I'm conflicted. The southern fried chicken was great, as were the cocktails. And the service is spot-on. But most other entree's are "just ok", and the sides too are "just ok". It's like 3.5 stars, not quite 4....but I'm giving them 4 because locally owned restaurants like this need all the support we can give them. read more

Best fried chicken sandwich I've ever had!! Mac n Cheese is delicious and filling and the service was so great. They really treat you like family there! read more

One of my favorite Lehigh Valley spots The food here never disappoints. Everything ordered is rich and mouth watering to even read aloud! My favorite item to introduce my friends to is the Black Eyed Peas! They are an unexpected gem but when you try them once , you won't visit without 'em! Also- never forget your order or corn bread for the road! read more

While the inside looks lovely, and the staff was fine, waiting 45 min for our food was not. especially when we could see it sitting at the counter 10 min. waiting for wait staff to bring it to the table. Had high hopes for our food but it was not good. Cornbread was excellent. Crab cakes were good but had shells pieces. Brisket sandwich was good but fries were over salted. Fried chick. sandwich was okay but again over salted fries. Chick. & Waffles...chick was okay but not flavorful and not crispy, also waffles were soggy, syrup was nothing special and apples didn't add anything to the dish. Beignets were fine. Again, wish it had lived up to my expectations but at $130 for everything, not worth it at all. read more

So. Darn. Delicious. Drinks were creative. Food was top notch. Service great Prices not bad.

I came here after an afternoon at Crayola! This is a delicious and unique spot. A bit pricier, but worth it. The pulled pork is fantastic, as is the macaroni. Our waiter was fantastic and super friendly. When leaving, the hostess offered to take a group photo for us (I had a friend in town visiting). Will definitely go back! read more

Wel love The Bayou!! But today it was early when we went, feels like service went down the drain!! Sad!! But, also bartender not only doing service then he was waiting on tables as well!! And, the attention at the bar pretty poor. And food runner was like not paying attention I'm super surprised most people's Mac and cheese didn't all land in floor.... Hope this improves, since things may be getting to some kind of normal.!! read more

Awesome as always. Was a special treat to be seated outside on the cool, quiet patio!! Beautiful hidden venue! Ask for it next time! Everything was delish but the crab beignets.... To die for! read more

Amazing! Food was excellent and I was impressed with their Covid safety measures! Had the gumbo delicious and such deep flavors. Cornbread was excellent with the sweet butter. Ate outside and well spaced and I saw them wiping tables chairs and umbrellas! Everyone wearing a mask properly! read more

The Bayou - Side of fried chicken with their hot sauce - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

The Bayou never disappoints. I've been here numerous times and was here last night for my birthday dinner. We shared the jalapeño grits which were super smooth and creamy. I ordered the BBQ shrimp and jambalaya small plates and my husband ordered a sandwich. The jambalaya was spiced perfectly and the BBQ shrimp were tender and juicy. Will definitely go back, and continue to recommend to friends. read more

The Bayou - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

Long overdue review. Love this joint! The food is delicious. Good servers. Very loud in there but I love it. It feels lively. Every dish is worth it. The beignets are a great finish to your meal. read more

See all

This place is a wonderful gem of a restaurant service was awesome and there are not enough words to describe the food everything we had was fabulous from the beet salad to the fried chicken and the short ribs where a dream come true in culinary delight!!! Go check it out read more

We've enjoyed The Bayou several times. Their menu is interesting and always delicious!

GREAT FOOD AND SERVICE This was our second time there. Each time the food and service were extraordinary. I had ribs and slaw. Bill had shrimp and grits. read more

This is an amazingly delicious place! Service is great, food is just so pleasentful, great music and prices are ok, you are paying for quality and quantiy. I ordered the Jalapeño Grits, BBQ smoked Ribs and the Brown Sugar Beignets for dessert and left with the Buttermilk Fried Chicken on my mind, so definetely I am going back before leaving to Tijuana. Jalapeño Aged Cheddar Cheese Grits is addictive, just the right amount of ingredients. I was eagered to lick the bowl but I calmed myself do to etiquette standards. Smoked BBQ Ribs where really good, they are two in the plate but believe me, they are meaty, I was full already with the first one, but I had to finish in order to deserve my dessert. I am ok with sweet BBQ sauce, so if you don't, consider that before ordering them. I have been curious about Beignets ever since I watched Chef the Movie. I don't know if this is the original New Orleans OG recipe but they where delicious. Eat them while they're hot since I could only eat two out of four and the remaining two I took them back to the hotel, I guess I could have used the microwave for the second round but would have missed that slightly crunchyness, so if you have an electric oven I guess it would be ok if you reheat them for about 45 seconds to one minute. Don't forget to make your reservation before getting there since the place takes just minutes to get packed. read more

