A much needed place to add some variety in the valley. Pros: good food, good drinks, decent atmosphere. Cons: on the atmosphere, missed the mark here. Good style inside but it was pretty loud and they did next to nothing to help, all hard surfaces very close table placement. I could deal with noise but what was worse was the lighting. Dim the lights! It was like being in a dental chair in that place. Way too many lights and very bright. There is a lot of soft lighting installed but totally overrun by the bright ceiling lights. Didn't give it the cozy feel it should have. Last - too heavy on the fryer. Hush puppies were fried to the core and greasy. Same with my shrimp. Overall pretty good, just a few things to iron out. read more

As usual, Yelp's rating was right on target! This was an amazing find! Great food, super service - very cool place, too! I had been wanting Grilled Shrimp & Grits for some time! I was able to finally het them at the Bayou and they were fantastic. All my friends raved about their food too! The french fries were, fresh, real time potato's as well. Highly recommended if you're in Bethlehem...A must try if you like Cajun Cooking! read more

The menu has a great selection but the food here is definitely "meh". The sweet potato soup was amazing but i was really disappointed with my shrimp po boy. The shrimp was soggy and it was not like any po boy I have experienced in the New Orleans area. The worst part of the experience was when my waitress delivered my drink to another person in my party and didn't realize it for about 15-20 minutes. I understand that mistakes do happen, however, instead of correcting the issue, the waitress just told her that she and the wrong drink, brought and the right one and didn't even acknowledge that I was still waiting for mine or that the drink that was meant for me was already half consumed. After trying to flag her down for about 10-15 minutes, I gave up and my friend passed the remainder of the glass down to my end of the table. When the waitress finally reappeared and one of my friends pointed out that I never actually received my glass the waitress just shrugged it off and walked away. On top of that I was still charged the 9 dollars for the drink (of which I only ever received half). I would have liked to return to sample other dishes on the menu to see if the po boy was just a fluke, but the service was so horrible I don't see myself ever returning. read more

Best meal in a month. Food was ridiculous...blackened salmon, pork belly, jalapeño grits and one of the best bowls of gumbo I've had. The server Niki was perfect, professional and kind. Well done Bayou, cheers to you and to many, many more happy patrons. read more

The Bayou - Pork belly. - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Stop reading this and get to the Bayou now. The most amazing everything especially the fried chicken. Words can not describe its amazingness read more

The Bayou - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

The food is great! Servers are not empowered to make decisions.... No substitutes for some odd reason... My wife simply wanted to sub out her fries for Brussel sprouts and the server had to check with the chef.... The answer was no.... Ridiculous.... The food would garner a 4 on a scale of 5.... But I wouldn't give them more than a 3 star based on the lack of customer focus and flexibility! Try Tapas on Main... Way better service and food.... Nicer atmosphere also! Their place is good... Others are great! read more

The Bayou - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

We went with a group of friends and ordered lots of appetizers and 2 or 3 entrees. Service was excellent despite being very busy since it was a Friday early evening. Highlights include the chicken and waffles - tasty and a huge portion, the spicy grits, the Brussels sprouts, the hot (spicy) chicken was good too. A little less successful were the deep fried black eyed peas and the fried green tomatoes..not bad but not great. Beignets for desert were 4 large & tasty - definitely split this desert if possible. I would recommend and will be returning. read more

My sister recommended this restaurant. I made reservations for my wife and I and even received a reply text welcoming us there. The location was great not far from home but the food was far from New Orleans flavor not sure if the original chef was off that night but my wife and I were not impressed. I give 2 stars because the drinks were better than our meal. read more

The service and food was good. Fried chicken was juicy. However, wish the breading had more flavor. Brisket Po Bo was ok. The Mac & Cheese was alright. read more

The Bayou - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Nice small place Good appetizers Good craft beer selection and decent mixed drinks Star of the show is the Fried Chicken on a cedar plank Skip the temptation to try the other entrees you'll regret it read more

This is a very happening place always slam busy and yet great service. Love the Cajun food and drank staff very helpful and cool Fried chicken is damn good will be back read more

Love their southern food. Cool casual warm vibe. Be sure to get the cornbread and beneits as sides. Fried chicken is outstanding!!! Everything on menu is top notch read more

Food was great... I was very excited to eat the buttermilk fried chicken. We found a dead fly on our sauce platter which was extremely disappointing And quite disgusting. They did replace sauce but ruined our experience here. BAYOU.....more like FLYOU read more

