This review is LONG overdue: As first-time guests at Poor Boy's Riverside Inn in Broussard, Louisiana, we were completely captivated by this historic, family-owned gem that's been serving authentic Cajun cuisine for nearly a century. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance of rustic charm and subtle elegance, reminiscent of South Louisiana's river camps. With its warm lighting and lively buzz of happy diners, it's an inviting spot for everything from a casual meal to a special celebration. Our culinary experience was outstanding from start to finish. We began with appetizers of Cajun crab fingers, crispy and bursting with fresh Gulf flavor, and alligator tidbits, perfectly seasoned and wonderfully unique. The entrées were phenomenal: the Redfish Extravaganza, a masterpiece of fresh redfish stuffed with crabmeat and topped with a rich blend of more crab, crawfish, and mushrooms, delivered bold Cajun flavors in every bite. The Crabmeat Imperial was decadently creamy, while the filet with Riverside topping--a tender, perfectly cooked steak crowned with jumbo lump crab and mushrooms--was pure indulgence. Our drinks elevated the experience further: a Richard's tequila martini, crisp and refreshing; a Blue Raspberry martini, vibrant and fun; and a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned smoked with an Italian cherry, adding a sophisticated, smoky depth. Dessert was a highlight, with warm, soul-soothing homemade bread pudding and sweet potato beignets, a creative, sugary delight that left us smiling. Every dish and drink showcased the Hurst family's dedication to fresh, high-quality ingredients and authentic Cajun recipes. What made our first visit truly unforgettable was our server, Meagan, who was an absolute superstar. She greeted us with a warm, genuine smile that instantly made us feel welcome. Meagan's knowledge of the menu was impeccable, and her recommendations guided us to perfect choices with enthusiasm and confidence. Even more impressive was her deep understanding of the Hurst family's history and the restaurant's legacy--she shared captivating stories about Poor Boy's nearly 100-year journey, adding a special layer of connection to our meal. Her attentiveness was flawless, ensuring our drinks were refilled and our needs met with a friendliness that made us feel like longtime regulars. Meagan's passion and care transformed our dining experience into something truly extraordinary. Poor Boy's Riverside Inn is a must-visit for anyone craving authentic Cajun cuisine in a warm, historic setting. The Hurst family's legacy shines through in every bite and sip, and with servers like Meagan delivering exceptional service and storytelling, it's easy to see why this place is a Louisiana treasure. As first-time guests, we're already eager to return. Five stars for an incredible meal, perfectly crafted drinks, and an unforgettable experience, thanks to Meagan's outstanding hospitality! read more

Amazing food. We got the stuffed mushrooms and crab claws for appetizers, the crawfish and corn bisque is good and loaded with crawfish and corn. The seafood platter was delicious, also the Alfredo. This has a country cabin vibe. The services was great the waitress took her time and give us good recommendation read more

As always, Poor Boy's Riverside Inn was outstanding. The food, cocktails and ambience were impeccable. Our waiter, Connor, was so charming and very professional. Zack, the bartender, came over to visit us after I commented that my Lemon Drop Martinis are a 10+ and I tell everyone they are the best in Lafayette! The seafood salad is always our favorite, the sampler appetizer tray was just perfect and a little bit left over to bring home. This was the first time I got the crawfish dinner and it was excellent with the crawfish gumbo being the best ever! read more

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What a great dining experience from the drinks to the food! Delicious stuffed mushrooms for appetizers and the entrees!!! Redfish extravaganza and whole stuffed flounder were the two we chose. I cant wait to go back to sample other dishes. Our server was excellent also. Easy drive from Morgan city and such a pleasant place to dine! read more

We enjoyed supper last evening, early. Had our usuals, lump crab in butter & the crab dinner; both their usual excellence. Another super special is their signature "Crab Imperial." This is a top-notch local seafood restaurant, and long time favorite. When I say "long-term", I'm almost 82 & have been a customer for over 65 years, since coming with my parents in the 1950's. I know of no other restaurant anywhere with that record of excellence & consistent performance. The specialty is Louisiana Atlantic blue crab, and in that genre, Riverside has no real peers. Yes, they offer a wider array including local crawfish, shrimp, & oysters; plus cold water lobsters & steaks. But our crab is delicate & must be handled with expertise. Riverside does that better than I could at home on the Teche. Secluded off street lot parking, swamp-ish theme landscaped grounds, locals bar, professional waitstaff. If unfamiliar w/ area, use your phone for directions. One can't go wrong here. 5+ Stars from me, every time. Don't stop until you get here ! Caveat, may be closed Sundays & Mondays, call first. Rick read more

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn - We arrived early, were first seated. Hot rolls. - Seafood Near Me - Broussard, Louisiana

Still my favorite place to eat seafood in Lafayette but I came back to say it's hard to find a good baked stuffed lobster and Riverside has one! It is stuffed with crabmeat dressing and it is phenomenal. Especially for $50. I paid over $100 in Vegas for one. read more