See all

Where do I even begin... I was born down south and thought I knew Southern cooking until I walked into The Bayou! We started lunch with cornbread, I've never had cornbread so good in all my life! We also ordered the house made Pierogis. If you've ever been to a Polish church fundraiser where Grandma Kaminski is hand making Great Gramma's Pierogis, you won't be disappointed! If you've never had Pierogis well, sit down and enjoy the ride! My main dish was catfish cooked to perfection, who knew catfish could taste so good? That's not the end though, the catfish was accompanied by collard greens. I know, I grew up down south and though I knew what good collard greens were.... Well, I don't know what I've been eating all my life because these collard greens at The Bayou eclipse everything I've ever had! I won't bother trying to describe it just stop whatever you're doing and go get some now! Bottom line, if you enjoy friendly service, in a warm inviting atmosphere and Southern cooking, look no farther! read more

See all

Not that impressed, also the staff wasn't friendly. The only thing worth trying is the cornbread, it was the best I've ever had 10/10 other than that everything else was a disappointment. read more

Excellent service and food delicious and perfectly prepared. Relaxing casual atmosphere.A definite go to place

Excellent service, excellent food! Definitely will return in I'm in the area - the flavor was fantastic and the portions were generous

This score should be a 4.5. There are times when the food is excellent and other times it's just very good. The ambiance and menu options reflect the Cajun lifestyle you'd expect from a place called the Bayou. Drink options and staff are above average although the price for quality is average. Check out both locations, since they offer a slightly different experience. read more

Absolutely love The Bayou! They have a great selection of NOLA style food anywhere from snacks, small plates, desserts and cocktails. We had brisket po' boy, peach salad, chicken thighs, fried green tomatoes, and beignets (all delicious). The food and drinks were great, but what really made the experience extraordinary was our waitress. She was very knowledgeable about what was on the menu, gave tips on what to try, and was so friendly! Will definitely be back! read more

The Bayou - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

I had an issue with doordash delivering the wrong order to my house. I called Bayou, and the person on the phone was more than helpful and accommodating in making sure my order got to my house ASAP. My correct order ended up coming within the next 15 minutes, with my food still being warm and delicious! The Nashville Hot Chicken is incredible! read more

These people don't know what real Cajun food is!!! The gumbo was thick and scorched. Ordered the braised beef rib and is was about 2 oz. worth of meat!!! The collard greens that they stacked on top of it were tough from being unde undercooked, with bits of apple, and just straight up nasty. To top it off, this place is way overpriced. read more

Great service and food. Highly recommend the mac and cheese although it's way more than one portions worth. Definitely make reservations on busy nights! read more

The Bayou - Mac and cheese! - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

The food was excellent. They have unbelievable specials on crab during the week. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was nice.

Service was good, and by far the best fried chicken I'd ever had! Also amazing bread and butter pickles!

You're paying for the ambiance at this place. Food was barely warm and the drinks were week. It's a shame because it is a nice place inside. Maybe we'll go back on day. read more

Great food, better service, nice ambiance. Check them out you will leave, full & with a big smile

3rd visit to the bayou, and assuredly my last . With ownership now expanding to 4 valley eateries, we visited the bayou last saturday at approx 1pm. The potatoe salad served with my sandwich was pungent and in process of spoiling. Both my dinner companions had dishes containing shrimp and informed me the next day, both felt sick and spent several quick trips to the bathroom. Sent a message on company website the next day and not even a reply. Complacency, will kill a bussiness! read more

A great northern version of some New Orleans/ southern dishes. I came here with a group of friends so we tried a lot of the dishes. Must orders: collard greens, mac and cheese, fried chicken, peanut butter chocolate mousse dessert. Skip: fried green tomatoes, dirty rice, sweet potatoes, beignets. The location (with ample parking) is excellent. The service is good. Overall, a good fix for a craving of some comfort food. read more