Awesome place, have to be in the mood for it. Nothing else quite like it in the area. I've had one or two "bad" meals but they've been a result of me trying to be too adventurous. Tables are a little too close together. read more

My husband and I came here for dinner on a Friday night without a reservation. We were seated right away without a problem. The waitress was very pleasant, attentive and didn't mind questions about their portion sizes or their draft menu. The small plates were more than enough for a person with a normal appetite. I had the ribs and cornbread (2 separate sides) and my husband had the bbq chicken thighs. All 3 small plates were brought home with us. The price was average for the area, but more than worth it with the quality of food and service you get here. read more

Delicious southern cooking with a New Orleans feel. Small but really nice menu with excellent lunch menu. We stopped by for lunch and it was great and we got out on time. Convenient location with a lot of parking is critical for those quick business lunches. The fifth star was given in spite of limited "healthy" food choices but since it was so good overall and the ambiance was great I didn't worry about it. I had the pulled pork which was great and didn't eat the bun so it turned into a low carb meal. read more

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A local had taken me to the Bayou previously and had a great meal. Raised in the South, I can tell you this place is a gem and offers unique takes on dishes. Was in town visiting and took the wife and 16 month here. Everything was delicious and would want to recommend the BEP and fried grits app/small plate. My little one loved the cornbread. Fried catfish was prepared excellent. Our lunch experience made a believer out of my wife. If we are ever visiting this area, we are going to plan a meal here. read more

Excellent food and atmosphere! I went for the first time last night and was so happy with the outcome! The food was absolutely excellent, the atmosphere was fun, and the people there were extremely friendly. The collard greens are to die for! If you're looking for something to try, I defiantly recommend this place ! read more

Fantastic restaurant. We had the golden scallion hush puppies and curried cauliflower for appetizers, and for the first time in my life I could honestly say the words "that cauliflower is delicious." For entrees we had the bayou burger, buttermilk fried chicken with mashed sweet potatoes, and the special, braised pork shank. Outstanding across the board. The beignets we had for dessert were steaming when we pulled them apart. You're in for a treat here. read more

The Bayou - Brown Sugar Beignets - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

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I had hi hopes for this place. The drink are very good. Nice vibe, nice crowd, but very small. Some of the tables are right on top of the bar area. The staff at the restaurant was incredibly friendly and always there for my wife & I. Food portions are very small. I ordered the catfish, and it came in a bowl, with 2 pieces of catfish, chicken finger style. Disappointed by that. I'm not a big guy, but I expected a nice amount of catfish. I did enjoy the beignette. Can't say I would go back. Just a tip, most of the food is served in a bowl, ask first. I didn't like that, and wish I knew ahead of time. read more

My Sons favorite restaurant in Town, I actually like it too, 3rd time there I think. Fairly priced and generous drinks, but this trip I needed to comment. I think the Jambalya at $30 is the higher end item on their menu, and for a cajun restaurant, it should be THE flagship item. It isn't. Portion was way disappointing, 6 shrimp, 4 pieces of Andouille sausage, and maybe 8 pieces of sugar cube size chicken with minimum sauce. I know how much shrimp, sausage, and chicken I could buy for $30, and would never make 10 servings out of it like they do. I felt cheated getting a bowl of rice with a few items in it, and knew they could do better. They were busy and food service was slow but I didn't care. Wait staff was very nice. Crabmeat pierogies are a definite, so are the green tomato apps. Grab those dessert-muffin-bun things too. Do better OK?, and Yes, I will be back. But NOT for the Jambalaya (unless I see someone elses first!) read more

WOW!! My husband and I tried this place on a whim after seeing it on fb and we are so glad we did. Some of the best food we have had in a long time. I can only say positive things, the staff was so nice, the manager fantastic, out waitress Julie was fabulous! Top notch for sure, absolutely one of our favorite places now. A must try...the whipped sweet potato...you can thank you later. Enjoy, you will not be disappointed!! read more

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I love the atmosphere and their drinks! Food was okay, although dessert was a bit disappointing but I loved the cornbread!