We had a reservation at 7:00pm. When we were seated at 7:30om there were a bunch of open tables. The service was fine. One of my friends got the ribeye which they really enjoyed and was cooked perfectly. Another friend git the fried seafood platter which they also enjoyed. I ordered the grilled shrimp platter which was extremely underwhelming. The shrimp were quite small. They were seasoned well but for $23, it was not worth it. I ordered the grilled vegetables as my side and it was more like sautéed vegetable mush. I couldn't even tell what vegetables I was eating. The atmosphere was nice and it's a lovely restaurant. read more

Mannnnnnn Ayeeee!!! This spot is ducked off in the back of a side street ... I pulled up and it's lit up with X-mas lights on a wooden planked building next to a pond! I thought a frog was gone hop out on me when I was walking in. I ordered the Flounder, Etetouffe (I prolly mispelled that), and grilled shrimp. Everything was amazing! Chefs kiss read more

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn - Crawfish Etouffee - A Truly Cajun Dish! - Seafood Near Me - Broussard, Louisiana

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My first time visiting today and the meal, service and experience was outstanding. Tessa was so friendly and helpful. The shrimp poboy was very good and the sweet potato fries were some of the best I've had. The complimentary cup of chicken noodle soup was delicious and the roll was so good. Took some bread pudding for later this evening and it tasted really good. Definitely recommend read more

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn - Shrimp Poor Boy - Seafood Near Me - Broussard, Louisiana

Fabulous ambiance and food! A lot of short cuts for price which include prepackaging butter, salad dressing etc. other than that great service! read more

The service was outstanding but I was disappointed in the portion size for a $30 platter. We ordered the platters thinking we'd bring the rest home but this wasn't the case! The shrimp in the salad were rubbery and the fried & stuffed shrimp left an after taste. The gumbo had a small amount of rice and a few tiny shrimp! I was sad since I remembered this place to be delicious many years ago so I suggested & bragged about it to friends but it was just ok...not worth the $$$ Another thing were the MANY raccoons that come right up to you as you're walking out. I think they're cute to look at until they run towards you, growl and try to bite you! I think this could potentially be dangerous for small children because the raccoons aren't scared! The inside of the restaurant looks the same to me as my first time here about 25 years ago with maybe new flooring but I'm not sure! Sadly, I don't think I'll go back read more

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn - Shrimp Dinner - Seafood Near Me - Broussard, Louisiana

Food was delicious and the staff were attentive and kind. Cocktails and wine were well priced! Easy to see why this restaurant has been successful for so many years! Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Best Cajun food in Acadiana hands down. Love the atmosphere. Great family place or good place for a fun date night.

10 STARS!!!! Something about this place is magical!!! The staff here is top notch. The drinks are delicious and reasonably priced. The food is unmatched to any other restaurant around. If you are looking for delicious, authentic cajun cuisine, Poor Boy's Riverside Inn is the place for you! Dont miss out on this beautiful atmosphere and experience if you are in the area!! read more

Great meals since 1964! According to my computer I need to say more but I have said it all. Well, ok. A little more. 62 years of excellent everything about PBRI except the current location has been great. Whoever chose to force customers to navigate past a bunch of coons has a dark side! read more

The food was excellent. The service was outstanding. The drinks were on point. The host was very hospitable.

Can't believe we've been in Lafayette so long and not tried Riverside Inn. The location was great, and felt like we were going back in time but in a good way. The customer service was excellent, and was warmly greeted. We were able to receive our drinks quickly, (The Chardonnay was great). We were treated to a warm bread basket before we ordered our appetizer, the bread was fresh, warm and the perfect flavor, meaning the balance between sweet and savory, nothing was dominating. Our appetizer the crab cakes, let me repeat crab cake, was delicious, top three best ever, as we've never had it like this, crusted and fried however the filling, so light and airy filled with crab, just amazing. The Gumbo was delicious also, and had the depth of flavor that was a delight. The main course, I had the Ribeye that was cooked to perfection, and nice flavor from the fat, along with the baked sweet potato very nice. The grilled shrimp enhanced the taste. The shrimp pasta was amazing, and flavored with perfection. I also liked the cozy feeling inside which was intimate. Will definitely recommend. read more

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Awesomeness for generations Great Crab Dinner and all of the others Prices reflect cost increase read more

Best service and delicious food!!! The redfish extravaganza is to die for. And the atmosphere is perfect for any occasion.

The food here is amazing. You can taste the love. Lovely ambiance with candles lit in the evening. The service is attentive and pleasant. Always recommend this place! Been coming here since I was a child. read more

Fantastic staff with phenomenal food and drinks! Cannot wait to go back to this beautiful place!

