed me on a low-sodium diet, so I knew I couldn't eat a lot of things. I sent an email to the restaurant asking what they would suggest. It's important to understand that I do this with a lot of restaurants, and very few bother to reply. It seems most restaurants are not interested in customers with special dietary or health needs. But PBH really came through! I got a very nice reply from the manager, Jay Meduri, with lots of suggestions. He obviously put some thought into it. I've since gone to the new location three times, and loved it! Note: I don't understand the people saying there is no parking. I go on Friday nights, and there is ample free parking on W. St. John Street. I've never had to walk more than a couple of blocks. The exception might be if there is an event at the stadium.

Poor of Duty This family home of the Meduri family since the late '50s became (in 2005) the home for their family restaurant "The Poor House Bistro," which specialized in New Orleans-style Cajun/Creole cuisine. It was one of my favorite lunch spots for many years before they were forced to close in 2021 due to the land being sold for the Google Village™, but fortunately they were able to work out a deal and move the entire house into San José's newly formed Little Italy District. And now, 19 months later (Jan '22), they've finally re-opened the restaurant to the public! The one big change is adding their Italian moniker "Meduri" to their name to match the surroundings. The Good: *When you walk in, you'll feel like you never left. The instant feeling of nostalgia hit me almost instantly, and I almost wept tears of joy. :') *Order at the counter like the old location, complete with buzzer service. :) *Friendly staff *Beers (on-tap & bottles), wine, and a full bar available. *Outdoor dining *Outdoor bar, so you don't have to go inside every time you want another drink. *Beignets were maybe even better than before--if possible?? Soft, warm, and yeasty goodness for the soul. *My go-to dish here was always the fried shrimp po' boy & this was 99.8765% to my memory: tons of crispy shrimp, toasty soft bread, and loads of their yummy remoulade sauce. *Sweet potato fries (SPF) are excellent, and we're pretty picky about our SPF; crispy, fluffy, and a nice sweetness. Ask for Cajun seasoning on them for a spicy kick at no extra charge! *Was the preeminent space for pre-game festivity before Sharks games, and I don't see that changing much since their move was almost equidistant from the old location, but in the other direction. *Should still have the space for bands and live music, but see below in "The Meh." The Meh: *No plans for regular live music beyond "special events," per the bartender. *Gumbo was decent, but the broth was severely underseasoned, not thickened enough, and didn't have that great of a depth of flavor. However, on the plus side, they really hooked it up with the #scrimps. The Ugly: *Parking can be an issue as there's only paid parking in the area M-Sat (Sun & Holidays are free). TLDR: The same PHB you've grown to love over the years--IT'S BACK, BABY!!

Loved the live band and customer service, but as a true Cajun who moved to California, food wise... this place missed the mark. Cajun food is all about seasonings. The food did not have any of those true Cajun seasoning unfortunately. The orange sauce (is it supposed to be remoulade?) on the poboy had such a strange flavor to it that couldn't eat it. Waste of money. I really wanted to like this place :(

Always great food whatever you order! It's all really good food! Really nice staff! Wonderful place for live music with amazing musicians!

Still hands down super yumm! A place with bread pudding always has my vote! Yummy spices on their fish fry and the corn bread is yumm too! Parking ample but metered, also located in "Little Italy" area of SJ which is literally one block but they are working hard to represent so bravo to that. Nice seating inside and out, you can bring your pupper too and seat outside! I do miss the music from the old joint but as for the food... a must if you're in downtown!

Great venue for live outdoor music, delicious food, good drinks, lively, upbeat, happy atmosphere.

Wow, I haven't been back to this place since it moved locations and I have to say I love the new location way more than the old location. It's snugged right in the midst of little Italy and I'm telling you it's so perfect. Even better than before, they have many vegetarian options. Veggie muffs, burger, salad, pasta. Won't go hungry here my fellow veggies. And I loooooooooooove live music. They had a band playing from dinner time all through late into the night. Heated, covered patio. Dinner service is fast and efficient. The owner is so welcoming and handed us a menu, talked about the specials. Plenty of seating and you can even take your food to the speakeasy bar next door! I'm definitely hitting up this place again!

The clam chowder was amazing and the chicken wings were delicious . Went on a coldish day but the outdoor heaters were great at keeping us comfortable. Great food. Great ambience and service was great as well.

Just another great place have some great food and listen to live music. PBR on tap which always a plus. The problem is there are so many different food items that you need to come a few times to try all the tastes of New Orleans. The fish basket and sausage bread were great starters. A little cold in February but a super place to go when it warms up.