I've stopped my Yelp break to write this review. Holy. Freakin. Crap. Best meal I have had in a while. The atmosphere is a bit frat bar but omg the food is truly world class southern cooking. The corn bread with that butter omg seriously to die for. Paired with the jambalaya to start was a perfect appetizer for a fall day. I had the shrimp and grits which was absolute perfection. Papa had catfish--yum yum kitty it was very delicious. Portions are very generous. We left stuffed and filled until about 9pm. We are from Lancaster and stopped here on our way up to Bushkill. Would come back to Bethlehem just for another meal here. read more

Food was absolutely delicious and the presentation was wonderful. Everyone here was very friendly and the portions were filling. We visited mostly on a whim by searching nearby restaurants, and we will definitely be back. read more

Hard to get a table at a certain time, but try for a place at the bar! Had the Mac n cheese and it was probably the best I've ever had. Ordered the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and I got four giant fried chickens that were crisp to perfection! The mashed potatoes were sweet potatoes so it was a little odd. Service was okay. Maybe it was cause I was at the bar, but we had to flag the waitress down several times. read more

This was the first time my wife and I had went to The Bayou. We went on a Sunday night, although it was Valentine's Day weekend. PRO: Food was served quickly and was hot. I had the Shrimp Tempura Po Boy sandwich where my wife ordered the Hanger Steak. The food had a good flavor and the portions were good. No complaints there. We also ordered the Hush Puppies as a starter and split a side of Macaroni and Cheese. The Macaroni and Cheese had a great smokey flavor and had generous chunks of ham baked in. Drinks were also good and reasonably priced. Beer list was also impressive for how small the establishment is. CON: As many positive things I have to say, I should be honest there were a few negatives as well. The service wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. I'm the type of customer that enjoys speaking with a server and asking for suggestions. She never introduced herself. Our reservations were for 7:00 PM although we weren't seated until 7:25 but that may be a factor of Valentine's Day. The restaurant was also very small and crowded with no place to hang coats except the back of your chair. There was also nowhere to stand and wait. Unfortunately, the largest complaint I have about The Bayou makes me also feel the oldest. The parking lot was completely pitch dark and very icy. My wife (26) and myself (29) were gripping to one another for dear life and thankful for every car that drove by so we could see where to step and almost slipped and fell. OVERALL: Overall, The Bayou has good food for pretty reasonable prices. The service isn't stellar and the facilities need to be addressed from a safety standpoint. If you go to The Bayou any other time of the year though, I feel like you'd have a really positive experience. read more

My fiance and I regularly go to The Bayou on the weekends and have loved it EVERY TIME. We decided to host my bridal shower there this weekend and I simply cannot put into words how accommodating and perfect it was. The entire staff (and owner) was helping my bridesmaids and family set up before they even opened. The food was incredible (we already knew that) but people were raving about it! We hosted almost 40 people and they gave us the entire back patio AND a long section in the main dining area as a welcome table with gifts, favors, photos and signs. It was drizzling rain but it didn't matter because the patio has a little bit of a see though cover so we didn't notice at all. SO, not only should you definitely go for lunch or dinner, but also consider hosting an awesome spring or summer party on the back patio because it was hands down one of the smoothest running, tastiest, pinterest-worthy day we could have had. Thank you Bayou!!! read more

Outstanding food. Creative and executed perfectly. Brunch special "dat sandwich" was a perfect fusion of flavors. The brisket po boy was fantastic. The cornbread was a worth while appetizer. Friendly and welcoming waitstaff/barstaff and charming decor. Don't let the modest exterior discourage you from what awaits inside. read more

We've made a couple of attempts to go to the Bayou, with an erratic schedule it's difficult to plan for reservations far in advance, so it's fantastic that The Bayou is now on Open Table and we can quickly check for availability. It's a tiny restaurant, and it seems louder than it is because the sound bounces off of the brick. However, once seated it did not feel as crowded as it sounded or appeared. The booze: We were really excited by the beer list, there were a handful of things most places only have in bottles that they had on tap. I had their New Fashioned, a bourbon cocktail with brown sugar and muddled clementines. It was definitely not watered down. The boyfriend had two of their craft beers on tap, I will save that review for untapped. A nice surprise was our favorite waitress we've been missing from another restaurant is now the bartender here! The food: Appetizer: Sweet potato confit - delicious, the tabasco aoili is something I would like a vat of. Meals: Me - Pulled Pork sandwich, Him: House Andouille. Both were very good. The pork was greasy to the point that it soaked the bread, but the apple slaw and picked scallions made up for it. The Andouille was fantastic, with an egg on top. Dessert: Speaking of things I'd like a vat of, the peanut butter mousse is everything happiness is made of. Overall: We will definitely go back to try the mac and cheese. read more

4 th visit. After a slight mistake in the kitchen the manager insisted on making things right. You can not find a more professionally run place.our waitress Ashley was great, our food was unbelievable. Too bad we live 2 hours away. 2nd time here and the food is even better. Unbelievable meatballs great oysters , incredible prawns best brisket. Great drinks good service. read more