I'm reply to your message, your server had said the stuffed potato has been sitting under the heat lamp for hours, Yes I did ask for sour cream for the potato, trying to moisten the stuffed potato. You can believe your sever, instead of a patron, as a rule of thumb, the patron seems to be correct, it's a rarity that the patron is wrong. Also, yes, she did take off the cost of the potato, and rightfully so, I didn't eat it except one bite, you cannot charge a customer if something is hardly eaten. Even though I did eat the crab cakes, they were still overdone. Other customers may think your food at your establishment tastes good, however I believe they've not experienced quality food. read more

I was very disappointed in the restaurant, I wanted to go elsewhere, my friend said I would love their food. The crab cakes were very small, dry & overcooked, the stuff potato tasted as if it was under the heat lamp all day, I mentioned that to the waitress, she did take the potatoe back, I should've told her to take the crab cakes back too. To compensate for the stuffed potatoe, they gave me bread pudding, which in my opinion tasted like MUSH. Its doubtful that I return to this restaurant, I will make that drive to Lafayette and go to a restaurant that knows how to make crab cakes and twice baked stuff potatoes. In addition to this review, my friend's salad should've had spring mix lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce. read more

Tremendous in all categories. Unsurpassed Cajun dishes & hospitality that keep you coming back. Seafood in all forms of appetizers entrees. Enjoy! read more

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn - Richard & Lori Hurst family business since 1932. - Seafood Near Me - Broussard, Louisiana

I had the shrimp half and half. There were 6 tiny grilled shrimp and maybe that many in the etouffee.The rice portion was small. While the taste was good there was not enough food. I left the restaurant starving. read more

Everything was delicious! We had the 1/2 marinated & 1/2 fried Cajun Crab Fingers, shared a cup of Seafood Gumbo (next time I'll have a bowl to myself!), crawfish étouffée poor boy with sweet potato fries and the Crab stuffed blackened redfish with grilled veggies. We shared everything and were way in over our heads even before the complimentary bread came out. But with food this good who wouldn't want leftovers!! Admittedly, I wasted ketchup and ruined a few fries by putting it on the side. The gravy that leaked out was so much better on those fries than ketchup could ever be. All in all not only was the food AMAZING but this very cozy and tucked away business has been around for 90 years for a reason. Unbeatable customer service and an unforgettable experience. We look forward to stopping on our way back to Texas. read more

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn - Small BUT adorable outside seating - Seafood Near Me - Broussard, Louisiana

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Riverside's Cottage hosted my sister's wedding last night and it couldn't have turned out better! The venue was beautiful, the food was amazingly delicious, but the staff blew my mind! Ms. Rhea helped me through the planning process, the owners, Richard and Lori showed up to greet us at the wedding and then Dolly and Spencer took care of the food and bar and us! I can't express how wonderful it is to know that there are still restaurants that treat patrons with such care and attention. Top Notch!!!! Thank you! read more

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Love the location. Lunch special was outstanding. Atmosphere was conducive To business lunch. Service was excellent. read more

What an amazing experience! This family owned and operated restaurant is top notch from start to finish.. It was worth the wait! I had the Kim Margarita which was tasty and a generous pour. We ordered the crab cakes as an appetizer and it was flavorful - the best I've had.. The Riverside Extravaganza was delicious and I am not recalling the name of my dish but it was Eggplant and Redfish, out of this world delicious! Highly recommend this dive.. read more

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My sister hosted my wedding at The Cooking Cottage @ Poor Boy's Riverside Inn last weekend, and it was perfect! The atmosphere & ambiance was magical, the staff went above & beyond and the food was PHENOMENAL! We enjoyed everything about the evening and look forward to dining at the restaurant again soon! read more

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The food, drinks, service and authentic atmosphere all made for a very enjoyable experience.

Love love this restaurant! I've been eating there for the last 20 years and it is always amazing Seafood is wonderful Service is quick and friendly Ambience is great! read more

Awesome fresh seafood. Lobster and crabmeat o gratin were really exceptional. We are regulars an

Step outside the ordinary and experience Classic Cajun cuisine that is nutritious and delicious. Excellent Eat Fit options not only for a night out on town or lunch, but also incredible catering menu for large events or office lunches. The atmosphere is something you don't want to miss! read more

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Always great food, love the seafood, always fresh and seasoned perfectly. Steaks are great also.

Hadn't been here in 12-15 years but last night we decided to stop by on our way from Baton Rouge to Austin. Brought back a lot of great memories and the food was great, too. My favorite is the lump crabmeat in butter. Something tells me that raccoon might be a menu special in the near future (if you know, you know). read more

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This is a casual, friendly place (staff and patrons) with badly dated decor. Bar service was reasonably priced and good. But, except for the salads, the food was disappointing. The crawfish and corn soup was a salt mine. The crawfish half and half was mediocre, over-cooked, and far from generous. The crawfish dinner was a bit of a mess, especially the so-called pie. These people clearly mean well. Perhaps a bit more attention to detail would help? read more

We finally decided to try this restaurant and we were not very impressed with the food here. I ordered seafood gumbo, and it tasted like flour and not gumbo. The other food we ordered was not up to par either. We will maybe return one day to let them redeem themselves. read more

Walking into restaurant we were met by beautiful raccoons and a beautiful walkway by a swamp scene like a movie. It was so impressive. The welcoming of the staff was amazing and the variety of food is just a broad mass amount of different Cajun food. We had a crab platter, fried gator, and charbroiled oysters. It was fabulous. Can't wait to go back soon! read more

A legend to stop by to have a wonderful meal. Been coming here for years. The menu has a massive selection and top notch service.