We were excited to try the new location in Little Italy San Jose. It's located in a cute refurbished historical house. We arrived around 4 pm on a Friday and the place was empty. You walk up to the counter to order your food. The server didn't seem enthusiastic about much, especially the menu. The clam chowder tasted good but it was more like a broth than traditional thick chowder. The muffuletta sandwich was a huge disappointment. The bread was ice cold and hard. I'm accustomed to the muffuletta sandwich from Central Grocery in NOLA and this was far from it. When I asked if the sandwich had been pre-made and put in the refrigerator, she admitted that it had been. This is excusable! I won't be back, ever!

Came here for lunch yesterday. Was surprised for a Saturday afternoon it was dead. Only a few other people there. Beautiful location large patio area. We ate inside house. Had catfish poboy, fries, friend had shrimp po boy, and shared bread pudding. Hurricane drink was strong. All was great. Took a sandwich to go from there as well and my BF loved it. Sad to see its not busy. But the whole area was dead. Maybe it gets busier at night?

Food was very good! I love the live music and the new location is great. Pliny in tap!

The new location in Little Italy is nice - lots of space outdoors to eat. The blackened chicken thighs were quite good, served with carrots and celery with a rather thin blue cheese dressing. The fried chicken sandwich was a bit on the dry side, and the jambalaya was, unfortunately, nothing special. Overall it's an OK place, but no real healthy options to speak of on the menu. But if you're in the mood for a lot of fried food, this should hit the spot.

Service food good people had a amazing time with my granddaughter and her best friend after we ate we went to the Billie Eilish Concert

What a wonderful experience, service, and FOOD! The owner Jay and bartender Kimberly were incredibly welcoming to us. Hats off to the staff as well. We had the New Orleans combo, the Tasso ham chowder, and of course beignets! This is no ordinary restaurant. This is like being in someone's home and having homemade meals. It's a very short walk to SAP Center. We will definitely be back next time we're in town. Cheers from Chico!

Had the opportunity to go to this place with my niece and my sister it was amazing. My niece had the chicken, poor boy that was quite tasty. I had the blackened chicken and Tasso pasta. That was excellent as well. My sister had I believe the crawfish pasta which she didn't finish and I got to take home, each one of these dishes, was prepared with love sauces weren't heavy but excellent very flavorful service was quick. The ambience was so cute and it has a little Italian museum next-door and a speakeasy. Everybody was friendly looking forward to returning.

Great food and service! We had the shrimp po boy and pizza, both of which were amazing. Everyone there was super friendly and the restaurant has a really cool vibe overall.

We came here for a Sunday brunch and we were thrilled that they also had their regular menu items because as someone who doesn't like to eat eggs for breakfast, there were a lotta egg dishes on the brunch menu. I ended up getting the bowl of gumbo and fried catfish, and my partner got the fried chicken and waffles. The best thing on the table was the fried chicken which was seasoned well but only came with one piece of breast, normally this kind of dish comes with a few pieces of chicken so we found that odd. The waffle was more savory than sweet even with all the syrup. The catfish batter was good but could tell the fish was under seasoned and not freshly fried, and my gumbo was okay I've definitely had better! All of this food plus drinks cost us $80 which is steep for the low quality of food we received. The service was okay, we were confused about what to do upon entering the restaurant and wasn't too sure if we were to wait to be seated. Eventually if you just walk further to the back there's a cash register which is where you order your food and also where you pick it up when it's ready. This set up makes me wonder what they have waiters for if I'm doing all the work. The outdoor area was nice, the game was playing so we were able to watch that for a little bit but otherwise the seating was kinda scattered all over the place and not very cohesive. It was definitely giving poor house vibes! If you're passing through the area and looking for good food, do NOT stop by here, it's not worth the money spent.

Oh my goodness - is this a hidden gem?! My roommate brought us here before a sharks game, and the vibe is unreal. I felt like I was back in the East Coast, enjoying some good ole southern food! There's live music from a local band, the side restaurant is small but cozy and bustlin', the bartenders are telling jokes and making conversation with customers, and to top it all - THE FOOD IS GOOD. When I was eating here, I legit forgot I was in San Jose. I felt like time had paused for a moment and I able to soak in the vibe & live in the moment. Idk if it's the live music or just the vibe overall. You have to be there to experience it! On to the food - get the popcorn shrimp and Cajun crawfish pasta. You won't regret it. The popcorn shrimp was delicious with the sauce it came with. Lots of flavor! The Cajun crawfish pasta - oh my. It was very flavorful and savory! It held so much umami, I don't think I've ever had anything like it. It was very delicious - but I wouldn't recommend eating it as leftovers. It's not the same. We also got the sampler plate - it came with jambalaya, beans & cheese, and gumbo! The jambalaya was delicious! I could pass on the gumbo & beans though. I'd like to go back to try the poboys. Do go early (~5pm) if you're looking to eat before a game. It gets crowded fast!