Fried chicken sandwich was amazing! They had some gumbo or something I will definately get next time, it looked and smelled really good. Neat cocktails and really nice people. read more

The Bayou - Yum! - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

The service was great! I was disappointed in grilled peach salad which I saw reviewed as great on here. My partner got the house salad (not in menu) and his was just as big as mine but 5$ difference. I got maybe five tiny bacon bit and two slivers of a peach I then ordered the Mac an cheese it was to die for !!! My partner got the redfish and the piece was no bigger than a playing card and very thin. It was like a kids meal in my opinion. We saw a lot of people getting the fried chicken and it looked abundant and delicious. I will try this restaurant again for the chicken. Atmosphere was friendly but quite loud read more

We sat at the bar the excellent service was great and the drinks were unique and delicious. The door was delicious with a great southern flair. read more

After a long day of driving and visiting family :) we decided to encore the day with some good food at the bayou! Jalapeno hush puppies to start with a spicy, warm bowl of gumbo. The hush puppies were crunchy and fresh-and it came with really tangy and delicious mustard seed dipping sauce. A huge bowl of gumbo was right next to our plate of hush puppies, you better believe i dipped my hush puppies in the gumbo! Although a bit lacking of chicken, andouille sausage and seafood-the flavor of the gumbo was on point. It was hot and full of spice. I could have had another bowl to myself :) The entrees we picked were the cornmeal crusted catfish and the brisket po'boys. The fish was delicious, it also came with dirty rice and greens. I love me some fried fish and this definitely hit the spot!!! I had a few bites of the fish and obviously burned my mouth. The corn meal crust was a good contrast to the delicious and flaky fish. It was so good. The po'boy brisket was unconventional...we didn't know what to expect. The brisket was definitely good, tender and flavorful. The toppings for the sandwich is what threw us off. It was tangy and sweet. I liked it, but like i said-it was different. And the fries were SOOOO GOOOOOD! Overall our experience was great, we definitely want to try this place again and go for the other entrees like the etouffe, fried green tomatoes, shrimp and fried oyster po'boys...pretty much everything! I truly give this place a high 3 stars, the staff was great too. Can't wait to come back! read more

Have to say we were disappointed. We love NOLA food and couldn't wait to try this place. We ordered a bit of food to try and really only the Gumbo was great - the rest was average, nothing special. The drinks were delish, but slow to come... we would have had more of them if the server had more time for us. We ate... - flash fried BEP (super greasy.. would be great if these were free at all tables in a smaller portion, like popcorn/peanuts at some restaurants) - gumbo (Great!) - hushpuppies (Dry, even with garlic sauce) - brisket po'boy (Just okay) - BBQ shrimp & grits (Shrimp was good, grits were really, really creamy) We drank... - peach maple cocktail (yum!) - berry vodka cocktail (yum!) We likely won't be back, unfortunately... read more

This place is tremendous. In a town full of pizzerias and bar food, the menu at the Bayou is full of refreshing, unique dishes based in Southern culture, but with creative, tasty twists. We had the fried chicken, which is a specialty. Offered as a platter in four pieces, and as a sandwich-both were delicious. Their macaroni and cheese is unbelievable. Don't leave the restaurant without it. One platter is enough for four people. We also had cornbread, hush puppies and flash fried black-eyed peas (an interesting twist, but really yummy). I never eat black-eyed peas, but these were crunchy, light and seasoned to perfection. We suggest making a reservation a week in advance for dinner. Walk-ins are probably ok for lunch. read more

Awesome southern food! The drinks are also amazing. The friend chicken sandwich is definitely the best in the Lehigh valley.

We've dined here three times; the food has been tasty and fairly priced. (Among our favorites: Ty's Mac and Cheese, hush puppies, corn bread, gumbo, fried chicken and wings.) In addition to plenty of beers, they have some creative drinks with some kick. While our waitresses and bartenders have always been helpful and kind, the hostesses don't seem to have a good handle on things. It's the only thing that keeps us from going more often. read more

Ate here tonight with a girlfriend. All the tables were taken so we ate at the bar.. bartenders Mary & Jerry were SUPER helpful and welcoming. I got the flash-fried black-eyed peas, curried cauliflower, and mixed green salad. Everything was phenomenal and pretty reasonably priced. My friend got the fried chicken sandwich and some citrus cocktail and she loved both also. I will definitely be returning and I highly recommend it... 5 stars for food & service! read more