See all

Local place; my family eats here often. Can't go wrong with the shrimp and grits. Also the burger (before they changed the menu) was one of my faves.... but I've never had anything I wanted to send back. I enjoy the full flavor seasoning and occasional spice. I also enjoy the eclectic and creative bar menu options. All in all a good place for nibbles and drinks or a full family meal. read more

Best restaurant in the Lehigh Valley with a Southern feel! I love the warm, comfortable atmosphere every time I come in. Please get the mac and cheese, it is AMAZING. The bread used for many of the dishes is very airy and pretty basic. Other than that, the dishes include a great amount of flavor and taste. read more

The Bayou - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Some of the best fried chicken you'll find ever!!! The potion size is massive, enough for three people easily, I think they give ya over half a chicken! Cocktails were delicious and fun, gumbo is also really good. My husband had the fried chicken and waffles and he loved the pickled fruit, we never would have thought of that! Worth the visit for sure!! read more

So sad we found this place right before we move out of the area--easily some of the best food we've ever had! Dining room is cute, and there's a gorgeous little patio area in the back that's well shaded and has fans to keep cool. Food is delicious and perfectly southern. A friend with a sensitive stomach joined us and was nervous to get anything fried. She ended up taking a risk and getting the shrimp po boy, & she said it was amazing without leaving her feeling gross or being greasy. I'm sure we'll end up craving this enough after moving that we'll be back! read more

We were looking for a place close to the casino that was off the beaten path and boy did we hit the jackpot! I'll be honest because we really weren't sure where exactly this place was but we based our decision on the star rating and the fact that they had collards and fried oysters on the same menu. Mary was our server and the service was exceptional. They have a full bar and a more than decent selection of draft brews! Bravo. We now have another reason to travel back to Bethlehem. (We had the crab cake, fried oysters, collards, brussells sprouts and an order of fries) read more

Stopped by The Bayou for lunch during our stay at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem. From the outside you wouldn't expect much especially being in the sketch neighborhood that it is, however the inside is cozy and has a lot of character. My BF loves Southern food, but since I don't eat pork we were kind of limited on traditional Southern food options. We tried the Bayou Cornbread, Fried Green Tomatoes, NOLA Shrimp for our appetizer and then split a Shrimp Po Boy for our entree. My favorite was the friend green tomatoes, definitely the best I've had, so crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the remoulade added such great flavor. The Shrimp Po Boy was also pretty good, I liked how crunchy the shrimp were but was expecting more flavor and shrimp, plus the fries were meh soggy and under seasoned. Service was alright, the bartender/server at the table behind us seemed to be a lot more enthusiastic while ours was kind of blah. ALSO, not sure why they were only seating in one section of the restaurant. Tables were literally elbow to elbow making it difficult for the staff to pass through without rubbing their butt on the table each time. Also, being in such close proximity to every table you could hear EVERY single conversation around you. Personally, it could just be that I'm not a fan of Southern food, but this place was so-so for me. Wish I saw peel and eat shrimp or more vodka based cocktails on the menu. read more

Ate lunch here today and loved it!! Pear burrata salad... just yes!! Fried oysters ... delectable! Burger with fries... perfection! Service by Eli was right on. Prices are so fair. Can't wait to motor through town again. read more

Absolutely loved this place. Not from the area, went for a quick dinner before a show at the steel stacks. Great food. Fried green tomatoes were awesome. Collard greens were on point. Jalapeño margaritas were tart and cold and spicy. Friendly service, and the manager came by just to check in and make sure everything was good. Being in the business I love that, it's just a small thing that shows they care about your experience. Definitely recommend, and will definitely go back. read more

Food takes forever. Terrible service on a Friday night. Server didn't clear appetizer plates for over and hour and we had to ask for drink refills. For the price and hype they really need to re-evaluate their management and staff. read more

The Bayou (Bethlehem) is a cute place to dine with friends, family or colleagues. The service was friendly and the food was prepared within a timely fashion. The food was decent my first visit I had the fried chicken and waffles which was "okay". Upon my second visit, it was a work function and we ordered tons of dishes to share. I must admit for the second visit the food was much better. Overall, The Bayou is worth a try, they offer large portions for that value. read more